外文翻譯--軟件運(yùn)營服務(wù)虧損的22個(gè)原因

1、<p>　　中文5000漢字,3100單詞，1.5萬英文字符</p><p>　　22 Reasons Why Your SaaS Is Losing a Ton of Money (And How to Fix That)</p><p>　　Inspired by the growing popularity of SaaS (Software as a Service) c

2、ompanies, we’ve decided to take a closer look at buzz around this type of solutions (which comes pretty handy given that the biggest & most awaited SaaS event of the year, SaaStr Annual begins today). For the purpose

3、 of this analysis, we’ve examined mentions from the last 8 months which we gathered with Brand24 social listening tool.</p><p>　　The following analysis is focused on problems faced by users of various SaaS c

4、ompanies, as well as key communication channels they choose to voice their opinions. It also offers advice on improving your SaaS business, lists industry influencers and most prominent SaaS-related subjects. This materi

5、al has been published to help businesses improve their product and present industry insights valuable for those willing to launch their first SaaS.</p><p>　　Where does the discussion take place?</p>&

6、lt;p>　　When it comes to discussion on SaaS-related subjects, Twitter is by far the most active of all social networks. In the last 8 months, there’s been over 700,000 mentions on “SaaS” across Twitter, which accounts

7、for 80% of all mentions collected in the course of this analysis. Our tool returned 37,000 and 20,000 mentions for Facebook and Google+ respectively. However, mentions could also be found outside social media channels?—?

8、in the analyzed time period, blogs generated over 19,000 submissions, </p><p>　　Universal problems faced by SaaS users</p><p>　　SaaS users reported a number of problems, including pricing, bad c

9、ustomer service and payment difficulties, to name but a few. Given that these issues have a direct influence on customer acquisition and customer retention, it is worth examining them in detail.</p><p>　　1.

10、Steep price tag</p><p>　　Subscription-based access to a service lies at the essence of the SaaS business model. Payment may be made every month, or for a longer period of time (e.g. annually). Some companies

11、 decide to opt for buying the software outright, which they think in the long run is cheaper than subscription-based cloud solutions.</p><p>　　2. Insufficient pricing information</p><p>　　Pricin

12、g issues don’t end with steep price tags?—?some businesses fail to provide sufficient pricing information on their websites. Customers wish to know the exact price before they start a free trial or are approached by a sa

13、les representative. For many people, not being able to check a price of a given tool means it’s probably too expensive for them.</p><p>　　Some users also get frustrated with having to fill out forms to get a

14、 price estimate.</p><p>　　3. No access to data in the case of delayed payments</p><p>　　Monthly charge model can be problematic to some users. They know they can lose access to their account and

15、 potentially lose some key business data should they fail to make a payment on time. This can serve as a serious barrier to new users.</p><p>　　4. Limited payment options</p><p>　　Limited paymen

16、t options are the subject of numerous customer complaints. Make sure you give users plenty of payment options. Here’s a really cool example: last January, BillingServ announced they accept Paycoin, Bitcoin, and Dogecoin

17、payments.</p><p>　　5. Frustrating onboarding experience</p><p>　　While some of your new users expect you to walk them through your tool step by step, others prefer to be left alone so they can e

18、xplore it by themselves. Finding balance between user preferences can prove extremely tough?—?you should always focus on making things easy and intuitive for new users to prevent them from getting discouraged from what y

19、ou have to offer. Analyze how many steps it takes to set up a new account, how you collect data, or how you reach out to provide additional information</p><p>　　6. Delays in data transfer</p><p>

20、;　　All SaaS user data is stored on external servers, which may have serious implications for some users. Many companies operating globally have customers from all over the world, which may result in delays to customers m

21、ost distant from the location of the servers.</p><p>　　7. Too many notifications</p><p>　　Practically all SaaS solutions send emails with advice on how to use the tool to maximize its potential,

22、 as well as provide additional information related to the subject. It is pretty clear that people find this annoying?—?make sure your emails are not intrusive (i.e. not too frequent).</p><p>　　8. Trust issue

