17 Relevant Sales Software Trends & Forecasts for 2024 You Should Know

Selling in the age of COVID has been tricky for some and exciting for those who dabble in tech. After all, the pandemic has proven to be the world’s biggest disruptor and has influenced consumer behavior. It taught sales teams to be more creative and to value customer experience to a greater extent. As such, tech systems like sales software and a more personal approach to selling have become more relevant than ever.

Sales in today’s market begin with an idea and are deployed through multiple channels to reach the desired audience. Sales software trends point to the use of the latest tech to leverage personalized selling to highly engaged customers. Moreover, sales should be in touch with marketing to roll out the most ideal plans. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

So, what are the latest trends in sales management? Sit tight. We’ve got 17 good ones for you.

The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted sales and redefined the practices surrounding it. This caused industries to evolve to suit the requisites of current times, with a lot of the changes beginning in the office. Salesforces were compelled to work from home while other workers suddenly found themselves in client-facing roles. Fortunately, many were able to adapt. Recent sales statistics reveal that 59% of salespersons were more successful in 2020 (Pipedrive, 2021).

However, adapting to today’s times isn’t limited to work-from-home schemes and a bit of reorganization. The sales practice itself has to change since consumer behavior has shifted. As such, more businesses leveraged technology to address communication gaps with customers. As of May 2021, 91% of companies with over 10 employees use CRM software. Digital selling also became a profitable channel.

Although the efforts of some businesses in the COVID age have been largely fruitful, there are still challenges faced by sales and marketing teams. Many salespeople cite prospecting (40%), closing (36%), and qualifying (22%) as their biggest challenges when it comes to selling, not to mention their limited mobility due to the pandemic. The top concerns of marketers, such as generating traffic and leads (47%), also affect sales operations (Hubspot, 2021).

These challenges pave the way for opportunity. And within those opportunities lie our sales trends 2022.

1. Value-Based Selling Is Critical

Customers have grown smarter. They recognize that a salesperson can take an exploitative approach, offering deals through every stage of a pitch. It’s not a good look when they’re in on the jig. After all, 92% of buyers prefer to see a value proposition at the early stages of a sales cycle (DecisionLink, 2021). As such, value-based selling has risen in popularity over the years.

Currently, 87% of high-growth companies apply value-based selling, unlike 45% of negative-growth firms (GlobeNewsWire, 2021). What influences their success are pitches centered on getting customers acquainted with the benefits of products or services. Rather than simply focusing on features, the outcomes take center stage.

Moreover, value-based selling can potentially lead to a 70% increase in close rates (DecisionLink, 2021). Those who applied this strategy fully understood their customers’ needs and underscored the proper solutions, leading to more closed deals. Their success has propelled value-based selling into a significant trend that can gain traction in most industries.

2. More Emphasis on Social Selling

As an ’80s movie once said, “if you build it, they will come.” This is true for sales when prospecting and qualifying leads. Instead of rushing to present an obvious pitch, the aim is to build meaningful relationships with prospective customers. The trust from such relationships serves as the tie that binds salespeople to a sale. With this, a brand immediately comes to mind when the need for its products arises.

Social selling gained more relevance through the pandemic since most people and businesses primarily operate online. And rightfully so as 78% of businesses that perform the strategy generate higher sales than those that don’t (Hootsuite, 2021). Social sellers are also 51% more likely to hit their quotas (NetHunt, 2021). Furthermore, more than 10% of salespeople who did social selling closed at least five deals.

So, how does one practice social selling in this day and age? Social media analytics, social listening tools, social media management software, and similar platforms give sales teams a bird’s eye view of the actual interests of consumers. In using these tools, sellers can tailor their social media accounts and posts to their audience’s preferences. They can also send pitches that answer the questions of potential clients even before they ask them.

3. Customer Success Is Top Priority

People get all warm and fuzzy whenever a friend says “I want to see you succeed.” They can be a business’ loyal customers should they apply a similar strategy. This means weaving a holistic experience around a product’s use that a customer will cherish. Salespeople can highlight ways by which their clientele can reach their full potential in relation to a product or service’s benefits. The resulting experience can drive sales and customer loyalty.

