We present to you the value that an MSP can add to your business by managing essential SaaS applications for your business
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has revolutionised the way businesses consume and manage software. Most applications that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) rely on today are cloud-based, meaning a significant portion of IT budgets is dedicated to subscriptions for these essential tools. Depending on the size of your company, your technology needs, industry, and security posture, these costs can vary widely. In this article, we highlight some of the core SaaS applications that are fundamental for any business looking to operate securely and efficiently in today's digital landscape.
For many SMBs, Microsoft 365 is the go-to productivity suite, offering a comprehensive ecosystem that covers email, communication, and collaboration. With applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, and Teams available under one subscription, Microsoft provides a robust foundation for daily business operations. Depending on your requirements, you can choose from basic to advanced subscriptions that include additional features like Visio, security suites, mobility solutions, device management, Windows licensing (Business), eDiscovery, and compliance tools. Google Workspace offers a similarly integrated approach with its own suite of cloud-based productivity apps.
Ensuring the security of your endpoints is crucial. Most businesses invest in subscription-based anti-virus or Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solutions that continuously monitor, detect, and mitigate threats. These services protect your systems from malware, ransomware, and other cyberattacks while keeping your data secure and compliant with industry standards.
Data is one of your company’s most valuable assets. Subscription-based backup solutions ensure that your Office 365 data and other critical business information are backed up regularly and can be quickly restored in the event of data loss or corruption. With automated backups and cloud-based recovery options, you can safeguard your business continuity without incurring significant downtime.
Email and web security solutions are essential for filtering malicious content and protecting your organization from phishing attacks and other online threats. Cloud-based solutions, such as secure email gateways and Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) or secure gateways, help maintain the integrity of your communications and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information. These softwares have a tiered feature set which caters to different kinds of security features depending on the requirement of the business.
Managing licensing for your operating systems is another critical area. This is an area where most of the SMBs go wrong in terms of which license they should purchase, Windows Home/Pro/Enterprise and through which channels. Ensuring the selection of current license will unlock significant feature set that will make sure your business computers are always running optimally and securely at optimal licensing cost.
SMBs rely on specialized tools to manage their financials, analyse business performance, and maintain customer relationships. Subscription-based accounting software (such as QuickBooks or Xero), analytics tools like Power BI or Tableau, ERP systems and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions provide the necessary functionalities to streamline these processes. These platforms not only improve efficiency but also offer scalability as your business grows. You will need the right selection of tools alongside expertise in backend functions like databases, integration with other apps, and security.
Productivity is key to business success. SaaS/On-prem solutions for day-day task management/practice management systems help teams organise projects and workflows effectively. Additionally, marketing and social media management tools like empower your team to maintain a strong digital presence, engage with customers, and track campaign performance.
For businesses looking to scale their operations, cloud infrastructure platforms such as Azure and AWS offer Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions. These services enable companies to deploy applications, manage data, and maintain high availability without the need for significant upfront investment in physical hardware. They also allow businesses to rapidly adapt to changing demands with scalable and flexible solutions. Cloud infrastructure costs can very quickly go out of hand if the underlying system usage is not kept in check. In addition to that most of the cloud systems rely on shared responsibility model for security and operations where an SMB will require expert help.
Modern software development relies on efficient and collaborative toolkits. SaaS-based development environments and tools like Visual Studio, Git, and integrated DevOps platforms support agile development practices, allowing your team to build, test, and deploy applications quickly and securely. If you have an in house development team, DevOps teams can add significantly value add to the development of product helping accelrate the software build process
An experienced Managed Service Provider (MSP) like IT Horizon can bring expertise and efficiency to managing these SaaS applications. Here’s how partnering with an MSP benefits your business:
SaaS has transformed the way SMBs operate, providing a flexible, scalable, and secure solution for modern business challenges. By leveraging tools such as Microsoft 365, cloud security solutions, and productivity platforms, businesses can streamline operations and focus on growth. Partnering with an experienced MSP further enhances these benefits by providing expert support, ensuring robust security, and optimizing costs.
Embrace the future of IT with a strategic approach to SaaS, and let your business thrive in today’s digital world.