23、s</p><p>　　Trust is essential for this type of businesses?—?not only do customers trust you with their money, they also trust you with sensitive data relevant to their business. When a given SaaS company goe

24、s out of business, its customers are affected enormously, especially if they paid for their access in advance (e.g. paid an annual fee). Let</p><p>　　9. Trouble downloading invoices</p><p>　　Mos

25、t SaaS businesses address their solutions at the B2B sector, so you’d think downloading invoices would feel like a breeze. Making this process difficult (or not offering downloadable invoices at all) is considered a grav

26、e error by some SaaS users.</p><p>　　10. Asking for credit card details for a free trial</p><p>　　Asking users for their credit card details in the free trial registration form is a serious barr

27、ier to entry. A lot of people would like to give your tool a try, but they feel like asking for this type of information at such an early stage is unnecessary.</p><p>　　11. One API key</p><p>　　

28、SaaS solutions providing only one API key make it difficult for users to integrate across tools to increase efficiency. One API key means users have to choose between services which are equally important to their busines

29、s.</p><p>　　12. Complicated cancellation process</p><p>　　It is believed that some SaaS businesses make cancelling purposely hard?—?it comes as no wonder users are getting frustrated and complai

30、n about such practices.</p><p>　　13. No explanation of tool purpose</p><p>　　In many cases, your site is often the first place for users to learn about your SaaS tool. Businesses try and squeeze

31、 as much information as possible on their precious website space, but they often forget to provide a clear description of what their tool actually does.</p><p>　　14. Not using Intercom</p><p>　　

32、In the SaaS sector, Intercom is constantly gaining momentum because it’s so versatile?—?it can generate sales and be used for by helpdesk staff, among other things. Some users feel that SaaS tools that don’t come with In

33、tercom are not worth the hassle. According to Intercom’s analysis, both the design and usability of the tool are appreciated by majority of their users. For that reason, Intercom can serve as a role model for many SaaS b

34、usinesses.</p><p>　　15. Inability to reject new terms</p><p>　　Users find fault with SaaS products which don’t allow them to reject or negotiate new terms imposed upon them while actively using

35、the tool.</p><p>　　16. Bad customer service</p><p>　　CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) is typically even a few times higher than CRC (Customer Retention Cost), but nothing is costing you more cust

36、omers than bad customer service.</p><p>　　Taking too long to answer a question, or not answering at all are only a couple of ways you can decrease customer satisfaction. Ignoring complaints can put your comp

37、any on fast track to social media crisis, so make sure you answer in a polite, timely and informative manner.</p><p>　　Problems faced by specific companies</p><p>　　17. ADOBE: No way to change p

38、ayment method</p><p>　　An unsatisfied Adobe user voiced her concerns on Twitter upon learning that she had to cancel her subscription to change her payment method (i.e. switch from PayPal to credit card). Yo

39、ur aim should be to make things as easy as possible for your customers to increase their satisfaction.</p><p>　　18. Mint: No way to add multiple users to one billing account</p><p>　　Mint custom

40、ers reported it was impossible to add a multiple users to one billing account, which is something you’d expect from a budget & personal finances app. A lot of users get Mint to plan & control their family budgets

41、, so it’s only logical that they would like to share their account with their spouses, relatives, or housemates?—?some of them said they would even be happy to pay extra to be able to do so.</p><p>　　19. Hub

42、Spot: UX issues</p><p>　　Sidekick is a service which allows you to track & schedule your emails. According to one of Twitter users, its Business plan comes with an apparently overcomplicated purchasing p

43、rocess.</p><p>　　20. HubSpot: Annoying Marketing Automation</p><p>　　One of Twitter users got an automated email asking for permission to close his file, followed by an almost identical email of

44、 this kind two days after he got the first message. This serves as a great example of how annoying Marketing Automation can be for its recipients (hence the “Hubspot Sales Zombies” part).</p><p>　　21. Slack:

45、 Difficulty with payments</p><p>　　Slack is incredibly popular among professionals who are generally happy with the services it offers. However, a small business owner complained that it was difficult for sm

46、all businesses to get an invoice.</p><p>　　22. Basecamp 3: No API</p><p>　　Basecamp didn’t provide an API for their latest version, which didn’t resonate with some of their integration partners.

