SaaS software development for business. What is it, and how it works

Saas application development (which stands for software as a service) is a fairly complex process that requires special skills and knowledge in programming and creating a user interface. As a rule, the software itself is located on the developer’s server or cloud. It is responsible for ensuring the application’s performance, regular updates, and improvement. Thus, the user does not delve into the technical side of the issue but focuses on their business goals.

SaaS web interfaces are used on any device. The software on the cloud server provides the user with convenience and reliability. To take advantage of the SaaS platform, users can either pay for a personal subscription or purchase a corporate user package.  Hence, SaaS solutions offer users an expanded feature set and various subscription types corresponding to different audiences’ needs and demands. 

Also, SaaS development is one of the good ways to model collaboration with software owners. The user gets access to the service via the browser or the API. In other words, the SaaS model is a ready-made solution that the client can work with. In contrast to web applications, the customer does not have to configure or install any software – only signing up to the system is needed. Yet, the complete separation of web and SaaS might be wrong, as many SaaS solutions have web versions.

Different collaboration models for creating SaaS solution

Deploying a new programming product requires cooperation with professionals in design and development. For the future collaboration with IT vendors, a few options are available:

1. Hiring specialists within an in-house team. This cooperation model requires paying salaries and is mainly for companies oriented to long-term SaaS development and post-development phases. 
2. Partnership with freelancers. If your team needs professionals to regularly create SaaS solutions that do not require upgrades, you can gather freelancers to work with. 
3. Opting for outsourced solutions. This model is probably the most efficient for SaaS development, as it involves an optimal balance of development and consulting. 

At PNN Soft, we offer an outsourced model of partnership and outstaffing of dedicated teams – the choice depends on the individual business needs and preferences in the workflow. 

Is SaaS development suitable for all types of businesses?

In most cases, software as a service application is suitable for both small and medium-sized businesses. For example, this service is especially worthwhile for digital agencies, insurance companies, healthcare, and the retail sector. As the name suggests, SaaS can optimise communication with clients, serving as an instrument for creating CRM or helping to develop ERP with accountant reports and analytics.

There are several types of SaaS platforms. We can outline vertical and horizontal SaaS based on functionality and industry specifics. Following the criteria of shareability, there are also single-tenant and multi-tenant solutions.

Vertical SaaS generally offer services to a particular industry, considering its needs, while the horizontal solution is more universal and applicable to different business spheres. For instance, within one digital ecosystem, you can take advantage of solutions created for marketing, sales and communication departments. What is the SaaS application? – let us keep answering the question by exploring the most popular SaaS solutions: 

1. Dropbox. This is one of the most popular services in the cloud storage market. 
2. Canva. This SaaS application is among the most relevant applications for small/medium business owners and social network managers.
3. Zoom. This is one of the most popular SaaS products in great demand. 
4. Buffer. This platform is efficient and easy to use. It is designed to manage social networks. It is also used to increase the level of social marketing.
5. Microsoft Office 365. This is a prime example of SaaS development. Microsoft 365 is a complete solution that allows its employees to realise their potential. It is created for enterprises and large organisations and is used for medium and small businesses. 
6. My Case. The platform is created for small and medium-sized law firms and contains case management instruments, billing options, time tracking, etc.  
7. Guesty. The solution aims to assist property managers in managing vacation rentals and short-time rentals listed on various platforms. 
8. Xero. This is one of the most convenient platforms for paying bills, as it allows users to schedule payments, make one-click payments, and upload receipts effortlessly.
9. Shopify. The solution contains one streamlined dashboard for building up online stores via drag and drop function and selling your items. Shopify is flexible enough to satisfy the needs of promising companies and large enterprises. 
10. Katana. Within the system, users can manage the end-to-end manufacturing process. Katana supports MTS (made-to-stock) and MTO (made-to-order) workflows.

PNN Soft knows how to build a SaaS application

Business analytics and technical specialists conduct market analysis before starting the development process. Let us start with a short overview of technical components worth considering to contribute to how to create a Saas inquiry. 

The first essential task is to research your customers’ needs, pain points (and how users tend to solve these problems), competitors’ offers, and the overall market volume. No less importantly, your product has to suggest innovative ways of addressing clients’ needs.

Depending on your goals, we may provide insights into the best monetisation options. Usually, for SaaS applications, the subscription-based model is applied. 