Applying this strategy can be a little tricky considering how the interests and behavior of consumers have shifted due to the pandemic. It’s critical to know and understand a client’s business and workflows. More importantly, recognizing the problems that a product will solve and creating a relatable narrative around them are the keys to success here.

So, why is customer success a trend right now? It’s important to note that around 50% of consumers switch to competitors following one bad experience (Zendesk, 2020). More than that results in 80% of them swinging to the competition. In addition, 83% of buyers who give a high success rating to a company are more likely to purchase products (Qualtrics XM Institute, 2020).

4. Outsourcing Sales

In an age when work-from-home schemes have become the norm, it makes perfect sense for small and medium-sized businesses to outsource sales. This allows them to focus on other essentials like marketing, product features, and customer support. As a result, 79% of companies that outsource sales reach their targets better than when they haven’t leveraged outsourcing (Selling Revolution, 2021).

Sales and revenues came up as the biggest concern of executives since the pandemic, with 58% of companies citing it as such, followed by cash flow and liquidity (56%), and disruption of strategies (52%) (eMarketer, 2020). Outsourcing addresses all these as a dedicated team will take care of sales, remote teams are cheaper than hiring staff, and an outsourced team has flexible workflows, respectively.

Moreover, remote teams have all the tools to conduct business online. For starters, pipelines are now often executed through sales platforms that streamline workflows. Plus, as most buyers are online, a recent study revealed that sales interactions from videoconferencing increased by 64% and from online chat by 23% (MarketStar, 2021).

5. Multichannel Sales Is the Standard

A lot of people have already been vaccinated, thus many of them have ventured out to splurge on their wants, be it food or retail. Although buying online is still in demand, the mode through which people obtain goods has become varied. And so it is in the best interest of sales teams to follow suit. Many have already made the transition, as 46% of retailers plan to put in more money to omnichannel retailing (BigCommerce, 2022).

Besides the current buying patterns of people, consumers have also widened the scope of communication between them and businesses. In the B2B realm, customers typically use 10 or more channels to communicate with suppliers (McKinsey, 2021). Furthermore, a lot of money moves through digital channels. In fact, 35% of B2B buyers are willing to spend $500,000 or more for a single transaction, and 77% are fine with spending $50,000 or more.

In lieu of the demand for omnichannel sales, the use of digital CRM is more relevant than ever. Many of the leading CRM software solutions are equipped with multichannel communication tools to ensure seamless dealings with clients. These platforms also help increase conversions and track various sales metrics.

6. Sales Automation Makes a Difference

The pandemic accelerated the digitalization of the business landscape and one of the foremost results of this is automation. The numbers lend credence to its effectiveness. Businesses that adopted sales automation reported a 10% to 15% increase in efficiency as well as a 10% growth in sales potential (McKinsey, 2020). It also leads to a potential increase in customer satisfaction and customer-facing time.

Sales automation is one of today’s leading sales software trends, considering its source. Digital tools like CRM software and AI enable companies to streamline and enhance the sales pipeline. In fact, these platforms can automate over 30% of sales tasks (McKinsey, 2020). The sales areas with the highest potential for automation are order management (50%), configuration, pricing, and quotation (43%), post-sales tasks (40%), sales strategy and planning (29%), and structural support (25%).

Despite the benefits of automation, it still lags on the sales front. Only 26% of organizations have leveraged it for sales and marketing, quite low compared to the 48% of IT and 44% of finance (McKinsey, 2020). As such, retailers are bound to catch on to this deficit and make the necessary adjustments in the near future.

7. Lead Generation Through High-Quality Information

There are a lot of ways to attract leads, and many of them take place on the internet. Content marketing is the first that comes to mind, but rather than be a trend, it already is the norm. After all, 94% of companies worldwide have already been using content marketing as a strategy since 2020 (SEMrush, 2020). The ones that constitute one of today’s most pressing sales software trends are supplementary sources of information like webinars, podcasts, surveys, and the like.