47、 According to some, a company which is known to offer advice on running a software business failed to rise up to the challenge of introducing a new version without upsetting existing users.</p><p>　　How To I

48、mprove Your SaaS?</p><p>　　Although the Web is full of customer complaints, it’s also teeming with inspirational stories which can give you an idea on how you can improve your product.</p><p>　　

49、1. Try WebHooks</p><p>　　For users, WebHooks are a great way of getting valuable information about what is happening to their data in real time. Increasing numbers of SaaS businesses?—?e.g. MailChimp, Shopif

50、y and GitHub, offer this solution. Depending on the purpose of a particular SaaS, WebHooks can be related to e.g. received payment, new user registration, or a newsletter opt out.</p><p>　　2. Allow multiple

51、users per one billing account</p><p>　　As mentioned above, one of the problems SaaS customers are facing is not being able to add multiple users to one billing account. It turns out many businesses saw that

52、as an opportunity to attract new customers, e.g. via multiple or unlimited users per one billing account (typically offered in more expensive pricing plans).</p><p>　　3. Give a helping hand to newcomers</

53、p><p>　　Learning how to navigate your tool can cause confusion for your new customers, so make sure you keep things simple to avoid losing them. Offer guides, video tutorials, webinars, screenshots with step by

54、 step how-tos, as well as a FAQ section designed to solve potential problems.</p><p>　　4. Make an in-person appearance</p><p>　　As a SaaS provider, you surely work with people all around the wor

55、ld?—?this makes it quite convenient for you to step in to solve their problems (with no suit in sight!). Offer to help by organizing regular webinars, but try to make an in-person appearance from time to time if that’s p

56、ossible.</p><p>　　5. Think about what your customers need</p><p>　　It seems that the bigger the problem your SaaS is supposed to solve, the more money you can make from it. However, you have to

57、make sure you care about your customers as much as you care about profits. Try to understand the needs of your customers and provide solutions that solve their problems. Remember that your users are not interested in all

58、 the functionalities you have to offer?—?they most likely care about the one that solves their problem.</p><p>　　6. Focus on User Experience</p><p>　　Your users have to find satisfaction in usin

59、g your product. While a pleasant experience is bound to get more business sent your way, a few frustrating elements may make people cancel their subscription, and share their complaint with their friends…. and Google. Ma

60、ke sure you nip all problems in the bud by testing your product thoroughly and listening to customer feedback.</p><p>　　7. React to reported problems promptly</p><p>　　Users communicate with you

61、 in across a number of channels, such as email, helpdesk, or social media sites. Regardless of the means of communication they choose to report a problem, make sure you react as soon as possible to prevent a crisis?—?be

62、polite, informative, and offer to help.</p><p>　　8. Ask for credit card details later in the process</p><p>　　Asking for credit card details upon registration may result in higher conversion rat

63、es (most customers willing to provide such information will likely be considering buying your product), but you won’t get as many trials as you possibly can. Getting people to try your tool is one of the hardest tasks yo

64、u’ll probably face, and asking for credit card details early in the process is an unnecessary barrier to entry. Build trust and ask for the details later in the process to increase the number of t</p><p>　　9

65、. Allow data parking</p><p>　　Some of your customers may need to take a break from your tool for a while?—?make sure you store their data for some time to make comebacks as smooth as they can possibly be. If

66、 you’re not offering this option to your customers yet, consider whether it’s something you could do?—?here’s an example of how Proto.io allows customers to “park their data” for $5 a month.</p><p>　　10. Tak

67、e advantage of customer feedback</p><p>　　You may think you know your product from inside out, but when you’re so close sometimes it can be difficult to look at your product from a perspective and foresee al

68、l the applications it can possibly have.</p><p>　　When creating your product, think of possible scenarios to figure out potential problems your users will likely face. Luckily for you, users tend to provide

69、feedback on what they love, as well as what they hate. Find all mentions of your product, respond to them, and consider whether the changes suggested by your users are worth implementing.</p><p>　　11. Create

