In a recent survey, we asked IT Managers what Software as a Service (SaaS) and Business Apps they were using. While the answer captured some of the more well-known apps/services (QuickBooks Online, Salesforce, etc..), it was also missing some other critical apps that are out there. To boot, while over 80% of respondents used SaaS services, none of them were able to recall them all! Now while this was a survey of IT managers and not their IT departments overall, it still led us to wonder why there was such little awareness of SaaS and Business apps in their organization. After all, these are the types of tools that should be top of mind for both IT and business leaders
We realized quickly after reviewing this survey that the reason most people can’t recall all the tools they use, is simply because there are far too many to recount. Overprofliferation of SaaS & Biz Apps is a growing issue. The reason? According to Business Wire, nearly 54% of SaaS Applications are Shadow IT.
Business Apps and SaaS are important to your customers.
Business Apps and SaaS are a big part of the digital transformation strategy for most companies. Businesses have realized that they can’t afford to be stuck with old solutions that don’t integrate well with new technologies. According to BizJournal, in many cases, outdated technologies may actually cost more than they save, versus adopting new technology. They need to be able to use a digital environment where they can collaborate effectively with partners and customers, while still having the ability to control their own data.
If you’ve ever had to deal with multiple vendors, you know how difficult it can be to collaborate on projects when all parties don’t have access to the same information. This is where, you, the MSP comes in. They are trusting you to manage so many areas of their IT stack. However, this is the one area where they are making business decisions around business problems and you are not talking about them.
Most MSPs are not talking about SaaS & Business Apps.
We know that most MSPs are focused on their core service offerings: security, cloud, backup, network, and endpoint management. These are the bread-and-butter services that keep your customers happy and growing. But when we talk to our partners about managing their business apps, it often feels like we’re speaking a different language. They don’t see these tools as a priority or even understand why they matter.
The problem is that too many MSPs view SaaS app management as a “nice to have” rather than a core service offering, and they don’t see the value in investing in these tools since they don’t directly impact revenue growth. In our post about QBRs, we help you understand how this is a natural fit into your existing process. That’s where we come in — because we believe there are several reasons why you should be talking about business apps with your clients and prospects today:
It is a blue ocean opportunity to talk strategically with your customers about business problems and not IT problems.
This is where your customers are spending their entire day and in most cases, where they get the most benefit from IT.
It is a relatable technology discussion that is proactive, which the C-suite can directly understand.
Customers will be happy to talk about it if you bring it up.
In today’s world, customers expect the same level of service from your business apps as they do from your products and services. That’s probably why, according to Forrester, 95% of business leaders have customer experience as a top priority. That means when they have a problem, they want to be able to talk with someone who can help them. And if you’re not offering this type of support, it could cost you customers.
Talk to your customers today and use Saaslio to drive your best practices around SaaS Discovery, Management, and Shadow IT Alerting.
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