• Agree on the technology stack.

This term encompasses all the technologies implemented during software development – front end and back end, servers, infrastructure configuration, databases, and cloud hosting (Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure).

We utilise efficient databases with high flexibility, security and a reasonable capacity. Our aim is to meet individual companies’ needs and industry specifics. 

For boosting the development process, our experts apply scalable language for the server-side logic. Our dedicated software developers specialise in diverse programming languages: Python, Ruby, Java, Node.js, and PHP. For frontend development, PNN Soft experts constantly hone their skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (React, Angular, Vue.js).

SaaS platform development for customised solutions may also involve Minimum Viable Product creation. In other words, you have to create a model for your app, implying only the primary functions of the future product. So you can perform testing on end users to realise whether the idea is viable for users and whether its realisation is precise and comprehensive. User feedback can shed light on the required functional capabilities of the product – be ready to improve its efficiency from iteration to iteration and test the solution accordingly.  

• Third-party integrations

The main reason to opt for third-party integrations is improved user experience. Maintaining a third-party digital ecosystem will help you to make UI more interactive and engaging with no disruptions in your customers’ routines and online habits. 

• Maintain the product further.

Speaking of SaaS solutions, the maintenance process never stops; you can scale the system consistently thanks to cloud computing services. Moreover, finding innovative features for your customers is a must in dynamic market conditions. Alongside that, IT vendors carefully monitor the solution’s performance, identifying and fixing bugs promptly. 

Benefits of SaaS solutions. How will SaaS platform development help your business become more effective?

Software as a Service has several advantages:

• Regarding SaaS, the user can contact the vendor for support anytime. Regular updates are available to all customers of the service.
• End-users can use the software product on a regular fee basis, acquiring the right to access it. This is an excellent opportunity for the business owner to receive a stable income from loyal users.
• Reduced costs with SaaS. As a rule, this multi-user cost of providing software in such an environment is much lower. 
• Custom software development provides complete control over the modifications and saves labour resources. Enterprise SaaS solutions help automate internal business processes in enterprises.
• Reduced maintenance labour costs. Custom SaaS development simplifies service delivery, leading to a significant competitive advantage. 
• The efficiency of the SaaS solution assists in automating internal business processes in enterprises. 
• Flexible SaaS server scalability. The scalability of SaaS development provides an instant change of scale following the growing volume of data and transactions. Also, reducing possible failures and meeting service level requirements. 
• SaaS security is one of the main components. While working with this model, you are protected from possible problems of hacking or content distribution.

You should hire a SaaS development company to create high-quality software that will be in demand. PNN Soft Company, with many years of experience in the modern technology market, provides software development services. We offer solution methods according to the customer’s needs. Thanks to our employees’ many years of experience, various options for the implementation and functionality of applications are possible. Our SaaS solutions can be actively scaled for years, so you can significantly save funds on the development software ecosystem in the future. Our teams for reliable SaaS development consist of motivated professionals:

• Project managers who are mainly responsible for planning and monitoring task completion in line with client’s requirements and deadlines. 
• Business analysts who define the potential of the future solution in particular market conditions, maintaining the most relevant business model for the company. 
• DevOps engineers who primarily address performance issues in real-time and establish robust performance management mechanisms.
• UX/UI designers aiming to create a distinctive and convenient look and feel for future solutions that correspond fully to the brand’s aesthetics. 
• Back-end and front-end specialists who work with scripting languages and on the customer’s side, ensuring that the performance of your system is smooth.
• QA and testing experts concentrate on fixing bugs and reporting issues that need to be solved by the engineers’ team.

PNN Soft uses RAD, Scrum, and Agile methodologies to ensure continuous customer communication and establish the best quality-to-cost ratio. Our experts are experienced in cooperating with the EU and US clients; software engineers share Western business values and never stop exploring innovative technologies. Also, we provide high-quality encryption of software products and take care of the security of users on the network. 

In custom SaaS development, these security questions acquire a new relevance due to the multi-tenant application development approach. PNN Soft experts emphasise robust end users’ data protection, so they apply proven data loss prevention practices and advanced encryption tools. Multi-factor authentication can be applied for better access control from the client side. 

If you are looking for a reliable software development vendor or further consultancy on SaaS solutions, fill out the form below.