70、 an exceptional product people will be happy to pay for</p><p>　　Let’s be brutally honest here: if you’re a SaaS business owner, you’ve probably spent the last few years giving your product all your heart (a

71、nd all your money to boot). You probably wanted to create a solution to an existing problem and hoped people would be eager to pay to solve it with your app. You have to stand out from the crowd and offer a solution to a

72、 real problem to make people want to do that. In most cases, paying customers are better at providing you with feedback, which is also typ</p><p>　　12. Use social listening to detect sales opportunities</

73、p><p>　　Due to informational deluge on the Web, it can be difficult to to single out information that is relevant to a given subject. A simple yet effective way to get the answers you are looking for is to simp

74、ly ask the right questions. There are plenty of places where potential customers look for the right SaaS tools. Getting notified on these questions in real time gives you a head start?—?with the right tool, you can be th

75、e first one to let them know you have what they are looking for.</p><p>　　Most Interactive Sources of Content</p><p>　　The Definitive Guide to Growth Hacking</p><p>　　The Definitive

76、 Guide to Growth Hacking by Neil Patel and Bronson Taylor was by far the most popular SaaS-related piece of content in terms of number of mentions. Although the guide comes from 2013, it is still rocking the SaaS world?—

77、?in the last 8 months, it has been shared over 4,200 times across social media channels. This proves that due to being a relatively young approach, Growth Hacking intel is still in high demand.</p><p>　　The

78、guide provides an explanation of the term “Growth Hacking”, presents a profile of a Growth Hacker, and discusses the Growth Hacking process. It also provides valuable advice on getting people to use your product.</p&g

79、t;<p>　　Basecamp 3 API</p><p>　　Another widely discussed subject is Basecamp 3 released in November 2015. Being the first redesign of this kind since 2012, Basecamp 3 received a lot of compliments on

80、its new functionalities and design. However, a lot of users were left unsatisfied?—?they couldn’t try the new version because Basecamp didn’t provide an API for their latest update. It’s been over two months now, and cus

81、tomers keep coming back with the same question. Basecamp team members keep on promising to provide an API soon.</p><p>　　Tips, Tricks & Techniques Ruled the Blog Environment</p><p>　　A lot o

82、f attention has been given to blog posts listing tips, tricks, techniques, and strategies, as well as SaaS-related case studies. These include:</p><p>　　15 techniques to increase free trial signups,</p>

83、;<p>　　What removing credit cards from our SaaS signup did to our revenue,</p><p>　　16 tips to reduce SaaS churn from industry leaders,</p><p>　　5 metrics every SaaS startup should track.

84、</p><p>　　Popular subjects related to SaaS</p><p>　　Growth hacking</p><p>　　According to data gathered by Brand24, Growth Hacking was one of the most popular subjects appearing in t

85、he SaaS context. The Definitive Guide to Growth Hacking rocked the SaaS world, but posts providing useful tips, tricks and strategies were also extremely popular. Lead generation, increasing brand loyalty, and growth hac

86、king case studies can be found most frequently in the 61,000 collected mentions on the subject.</p><p>　　Inbound marketing</p><p>　　According to the principles of Inbound marketing, businesses s

87、hould make it easy for customers to find them based on a user-centered omnichannel social media presence and high quality content.</p><p>　　A lot of SaaS providers choose this approach to run their business,

88、 which explains the number of mentions on that subject in the data collected in the course of this analysis. Most popular resources explained why Inbound Marketing is the right course of action, how you can get started,

89、and where to look for useful tools. In the last 8 months, over 38,000 of mentions on the subject were collected by our tool.</p><p>　　PaaS and IaaS</p><p>　　SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (P

90、latform as a Service) and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) are the three most common cloud computing service models. A lot of SaaS mentions were in fact related to all of these three models (e.g. were marked with three

91、 hashtags: #IaaS, #PaaS, and #SaaS at the same time). A lot of mentions mentions collected is devoted to foreseeing their development, and explaining similarities and differences between them.</p><p><b&g