Webinars have considerably grown in popularity as lead generation tools, and for a good reason. A single well-promoted webinar event bears the potential to draw 500 to 1,000 leads with a conversion rate of 55% (YourTarget, 2021). For this reason, 60% of webinars intend to create loyal customers (Commbox, 2021).

Podcasts do not have as impressive usage stats as webinars, but their reach dwarfs that of the latter. In the United States alone, 104 million people listen to podcasts regularly, with the monthly listening rate growing by 37% in 2020 (Edison Research, 2020). There is an ocean of opportunities with such a sizable base of listeners. Meanwhile, documents like surveys and reports add credence to claims and boost case studies, which can turn leads into customers.

8. Personalized Experiences

Songs that seem like they were written for you feel more special than those that don’t. The same logic applies to products and services. The reason for this is that buyers identify with brands that go the extra mile to account for their particular interests. They appreciate the effort. As a result, working with personalized content leads to revenue growth, as stated by 93% of B2B professionals (KoMarketing, 2020).

The recent surge in the usage of personalized experiences has influenced consumer behavior. According to a study, 45% of buyers would likely go with a different seller if a brand does not offer a personalized experience (Twilio Segment, 2021). It has also led gaps in current strategies to surface. With this, 85% of businesses believe they offer personalized content, but only 60% of buyers think this is the case.

Businesses are expected to work on these personalization gaps in the coming years to serve their clientele better. In fact, 55% of companies are already constantly working on improving customer experiences (KoMarketing, 2020).

9. Conversational Customer Experience

The pandemic and the growing usage of multichannel sales have birthed a new sales trend: the conversational customer experience. For a long time, buyers were left to their own devices at home. Now that economies have reopened, coupled with the high vaccination rates, people have been pining for more tactile and personable interactions. As such, it would be wise for sales teams to pick up on this desire.

In a recent study, it was discovered that video communication is 65% more effective than voice communication, but 25% less effective than in-person interaction (Channel Futures, 2021). Seeing other parties face-to-face can build more trust on the buyers’ part as they get to observe the manner in which messages are delivered. After all, 48% of buyers won’t patronize sellers that promote misleading information (LinkedIn, 2021).

Given the ubiquity of online sales and the presence of highly transmissible COVID variants, it won’t always be possible to meet leads in person. So, as an alternative, salespeople can make their omnichannel communications conversational. Live chat helps in this regard. It posted an 85.6% satisfaction rating in 2020 (Comm100, 2021). Personalized experiences also help.

Most Popular Sales Software

1. HubSpot Sales is a perennial leader in every sales application list. It provides a smart ecommerce system that helps users sell more in less time by automating sales processes.
2. Freshsales combines the full functionalities of CRM and sales to help teams close more deals. It’s part of the Freshworks tech stack that includes marketing and customer service apps.
3. Pipedrive is built by salespeople with the help of expert developers. It allows you to focus on the key sales works while taking care of mundane things.
4. Brightpearl is an omnichannel management solution that has all the tools you need to manage orders, handle inventory, real-time accounting, reporting, and customer data in one place.
5. Sales Creatio incorporates industry best practices, a cutting-edge sales AI, and a straightforward UX. The app will usher you into the next stage in the sales revolution.

10. Micro Market Strategies Are More Popular

Sometimes the average rates in a sales trends analysis do not paint the whole picture. There are localized segments buried under the showing of larger markets that, when isolated, can be a source of growth. In targeting micro markets, the coverage tends to be narrow and specific, which can cater to the immediate needs of a segment. For instance, when Uber targeted Vancouver, it leveraged the rainy weather in certain areas to attract people to use the service (CFI, 2020).

So why is this a trend? Micro markets continue to grow amid COVID-19. From 2018 to 2020, the number of these niche markets in the US rose by 39% (Kiosk Marketplace, 2021). In 2016, there were 19,671 micro markets and by 2020 the number had risen to 43,500. Opportunities lie in these resilient markets, especially since micro markets account for $1.7 billion of industry sales (VendingConnection.com, 2020).

A possible roadblock here is identifying micro markets within larger sects of society. Deploying sales teams to monitor physical locations can be costly and time-consuming, not to mention risky given the threat of COVID. This is where the use of data analytics software will come in handy. Data can be broken down to identify these tiny markets.

