Subscribing to a SaaS package is as easy as subscribing to a film or music platform: that's the revolution taking place in the SaaS market.
Acquiring SaaS tools by subscription from a service provider offers a number of undeniable advantages. With a SaaS package tailored to your needs from a trusted partner, you can boost your productivity and grow your business.
Discover all the advantages of SaaS acquisition by subscription, and the tips you need to make the right choices!
The evolution of SaaS acquisition methods
Instant messaging, shared calendaring, CRM, etc. the number of SaaS tools that make your employees' day-to-day work easier continues to grow.
Until a few years ago, the most common practice was to purchase a software license and install it directly on your employees' workstations. However, this ad hoc acquisition method has shown its limitations.
Acquiring SaaS through subscription to a service provider is now the optimal solution for companies. In fact, subscribing to a package of tools from a provider via a monthly or annual subscription offers a number of advantages, which we'll detail below.
With the popularity of this acquisition method, the number of service providers continues to grow. Finding the right supplier, choosing the right tools: these are the new challenges facing companies.
So, before choosing your SaaS tools and supplier, you need to define your acquisition strategy. What are your SaaS software requirements? What's your budget? What functionalities are you looking for?
To help you, you can call on a SaaS market expert who will identify the ideal SaaS solution for you, and select the supplier who will meet all your needs.
The benefits of a SaaS tool acquisition strategy
When defining your SaaS tool acquisition strategy, you need to gain a thorough understanding of your company's and your employees' SaaS application needs.
Najar’s Procurement Team will enable you to select the SaaS tools and options you really need, identify and remove any duplication, and thus identifying the right solution for your needs.
Subscription-based SaaS acquisition brings you many advantages:
→ Lower subscription costs than ad-hoc acquisition
→ A wide choice of tools and options, available as a package or via a customized subscription.
→ The possibility of negotiating prices and conditions to suit your needs (after-sales service, maintenance and support, frequency of contract renewal, etc.).
By choosing to outsource your SaaS acquisition to our SaaS market experts, you can be sure of obtaining the most relevant functionalities, at the best prices and from the best partners.
Cost optimization and SaaS budget control
With a coherent SaaS tools acquisition strategy, you know which functionalities are useful to your business. No more duplicate or unused tools, you can choose and customize your SaaS packages to suit your business. You only pay for what you really need.
Well-equipped, your staff become more efficient and productive, and your sales quickly increase. So you benefit from a rapid return on investment.
Acquisition strategies also enable you to benefit from economies of scale, for example by requesting feature packs at attractive prices.
Negotiating SaaS contracts is another way of reducing SaaS costs. Renegotiating existing contracts is therefore a strategic aspect of this lever.
Finally, with a clear, consistent strategy, you'll have a long-term view of your spending and the use of your SaaS tools. This means you can control and redirect your strategy in line with your real needs, which are constantly evolving.
Streamline SaaS vendor management
One of the main problems you may encounter with SaaS is the multiplication of tools: each department chooses its own instant messaging, shared diary application and so on.
In addition to the incompatibility problems and errors this can cause, it also generates avoidable costs.
To remedy this problem, Najar’s Procurement Team help you to set up a centralized management of your SaaS strategy.
You can entrust this task to the IT department or the HR department, for example. You'll reap several benefits:
→ Better visibility of your company's overall needs
→ The possibility of negotiating more advantageous package deals (more tools, more suitable options, etc.).
→ Avoid the proliferation of SaaS providers by choosing the one that offers you the solution best suited to your needs.
→ Standardized use of SaaS tools across all company departments, for better internal communication and collaboration
Better governance and risk reduction
To provide a framework for your SaaS acquisition process, you can publish rules and procedures. This frame of reference enables you to determine SaaS tool selection criteria and SaaS contract management procedures.
Thanks to this well-defined framework, our Procurement team will help you choose the supplier who meets all your criteria. We’ll help carry out a market study to evaluate the different partners you are considering working with according to your priorities:
→ Consistency of offer
→ Rates offered
→ Compliance with your company's standards,
→ Data security and protection
→ Compliance with standards and legislation
→ Maintenance and support, etc.
