What is SaaS?

What is SaaS?

What is SaaS?

Do you own online software? Can you buy cloud-based software? Am I buying or licensing my software? What are SAAS fees?

What is SaaS?

SAAS is short for Software As A Service. In today’s real-time cloud-based world, many companies that provide online services or software are moving to what’s called a SaaS environment. A SaaS environment for you is going to your MLM software provider, sales tax provider, commission payment system, logistical warehousing system, etc – and there’s going to be some sort of fee associated to that.

For example, in MLM Software, you’re normally going to pay some sort of base, monthly fee. Then you’re going to pay a fixed amount or percentage of sales, per transaction, per customer, or per distributor etc. Why should you be happy paying these fees? Well, you need to understand what that provider is doing for you as a company. First of all, if it’s MLM software, you don’t have to pay tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on the development of the software, setting up servers, setting up your cloud, hiring and managing your development and customer service staff, all of those things are handled by the SaaS provider.

As you grow, you’re going to pay more in fees, but those fees are more predictable than trying to do it yourself and are ultimately going toward the improvement of the platform you’re already using which benefits you.

In this industry, it’s got to be a win-win for everyone. It can’t be a zero-sum game.

If you’re looking at MLM Software, be happy that you’re looking at a SaaS provider, be happy that they’re going to generate a profit, because that’s going to make you as a company and your distributors better while taking the headaches off of your shoulders. At the end of the day, you’re all going to be happier and more successful.

If you think I can give you some value or education on the direction of your network marketing company or help you with MLM Software or Logistics, give me a call or shoot me an email.

What To Look For From Your MLM Software Company

What To Look For From Your MLM Software Company

What do I need I need to look for in MLM Software? What should I look for from my MLM Software company?

Your MLM Software Company Should…

When you search Google for MLM Software, you’ll find literally millions of results and in those results, you’re going to find a lot of ‘noise’ and it makes if very difficult for those unfamiliar with it to know or understand what things they should be looking for. Sometimes people go for the most expensive thinking the higher the cost, the higher the value. Others go the inexpensive route and try to find whatever is most affordable.

How Many Companies Have They Launched or Employees Do They Have?

Companies that have launched many different businesses are going to have the experience to help you navigate around the issues that could be major struggles for your company down the road.

How many employees do they have? Maybe ask to speak with Marketing Director or Compensation Plan Manager. How many people they employ gives you a glimpse into the resources of their business. I tell people that “it’s not if there’s going to be a problem it’s when” and you need to make sure that the Software company you trust with your business has the resources to handle a major emergency quickly. 

How Many Offices Do They Have?

Companies with multiple offices will typically provide more extended hours of customer service. Additionally, a company with a single office running out of a strip center is a higher risk compared to a company that has multiple offices that have been around 10, 20, 30+ years. You need to ask yourself, “what happens if this company closes up?”

Do They Understand Your Compensation Plan?

If every question you ask them is “Yes” then they probably don’t fully understand it and their main goal is just extracted as much money as they can from you by convincing you they already know your plan. Ask them to explain your compensation plan, have them reiterate how your Binary or Unilevel or Matrix is structured or what your ranks or requirements or rewards are. Anyone can have a sales pitch, really spend some time with them and make sure they understand the details of your business.

Did They Ask You More Questions Than You Asked Them?

The first question most shoppers ask is, “how much is it?” How can anybody tell you what the price of your custom software is going to be without knowing what your needs are? Are they asking about your products, your services, your logistics, payment gateways, merchant accounts? All these things that you need to think about when launching your network marketing company, your software company needs to do all the integrations – so they should be asking 2-3 times as many questions to really understand what they need to do.

How Much Experience Do They Have?

Above all else, your MLM Software company should have experience. You should be asking them questions like “How long have you been doing this?”

These days anyone can put together a website that makes them look like a million dollar company overnight. You want to make sure it’s not just a group of guys that launched one company and now think that they have the knowledge and skills to handle every situation.

Take the time to do your due diligence when looking for your MLM Software. Make sure they have the experience and the resources to properly assist you. Ask lots of questions and expect that they ask more. If they don’t you’re probably in for some nasty surprises down the road.

I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years and if there’s anything I can do to help you, just give me a call or shoot me an email.

What Are API’s?

What Are API’s?

What are API’s? Do I need an API? Does my MLM Software have APIs?

Why Are API’s important to my business?

What is an API?

API is an acronym for Application Programming Interface. An API is a piece of coding built into the software that allows other third-party applications to communicate and send or receive data to the software. 

Why are API’s important to my business?

API’s are used to integrate a variety of different applications. In our industry, it’s not uncommon to see Payment Gateway or Merchant Account integrations through APIs. Unless you’re doing your own shipping and logistics, you’re going to need API’s to connect with your shipping provider. Maybe you want to add a lead generation or contact management system. Whether you want to do it now, or down the road, you’re going to need to make sure that your MLM software has the API’s in place, or has the ability to add them so that these systems will be able to communicate.

We’ve heard horror stories over the years from clients that started with MLM Software thinking they had these API’s in it, only to find out 6 months down the road that it didn’t and couldn’t integrate with the tools to help them grow. Many of these companies ended up stagnant and failed as a result.

When you look for your company’s MLM Software, one of the questions you need to be asking is “Do they have the API’s we need?” Because the worst position you can be in is to have massive momentum behind you, only to find out that you need to stop and shut down your company while you switch over your MLM Software.

If you have any questions about APIs, give me a call or shoot me an email.