11. Data-Driven Selling Is In

The days when potential customers are complete strangers to salespeople are gradually coming to an end, and it’s all because of data analytics. Analytics engines can track and quantify any type of data to reflect the conditions and performance of an operation. Companies leverage it to track sales and sales software trends concerning leads, conversions, and revenue, among many others.

Companies that unify analytics, creativity, and purpose boost their revenue growth by 2.7 times compared to businesses that don’t (McKinsey, 2021). This equates to a revenue growth rate of over 12%. Given the benefits that these three factors bring, it’s surprising that only 7% of companies are successful in marrying all three. This percentage would likely rise in 2022 since the demands of today’s market necessitate these factors.

Moreover, business leaders increase sales by 2% to 5% from data-driven decisions (McKinsey, 2021). In addition, 72% of the fast-growing companies say that analytics has helped them create effective sales plans. These point to the importance of analytics and data-driven decisions in today’s business landscape. After all, in using business intelligence software, managers always have an array of sales analytics statistics at their disposal to constantly improve operations.

12. Closer Relationship Between Sales and Marketing

It’s no secret that sales teams and marketing teams do not always get along, and many of their rifts stem from misunderstanding each group’s role. Some salespeople think marketers are desk fixtures who weave unrealistic plans (Graziani Multimedia, 2021) while some marketers believe salespeople get all the credit but don’t always deliver (Graziani Multimedia, 2021).

As a result, 9 in 10 sales and marketing professionals believe that they are not aligned across culture, strategy, content, and process (LinkedIn, 2020). Moreover, 98% of salespeople and 97% of marketers admit that their bad alignment negatively affects the brand and the consumer.

The alignment of sales and marketing happens to be a huge opportunity for any business. A recent study on sales software trends reveals that coordination from both groups potentially results in a whopping 400% higher annual growth compared to other teams (NetHunt, 2021).

The study also bared that 87% of companies say that the alignment of sales and marketing comes as the biggest opportunity to improve business performance (LinkedIn, 2020). So, it’s no surprise that in 2022, many companies would likely bank on that opportunity.

13. Hybrid and Remote Sales Are Growing

At the onset of the pandemic, selling and operations were ported over to the digital realm across all industries. For a time, people thought that the shift was temporary until consumer behavior changed and the revenue obtained was substantial. In the third quarter of 2021, US ecommerce sales amounted to $214.6 billion, which represents a 6.6% increase from the same period in 2020 (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2021). Remote selling continues to grow even when economies have reopened with most people vaccinated.

This means that the remote and hybrid sales models companies use are sticking around and will likely evolve further. After all, nearly 90% of sales have been reoriented to digital and mobile sales models (McKinsey, 2020). And remarkably, over 50% of salespeople believe that the current model is just as effective or even better than the model they used prior to the pandemic.

Although remote selling will remain popular, a shift to hybrid selling is foreseen since physical markets have reopened and people would want to reclaim at least a portion of their pre-pandemic lives. As such, this trend is closely tied to the standardization of multichannel sales. Hybrid and omnichannel sales will continue to be industry buzzwords even after the pandemic.

14. Inclusion of Sales Videos

Videos have caught up with photos in terms of online engagement, so it makes perfect sense for them to be part of any sales and marketing strategy. Sales software trends revealed that the average person spends 100 minutes per day watching videos, up from 84 minutes in 2020 (Zenith, 2021). As such, 52% of marketers leverage videos more than images on Facebook (Databox, 2021). It is in the best interest of sales to follow suit.

Besides improving engagement, videos have the potential to slash a business’s sales cycle by half. With the time saved, sales teams can find more leads, close more deals, and increase conversions. Moreover, emails and messages with the word “video” on the subject line are eight times more likely to be opened (Vidyard, 2020). As a result, sales videos generate three times more responses (Vidyard, 2021).

To measure the success of video strategies, some sales and CRM platforms are equipped with video analytics. Through this, sales managers can see the strong points of their strategy and augment the areas that aren’t doing too well.

