Future-Proofing Your SaaS Investment: Questions to Ask Before You Buy

According to Ascendix, 70% of companies use SaaS-based software, a figure expected to rise to 85% by 2025. Are you or your company thinking about being part of that said figure? It’s a good idea, since SaaS solutions have benefits such as flexibility, cost-efficiency, and accessibility, enabling teams to work smarter without needing heavy upfront infrastructure investments.

Here’s the challenge, though: not every platform is built to fit your long-term needs. Without asking the right questions, you risk choosing software that doesn’t scale, lacks key features, or costs more than expected. This can drain resources and disrupt operations, leaving you stuck with a tool that underdelivers.

Want to know how to make a smarter SaaS investment? You’ve come to the right place. Read on as we discuss the following:

• Important considerations for SaaS solution evaluation.

• Assessing SaaS platforms and providers.

• Common mistakes to avoid when finalizing your SaaS selection.

By the end of this article, you’ll know how to confidently choose a SaaS solution that supports your business now and into the future.

Key considerations for evaluating SaaS solutions

Below are the critical factors to consider when evaluating SaaS options.

Scalability and growth potential

Your business won’t stay the same size forever, so your SaaS solution needs to grow with you. For example:

• If you currently have 50 employees but plan to scale to 200 within three years, can the platform handle the additional users without a massive price jump?

• Does the software support expanding your database—like managing 10,000 customer records now and 100,000 in the future? For instance, HubSpot can handle this growth, but a smaller, newer, albeit Customer Relationship Management software might struggle with performance at larger volumes.

• If you integrate new tools, such as Zapier, does the SaaS solution offer seamless compatibility? Some platforms may lack robust APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), forcing you to rely on manual processes or costly custom development.

Selecting a scalable platform ensures you won’t outgrow the software as your business expands.

Customization and flexibility

Your SaaS solution should adapt to your business’ workflows rather than forcing you to adjust to it. When evaluating platforms, consider these key factors:

• Can the platform be tailored to match your processes? For example, Monday.com allows teams to create custom workflows for task management, while some rigid platforms may lock you into predefined structures that don’t align with your business.

• Can your team easily access and share data between their daily tools? Native connections with common software like QuickBooks, Trello, and Slack eliminate the need for constant app-switching and manual data entry.

A customizable and flexible platform saves you from workarounds and ensures the software fits seamlessly into your business operations.

Security and compliance

Protecting sensitive data and meeting legal standards are non-negotiable when choosing a SaaS solution. Beyond offering useful features, the provider must protect your data and adhere to legal requirements relevant to your industry. Here’s what to consider:

• Look for features such as end-to-end encryption (which protects data during transfer and storage), regular security audits, and multi-factor authentication (MFA), where users must verify their identity through multiple steps. Platforms like Google Workspace prioritize data security with strong encryption and frequent vulnerability assessments.

• If your business deals with sensitive data, check whether the platform adheres to standards like:

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): A European Union law that requires companies to protect personal data and privacy for EU citizens, with non-compliance leading to steep fines.

• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act): U.S. regulations that safeguard patient health information. This is essential for SaaS platforms used in healthcare settings.

By prioritizing security and compliance, you ensure your data remains protected and avoid costly penalties or reputational damage.

Cost transparency and hidden fees

Hidden fees can significantly inflate your SaaS costs beyond the advertised base price, making cost transparency critical. To uncover potential hidden costs, carefully evaluate these aspects of the pricing structure:

• What features are included at each price tier? Platforms like Adobe Creative Cloud or Atlassian often hide critical capabilities such as advanced analytics and automation tools behind higher-priced tiers. Watch for essential features that may be concealed in premium plans.

• What are the hidden peripheral costs? Many providers obscure these additional fees in their pricing:

• Feature upgrades: Tools like Asana charge premium rates for capabilities such as portfolio management

• Implementation support: Enterprise platforms like SAP include separate fees for training and onboarding

• Service levels: Providers like Zendesk tier their support quality, charging more for priority assistance

Vendor reliability and support

The reliability and support capabilities of your SaaS provider are crucial for maintaining smooth business operations. When evaluating vendor reliability, focus on these critical aspects:

• Market presence and longevity demonstrate a provider's stability and commitment. Established platforms like Microsoft have proven track records of continuous improvement and reliable service. Newer vendors may pose risks of service discontinuation or inconsistent product maintenance.

