To understand software-as-a-service (SaaS) and cloud computing, it can be broken down into three simple steps—sign up, log in, and start doing your work. Enterprise SaaS applications are built on the basis of requirement gathering, integrations, customization, and training.

The evolution of software as a service (SaaS) tool comprises collaboration boosters like videoconferencing and real-time communication software. Also, it includes task automation tools, such as data analysis and email marketing software. These things have changed the face of the global workplace. The importance of these tools is more in empowering organizations, not just to survive the COVID-19 pandemic but also to thrive in the future and rise above the current challenges.

This ability to confront future challenges is why the SaaS solutions are built for and housed in the cloud rather than on-premises ecosystems. The biggest example is virtual private networks (VPNs) that provide remote workers access to the system that they use in the office. Co-workers or colleagues can remain connected with each other and work with full efficiency.

Smooth transition from office to work from home

It is an added benefit for remote workers and IT professionals to know how SaaS has contributed to remote working. Also, how technology will continue to power their long-term success.

1. Easily scalable

There are companies even today that would believe in deploying on-premises data infrastructure to handle the workload. But that requires employees to be physically present at the data centers to install new systems and scale capacities, which would ultimately restrict employees from remote working.

And it just isn’t possible in a situation like the coronavirus pandemic.

So, here comes the role of housing SaaS technology in the cloud. These days cloud offers a major set of capabilities like security, flexibility, and scalability for enabling work from home.

Example: Zoom, the communication provider, keeps an additional 50% capacity beyond actual usage. The company maintained this rule as the percentage of users went up from 10 million daily meeting participants to 200 million. With the extension of bandwidth, the company has focused on partnering with more carriers and ISPs and ordering more transit on existing interconnections.

2. Making collaboration quick and amp; efficient

Those who love going to the office is only because of one reason that they can meet people for quick and face-to-face conversations. However, it is difficult to identify any other way to create a substitute for communication and collaboration within the organization. There are SaaS tools, such as videoconferencing and instant messaging, which have enabled a sense of collaboration. And this remains the primary reason for the heightened usage of Zoom.

Example: For instance, IT professionals or other employees can easily conduct a basic audio call for meetings or discussions. But the need of the hour is to share the screen, conduct a video call, or share files and folders instantly. Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Spark, Skype, and more such communication tools are bridging the gaps and turning out to be quicker for collaboration. So, this way, work from home and digital interactions will become a long-term win-win for both organizations as well as employees.

3. Let IT meet innovation

The SaaS providers are giving out their best capabilities with increased pressure to support remote workers and companies. They are under the microscope for giving out more than just functionality and bandwidth. Knowing the fact that technology is taking an innovative curve every time, customers won’t be able to stick with clunky or illogical user experience when they depend on a tool for specific functionality.

Example: An innovation-based product or software is something that doesn’t have any correlation or resemblance with any other in the market. For instance, when Snapchat came into the market, it brought the idea of stories in the social media world. It was later adopted by other platforms too. Similarly, A better UX will serve SaaS companies in the long run. If the organization sees USD 100 in ROI for every USD 1 spent, only then it makes for a worthy investment.

SaaS application usage during COVID-19

From the time remote working has begun in February 2020, the SaaS applications’ usage has seen a dramatic change. The sharing video feature in the Zoom app has increased by 175%, whereas the overall Zoom usage and Zoom meetings have been increased by more than 50%. Other collaboration applications such as Slack and Microsoft have increased usage by nearly 100% each, and the numbers of users are ever-increasing. The installation of file sharing systems like Dropbox and Box has also increased by over 20%.

Conclusion

The arrival of the pandemic and the increased number of remote workers has given rise to several tech innovations. It has shown that business evolution will happen no matter what. SaaS applications, especially, will see the greatest level of consumption across companies. With the capabilities of communication, collaboration, and safe exchange of data, SaaS will remain critical for employee and organizational needs during these tough times. In the future, every tech leader is expecting a higher set of capabilities from SaaS.