Forrester publishes report on the SaaS operations solution provider market for Q3 2021

Last week, Forrester published an in-depth analysis of the SaaS operations solution provider market for the third quarter of 2021. In this report, Forrester reviewed and catalogued 15 diverse sets of vendors that vary by size, functionality, geography, and market focus. IT professionals should use this report to understand the value they can expect from a SaaS operations solution provider and select one based on market presence and functionality.

Forrester’s latest research does a great job of describing the value of a SaaS operations solution provider like BetterCloud. The report explains that SaaS operations solutions providers are “distinguished by their support for a variety of SaaS platforms as well as a strong operational focus.” This report also offers some key points to consider as you evaluate vendors and prepare your organization for rapid evolution in SaaS operations.

One key takeaway that stands out in the report is that BetterCloud is the largest vendor by annual category revenue, and by functionality is one among the only 4 (of 15) solution providers that are purpose built as holistic SaaS Operations Platforms.

Here are a few of our key takeaways from this report.

Understanding SaaS operations solution provider functionality segments

Bill Martorelli, a principal analyst at Forrester, explains that SaaS operations solution suppliers “offer functionality that’s fluid and evolving rapidly through additional feature development and acquisition.”

To understand the various functionalities, Martorelli broke the SaaS operations solution provider market into the following four segments:

• SaaS operations platforms. As we noted earlier, SaaS operations platforms support a variety of SaaS platforms. Additionally, Martorelli says vendors in this category have recently expanded to include discovery functionality, which is a key feature of BetterCloud.
• SaaS administration solutions. Martorelli explains, “This category focuses on administrative offerings rather than classic operations disciplines. These suppliers lack the operational breadth provided by SaaS operational platform providers.”
• Target app governance suppliers. According to Forrester’s analysis, this category of vendors focuses on supporting a specific application.
• Traditional operations providers. Martorelli says that specialists from the on-prem world are now including SaaS operations. He adds, “They typically serve the large enterprise segment, which has yet to fully embrace SaaS operations solutions.”

Below, you’ll see a breakdown of how drastically the feature sets of each segment differs. It’s not difficult to see how a SaaS operations solution like BetterCloud offers a much wider range of functionality for a modern IT organization.

These are critical differentiators between the different solutions on the market. But as Forrester’s research suggests, it’s time for organizations of all sizes to consider a SaaS operations solution like BetterCloud.

Vendors segmented by market presence & functionality

There are several tables and figures in the report, but this is a great summary view of the 15 vendors broken down by the analysis of two factors: market presence and functionality.

Improve control of your cloud portfolio with a SaaS operations solution

Martorelli writes that while demand for SaaS operations solutions is established among small to midsize entities, “larger enterprises are only now waking up to the rationale for SaaS operations solutions.” He also explains that companies can expect several benefits from leveraging a SaaS operation solution like BetterCloud.

Forrester identified three key benefits of a SaaS operations solution. These benefits are consistent with how BetterCloud’s customers extract value from the product and optimize their SaaS operations.

• Optimize spend for your SaaS portfolio. Martorelli says that a SaaS operations solution can help businesses identify unused SaaS licenses. Additionally, they can also help organizations identify the right SaaS solutions.
• Manage your SaaS applications across the entire user lifecycle. According to Martorelli, “Enterprises must not only make good choices while buying SaaS but also secure and manage their SaaS estate throughout the adoption lifecycle, which often entails manual user onboarding and offboarding tasks.”
• Simplify and automate tedious administrative tasks. “For many enterprises, their SaaS estate is overwhelming a single major SaaS platform and therefore holds the largest potential for exposure,” Martorelli says. 

Preparing for rapid evolution in SaaS operations solutions

Based on Forrester’s analysis of the market in Q3 of 2021, Martorelli offered three key suggestions for organizations of all sizes that are considering purchasing a SaaS operations solution: 

• Resolve your SaaS governance structure. Martorelli urges leaders, “Get your house in order by electing a champion to lead the effort, and start with discovery and communication.” We agree with this wholeheartedly and believe that BetterCloud is an ideal solution for discovering, managing, and securing your SaaS environment.
• Pick your spots for SaaS operations efforts. “Plan for success by focusing on the biggest potential wins rather than trying to encompass everything,” Forrester’s analysts write. 
• Expect the unexpected. Because the SaaS operations solutions market is constantly evolving, Martorelli urges buyers to “prepare for vendor changes by mitigating dependencies and taking advantage of interim discounts.”

To learn more about how BetterCloud can help you discover, manage, and secure your complex SaaS portfolio, click here to schedule a demo.