SaaS Solutions Essential for Scaling a Digital Consultancy
Published: 09/06/2022
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You can no longer proceed without digitising the business if you aim to scale a digital consultancy. For this reason, we are sharing this list of essential SaaS solutions with business owners and managing directors. While this is one of many possible options, it is known to be effective, and we can therefore place our bets on it.
In our day and age, there isn’t a single business that isn’t utilising at least one digital solution. The fast-paced modern environment, combined with the recent necessity for most companies to move online, as well as massive volumes of data, makes this essential. From retail and hospitality to manufacturing and consultancy, software has become an irreplaceable part of business.
But the era of clunky disk-based programmes is now gone - the new format is Software-as-a-Service, also known as SaaS. It doesn’t require hardware to support it, has no installation, and is easily accessible to anyone on your team as long as they have internet access since it runs in a web browser. The best part is that different SaaS solutions can be integrated with one another, and this is something consultancies interested in scaling should utilise ASAP.
A stand-alone software will never meet all the needs of a business, and thus companies utilise multiple solutions for different areas. However, if these solutions are chosen haphazardly and only employed by one department at a time, it is highly likely that you are not receiving good value for your money. Furthermore, rather than uniting your teams, you may be inadvertently siloing them even more.
For this reason, the optimal solution is to create a digital toolbox - a collection of digital tools that are interconnected through integrations. Such an approach works wonders for team alignment, as different departments now have visibility of one another, allowing them to tailor smoother workflows and enhance efficiency. Additionally, when integrated, software solutions enrich reports with data gathered from various platforms, effectively placing it in a different context and potentially revealing new opportunities. Finally, interconnected tools facilitate seamless data exchange, eliminating the need to switch between tabs to export or import data from one solution to another. Time is money, and so every minute counts. With that said, we would like to introduce one of our favourite SaaS solutions, build.
When handling client work, it’s crucial to keep track of the time, especially as most digital consultancies operate on the retainer model. The very name of Timesheet Portal suggests it’s well suited for the task. The time tracking feature of the software is highly customisable; you can calculate your time spent by hours, days, or even deliverables. Timesheets can then be easily exported in various file formats. However, these timesheets feed into other functions within Timesheet Portal, which can benefit consultancies of any size, such as invoice automation.
Based on the data captured in the timesheets, the software will generate an invoice in seconds, saving your staff potentially hours and reducing the risk of errors. Similar to the timesheets, the format of an invoice can be customised to meet your needs and branding. When integrated with finance software, you can easily export those invoices with just a couple of clicks without switching tabs. Additionally, Timesheet Portal helps you track your expenses and simplifies the expenses claim process. Features such as bulk receipt uploads and smooth approval workflows, combined with accessibility across different devices, really clarify the expense management process for many businesses. These are just a few pay and bill features that Timesheet Portal has to offer - here's the complete list.
Since Xero is one of the most popular accounting solutions, chances are you are already using it or have at least heard of it. Similar to Timesheet Portal, it has extensive functionality necessary for finance teams across various business sectors. Its most prominent feature is an automated payroll system that calculates taxes, pensions, and leaves, then emails your workers their payslips for online access. The Xero payroll feature also helps you remain compliant with HMRC requirements, relieving yet another worry from the shoulders of the finance department.
A clean, modern dashboard helps you stay on top of the accounting by presenting all your spending, sales, and expenses in a digestible visual format. It allows you to easily follow up with outstanding invoices, monitor specific areas of the business, and remain aware of cash flow. Additionally, it is a useful tool for creating quotes—either from scratch or using a template. Moreover, Xero easily converts quotes into invoices, which can sometimes save a significant amount of time. Most of the integrations actually feed into Xero, expanding its already wide capacity and helping to personalise the software to each business's unique requirements.
Another multi-functional tool you need for your toolbox is HubSpot. It is best known for its wide range of marketing automation features and for being a great tool for aligning your key customer-facing teams. For marketers, it is a crucial instrument for effective lead generation and nurturing campaigns, SEO, and social listening. Sales teams utilise it as a powerful and flexible database of contacts, recording every smallest detail and interaction with them, including those handled by customer support teams. All in all, the software makes it very easy for all three teams to have visibility of each other, thereby creating smooth client journeys in which the right people receive the right information at the right time.
Furthermore, with its extensive selection of integrations, HubSpot can feed its recorded data into other tools you utilise. Additionally, it can receive data from them, allowing you to build automated workflows that trigger actions beyond HubSpot’s native functionality. For instance, when integrated with Xero, you can create a workflow that enables HubSpot to send an automatic reminder email to customers who haven’t paid an invoice, eliminating the need for you to chase them yourself.
Business digitisation is inevitable, but, like everything in the world, it doesn’t stop progressing. Being caught up in an outdated digital strategy that involves separate software solutions for different departments or the use of hardware-dependent tools will undoubtedly hinder your growth, as these methods are now obsolete. In a world where everything relies on flexibility, your best option is SaaS solutions.
It’s important to remember that having a greater number of tools does not necessarily lead to success; it is the way you connect and utilise them that makes the difference. In this article, we suggest a configuration that consists of only three solutions but is powerful and covers most of the areas crucial to a scaling consultancy. The variety of combinations for a digital toolbox is limitless, and it all depends on your needs and approach.
Timesheet Portal features a list of potential integrations. Whether you wish to explore the suggested toolbox or create your own, consult with us today, and we will be delighted to provide assistance.