What is the “Service” in “Software as a Service?”
The virtues of Software as a Service are many. When people think about Software as a Service, it’s not uncommon for them to think about the ‘Service’ element in terms of technical support. And to be sure, customer service is a critical component of successful SaaS; but a less obvious part of this service is the speed and intelligence with which the software can develop in response to client needs. In the case of lead management software, data is generated whenever the software is used by clients. With software as a service it is possible to continue developing the software in response to how it is being used. When it is discovered that lead close rates are dramatically better when the prospect is contacted in under a minute, a solution is developed to ensure that you’ll be the first on the phone with the prospect. When it is discovered that the effectiveness of contact attempts drops off after the sixth contact attempt, leads are prioritized to be contacted six times by phone and only by email thereafter.
Companies using lead management software are able to create a winning workflow and maximize ROI for their company. It’s fully configurable, but out of the box it is set up to leverage the analysis of the massive amount of accumulated data. The accumulated data, its analysis, and the product features that are added are an often overlooked but major part of the service. And it should go without saying, that the more clients a SaaS provider has, the more data, the better the conclusions drawn about best practices.
The part of the service that contributes most directly to client success is one that most people rarely consider; that a SaaS platform is developed directly in response client use and client need.