Flexibility and long-term vision
A subscription-based SaaS acquisition strategy enables you to evolve your tools in line with your needs and new objectives. Your business is constantly evolving, and your tools need to be able to adapt.
By assessing your company's real needs and existing IT structure, you can select compatible SaaS tools that can evolve with your needs over the long term.
With a well-defined acquisition strategy, your SaaS solution can meet all your needs over the long term. So you can work with peace of mind and look to the future.
Thanks to the monitoring and updates provided your Procurement Team, your tools evolve in step with your business. What's more, to stay ahead in a highly competitive market, service providers regularly upgrade their offerings and tools (new features, more adapted options, etc.).
How exactly does Najar’s Procurement team support their clients?
Identifying our clients’ needs
Our Procurement Team initiates the process by rapidly assembling crucial data and aligning it with your expectations. Leveraging our in-depth expertise in the SaaS market, industry benchmarks, and a robust client community, we ensure that you secure the most advantageous deals available.
Our insights eliminate any ambiguity in pricing, providing you with transparent and competitive offers. Furthermore, our familiarity with various vendors enables us to streamline the preparation of contract renewals, optimising both time and cost efficiency.
With our streamlined process, we define key negotiation parameters such as the required number of licenses, ideal commitment duration, and budget considerations in a matter of minutes. This quick but comprehensive step sets the stage for a negotiation strategy tailored to your unique needs.
Building your negotiation strategy
One size does not fit all, especially in negotiations. We collaborate closely with you to validate the information collected and construct a negotiation strategy that aligns perfectly with your organization's goals.
Whether you're looking to cut costs, enhance features, or strike a balance between the two, our Procurement Team has the expertise to craft a strategy that makes every negotiation count.
Choosing your approach
We recognize that different scenarios demand different levels of involvement. Hence, we offer three distinct options for your negotiation journey:
Delegate Option: Sit back and relax as we take the reins, leading the negotiation and managing meetings independently. Our seasoned negotiators will handle every aspect, ensuring optimal results.
Duo Option: Sometimes, a strategic or technical negotiation calls for a collaborative approach. You have the choice to team up with your dedicated Najar buyer during negotiations. This dynamic approach combines your industry insights with our negotiation prowess.
Coaching Option: For those ready to step into the negotiation arena, our coaching option provides you with a winning edge. We spearhead negotiations while equipping you with compelling arguments and levers derived from our extensive knowledge and benchmarking of the relevant tool.
Communication is absolute key, and we keep you in the loop every step of the way. Whether it’s Teams, Slack or email, we will adapt ourselves to your preferred channel of communication that will act as the conduit for updates, validations, and progress reports. You'll always know where things stand, empowering you to make informed decisions.
Conducting the negotiations
Navigating negotiations with suppliers can be complex, but not for long.
Our team made up of several Senior IT Software Buyers adeptly manage the back-and-forth with suppliers, meticulously analyzing offers to determine which ones offer the greatest value and align most closely with your requirements.
Our focus isn't just on securing a deal—it's on securing the right deal for you.
Sealing the deal with satisfaction
Once the negotiation offer receives your seal of approval, the signature process ensues between you and the supplier.
The details of the negotiation, including terms and benefits, are conveniently accessible in a dedicated tab on our platform. Additionally, we’re also able to advise customers on SLA and contractual items if needed.
We don't stop there; a satisfaction questionnaire reaches you, offering an opportunity to share your valuable insights on the negotiation progress.
In the intricate world of SaaS procurement, having a steadfast partner by your side can make all the difference. At Najar, our Procurement Team's commitment to excellence, flexibility, and transparency ensures that your journey towards optimal SaaS solutions is marked by success. We don't just negotiate; we elevate your procurement experience.
Tailored to your needs, SaaS tools make your day-to-day work easier and help you grow your business. Subscribing to SaaS tools is the ideal way to increase efficiency and optimize your budget.
With a well-thought-out and coherent SaaS strategy, you can choose the service provider that meets your criteria, and the offer that best suits your needs and your business.
To be sure you're making the right choice, you can enlist the support of a SaaS market expert like Najar, who will propose the optimum solution for your business thanks to its SaaS Procurement solution.
If you want to know how much your SaaS is currently costing you, take the test with our online calculator: it's surely time to redefine your SaaS strategy with the help of an expert!