15. Improve Forecasts with AI

The use of artificial intelligence in sales was a burgeoning trend in 2019 and has turned into a necessity in recent times as the pandemic forced everyone to go digital. After all, AI aids sales teams in data consolidation and analysis, which can be applied in a wide variety of ways, from sales forecasting to performance analysis. With this, the tech has been an essential component of strategy development and lead generation.

As of 2020, 54% of sales teams leverage AI, accounting for an impressive 155% increase over the two previous years (Sales Hacker, 2021). This percentage is expected to grow further through 2022. So, how effective is AI in sales? According to a recent study, AI potentially increases leads by over 50%, reduces costs by 40% to 60%, and decreases call times by 60% to 70% (AI Multiple, 2022). As such, 81% of online retailers expanded their AI budgets for the holiday season in 2021 (VentureBeat, 2021).

In regard to forecasting, 45% of companies have already started using the technology and 43% are planning to do so in the near future (AI Multiple, 2021). And the numbers support why this is the case. AI-powered forecasting can decrease errors by 30% to 50% in the networks of supply chains and cause a 65% drop in lost sales due to inventory runs and discrepancies. In addition, it can reduce warehousing costs by 10% to 40%.

16. A Happy Sales Team Boosts Sales

Sales is one of the most important aspects of a business since the branch’s personnel directly bring in returns. As such, it’s surprising that 61% of salespeople feel that they are underappreciated in the business world (Pipedrive, 2021). Just as surprising is the fact that 91% of them feel proud to be salespersons despite the perceived lack of appreciation. Moreover, 59% of salespeople have been actually more successful since the pandemic.

Clearly, something’s wrong in this picture. One of the possible reasons is the punishing working hours. As it turns out, a majority of salespeople (38%) have been working 41 to 50 hours per week, 16% for 51 to 60 hours, and 9% for more than 60 hours (Pipedrive, 2021). To make matters worse, 75% of salespeople weren’t paid for weekend work. If this persists, many professionals will either lose interest or look for greener pastures.

With the pandemic still raging, companies know better than to keep their sales staff dissatisfied with their working conditions. Otherwise, their returns will take a nosedive. Fifty-five percent of salespeople had already moved to a sales position in a new company (Pipedrive, 2021). These companies are bound to do something to address their turnover rates.

17. Better Sales Training

The importance of training in sales is often overlooked, and the results speak for themselves. In 2020, 42% of salespeople failed to meet their sales targets (Pipedrive, 2021). Additionally, 15% of sales personnel rarely hit their quotas in that same year. This signals a clear skills gap on the part of many sales teams, and the problem is rooted in the lack of gainful training.

According to a 2021 study, 53% of salespeople developed their skills on the job while only 13% learned them from training (Pipedrive, 2021). If the staff learns them from the job, the initial foray into sales will be more focused on finding the right solutions than executing them to close deals and increase sales. This limits the earning potential of a company until the new hires find their groove.

Companies will likely center on this concern, especially those that are barely afloat. Aside from enhancing their training programs, they would likely adopt programs that would improve the soft skills of their sales staff. After all, 41% of salespeople who constantly improve these regularly hit their targets (Pipedrive, 2021).

What Are the Top Features to Look for in Future Sales Software?

As businesses adapt to rapid technological advancements, selecting the right sales software becomes even more critical. Here are some key features to look for in future sales software:

• AI and Automation Integration: Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, and sales software is becoming increasingly intelligent. Features like AI-driven lead scoring, predictive analytics, and automated follow-ups are essential for businesses to stay competitive in a fast-paced environment.
• CRM Integration: Seamless integration with CRM systems is crucial. Future sales software should allow for smooth data flow between sales, marketing, and customer support teams, providing a 360-degree view of customer interactions to improve targeting and personalization.
• Mobile Accessibility: As remote and hybrid work models grow, sales teams must access software from anywhere. Sales software that offers mobile-friendly platforms, real-time updates, and cloud-based solutions will allow teams to remain agile and productive while on the move.
• Multi-Channel Support: Today, sales interactions happen across multiple channels, including social media, email, phone, and live chat. Sales software must incorporate multi-channel support, allowing businesses to communicate with leads and clients seamlessly across various platforms.
• Customizable Reporting and Analytics: Customizable dashboards and reporting features enable sales teams to track performance, identify trends, and adjust strategies in real-time. Data-driven insights from these tools help businesses make informed decisions and optimize their sales processes.