92、t;　　Churn</b></p><p>　　Over 8,000 mentions is related to churn, which is a painful problem universally faced by SaaS providers. Across these topics, advice on minimizing churn, churn rate calculation r

93、esources, reasons why people tend to cancel their subscriptions can be found across most popular pieces of SaaS-related content.</p><p>　　SaaStr Annual 2016</p><p>　　SaaStr Annual is the biggest

94、 SaaS event of the year attended by SaaS founders, execs, and investors. The first SaaStr Annual held in 2015 was visited by nearly 2,000 SaaS professionals, but this time the event holders want this number to reach 5,00

95、0. In February alone, over 500 mentions related to the oncoming event appeared across social media channels.</p><p>　　軟件運(yùn)營服務(wù)虧損的22個(gè)原因（以及如何解決這個(gè)問題）</p><p>　　隨著SaaS（軟件運(yùn)營服務(wù)）公司的普及，我們開始對(duì)這一類型的運(yùn)營服務(wù)進(jìn)行密切關(guān)注

96、（備受期待的SaaStr年會(huì)從今天開始，這也給我們帶來很多方便）。為了進(jìn)行分析，我們研究了過去八個(gè)月從Brand 24 收集到的資料（注：Brand 24 是一款社交媒體監(jiān)測與分析工具）。</p><p>　　下面將重點(diǎn)分析各個(gè)SaaS企業(yè)所面臨的問題以及他們選擇的表達(dá)他們意見的主要溝通渠道。同時(shí)提出改善SaaS業(yè)務(wù)的建議，羅列出最具行業(yè)影響力的SaaS企業(yè)及其相關(guān)問題。這份材料已經(jīng)出版，將幫助更多企業(yè)改善他們的

97、產(chǎn)品，并與那些有意愿推出第一款SaaS的企業(yè)分享目前行業(yè)的狀況。</p><p>　　討論從哪里開始引發(fā)？</p><p>　　關(guān)于SaaS相關(guān)主題的討論，推特是目前最活躍的社交網(wǎng)絡(luò)。在過去的八個(gè)月中，與"SaaS"相關(guān)的推特信息達(dá)到700，000條，占我們收集的資料的80%。同時(shí)，Brand24為我們收集到了37,000條來自臉書的信息以及20，000條來自谷歌+的信

98、息。除了社交媒體外，博客上有超過19，000條相關(guān)信息，新聞網(wǎng)站有超過23,000條的相關(guān)信息。</p><p>　　SaaS用戶普遍面臨的問題</p><p>　　SaaS用戶反饋了許多問題，包括價(jià)格、糟糕的客戶服務(wù)和支付困難等等。這些因素直接影響到新客戶的開發(fā)以及舊客戶的保留，因此值得我們深入研究。</p><p><b>　　價(jià)格</b>

99、</p><p>　　基于訂閱的訪問服務(wù)是SaaS商業(yè)模式的本質(zhì)?？梢赃x擇每月支付，或者更長的時(shí)間（例如，每年）。一些公司選擇直接購買軟件，他們認(rèn)為長遠(yuǎn)來看，直接購買軟件比基于訂閱的云方案更便宜。</p><p><b>　　2. 定價(jià)信息不足</b></p><p>　　定價(jià)問題不單單只是價(jià)格高昂。有些企業(yè)不能夠在他們的網(wǎng)站上提供足夠的價(jià)格信

100、息。客戶在免費(fèi)試用和考慮使用之前就想知道確切的價(jià)格。對(duì)于許多人來說，無法得知一個(gè)給到他們手上的工具的價(jià)格，或許意味著高昂的價(jià)格。有些用戶也會(huì)因?yàn)椴坏貌惶顚懲瓯砀癫拍塬@得一個(gè)預(yù)測價(jià)格而感到困擾。</p><p>　　3. 延期付款將丟失訪問數(shù)據(jù)</p><p>　　每月付費(fèi)的模式可能會(huì)對(duì)一些用戶產(chǎn)生問題。他們知道如果他們不能按時(shí)支付，將可能丟失賬戶的訪問數(shù)據(jù)，并可能由此失去一些關(guān)鍵的業(yè)務(wù)數(shù)據(jù)