• Support system accessibility directly impacts your ability to resolve critical issues. While providers like Freshdesk offer round-the-clock assistance with rapid response times, others limit support to business hours or email-only communication, potentially leaving you stranded during system problems.

Choosing a vendor with a solid track record and responsive support ensures stability and helps you resolve problems efficiently, minimizing disruptions to your operations.

Assessing platform and provider strength

Say you've narrowed down some SaaS providers and tools. Here's how to evaluate them further:

Look for their long-term roadmap

A forward-thinking SaaS provider invests in continuous improvements to stay ahead of industry trends. Companies like Shopify regularly roll out innovations such as workflow automation and advanced analytics, demonstrating their commitment to platform evolution.

However, not all providers maintain this pace of development. Stagnant platforms that rarely update can leave your business struggling with outdated tools. By choosing a provider with a clear development roadmap, you ensure the software will grow alongside your business needs, protecting your long-term investment.

Find out more about the SaaS onboarding and training

A smooth onboarding process is essential for quick adoption of a new SaaS platform. Providers like Zoom excel in this area, offering user-friendly interfaces and detailed setup guides that make implementation straightforward.

Beyond initial setup, comprehensive training resources ensure your team can fully leverage the platform's capabilities. While providers like Salesforce offer extensive support, including dedicated specialists for larger organizations, smaller vendors may leave you to figure out complex features independently through basic documentation.

Research user experience and reviews

Real-world feedback reveals strengths and weaknesses that feature lists often miss. For instance, Notion consistently earns praise for its clean, customizable interface.

Industry-specific case studies provide deeper insight into actual implementation. A mid-sized marketing agency might demonstrate how ActiveCampaign streamlined its email workflows, delivering tangible time savings and efficiency gains.

This combined insight helps determine how effectively a platform will serve your specific business context.

Common pitfalls to avoid in SaaS investments

As you prepare to make your final SaaS selection, be alert to these five critical mistakes that could impact your success. Avoid them so you can move forward confidently with your SaaS investment.

• Choosing the cheapest option without evaluating total business impact. While a lower-priced solution might seem attractive, it can end up costing more through limited capabilities, needed add-ons, extensive customization requirements, and training time. A slightly higher upfront investment in a more comprehensive platform often delivers better long-term value.

• Not thoroughly testing the platform during the trial period. Organizations often rush through basic features without exploring how the solution handles complex workflows, edge cases, or high-volume scenarios. This surface-level evaluation can miss critical limitations that only become apparent after implementation.

• Excluding end-users from the decision-making process. When leadership or IT teams choose software without consulting the employees who'll use it daily, they often select platforms that look good on paper but don't match real workflow needs. This disconnect typically leads to poor adoption rates and wasted investment.

• Starting without clear success metrics or goals. Before implementation, define specific objectives like "reduce processing time by 30%" or "cut manual data entry by 50%." Without these concrete benchmarks, you'll never know if the investment was worth it.

• Ignoring data portability before committing. Many organizations realize too late that their data is trapped in a vendor's system. Before signing, verify you can easily export your data in standard formats. This escape route becomes crucial if you need to switch providers.

Conclusion

Selecting the right SaaS solution requires careful evaluation of both the platform and provider. While features and pricing are important starting points, success depends on examining deeper factors like scalability, security, vendor stability, and user experience. A thorough assessment of these elements, combined with awareness of common pitfalls, helps ensure your chosen solution will serve your business effectively.

Remember that the cheapest or most popular option isn't always the best fit for your organization. Take time to evaluate potential solutions against your specific business needs, involve key stakeholders in the decision process, and consider long-term implications. This strategic approach to SaaS selection will help you find a solution that not only meets your current requirements but supports your business growth for years to come.