A Wider Scope of Selling

These trends point to the growing dominance of remote selling even when economic conditions have improved compared with the onset of the pandemic. As the threat of COVID gradually diminishes, an expansion to adopt a hybrid sales model is foreseen as buyers are bound to flock to physical markets. With this, the respective trends of remote and hybrid sales paved the way for other sales activities to flourish.

Increasing sales channels will make a difference in turning leads into customers since it makes companies more accessible. Meanwhile, leveraging analytics and the alignment of sales and marketing will lead to data-driven decisions that can raise sales, help qualify leads, and improve operations.

While sales initiatives have helped a lot of companies recover from the pandemic, many of the salespeople behind these operations feel shortchanged by employers, be it in training, compensation, or working hours. As such, companies are expected to provide better solutions to enhance the selling experience for their staff.

Besides selling experience, customer experience will be instrumental in boosting revenue given the recent changes in consumer behavior and preferences. Building strategies around these changes will help companies immensely. To know more, you can browse through our comprehensive guide to weaving an effective customer experience strategy.

Key Insights

• Shift to Digital Selling: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to digital selling, with sales teams leveraging technology to maintain and enhance customer relationships.
• Importance of Customer Experience: A personalized and value-based approach to selling has become crucial, with an emphasis on customer success and satisfaction.
• Rise of Social and Multichannel Selling: Social selling and multichannel sales strategies are becoming more popular, enabling sales teams to engage with customers across various platforms.
• Automation and AI Integration: Sales automation and AI are playing significant roles in improving efficiency, forecasting, and lead generation.
• Challenges and Opportunities: Despite successes, sales teams face challenges such as prospecting, closing, and qualifying leads. Addressing these through innovative strategies and tools can create new opportunities.
• Focus on Sales Training and Team Satisfaction: Investing in better sales training and ensuring a happy sales team are essential for boosting performance and retaining talent.

FAQ

1. What is the significance of value-based selling in today’s market?

Value-based selling is critical because it focuses on delivering tangible benefits to customers rather than just pushing features. This approach can increase close rates by up to 70% as it aligns the product’s value with the customer’s needs and expectations.

2. How has social selling impacted sales performance?

Social selling has significantly improved sales performance, with 78% of businesses practicing it generating higher sales than those that don’t. Social sellers are also 51% more likely to hit their quotas, demonstrating the effectiveness of building meaningful relationships with customers online.

3. Why is customer success considered a top priority?

Customer success is a top priority because a positive customer experience leads to increased loyalty and repeat business. Around 83% of buyers who rate a company highly for customer success are more likely to make additional purchases, highlighting the importance of focusing on customer outcomes.

4. What are the benefits of outsourcing sales?

Outsourcing sales allows businesses to focus on core activities like marketing and product development. It helps companies reach their targets more effectively, with 79% of those that outsource sales achieving better results. Outsourcing also offers cost savings and flexible workflows.

5. Why is multichannel sales the new standard?

Multichannel sales have become the standard as they allow businesses to meet customers wherever they are, whether online or offline. With customers using multiple communication channels, having a robust omnichannel strategy ensures seamless interactions and higher sales conversions.

6. How does sales automation enhance sales processes?

Sales automation enhances processes by increasing efficiency and reducing manual tasks. Businesses adopting sales automation report a 10% to 15% boost in efficiency and a 10% increase in sales potential. Automation also frees up sales teams to focus on more strategic activities.

7. What role do webinars and podcasts play in lead generation?

Webinars and podcasts are effective tools for lead generation, offering high engagement and conversion rates. Webinars can attract hundreds of leads with a 55% conversion rate, while podcasts reach a broad audience, with millions tuning in regularly, providing ample opportunities for lead generation.

8. How important is personalization in sales?

Personalization is crucial in sales as it helps build stronger connections with customers. Around 93% of B2B professionals who use personalized content see revenue growth. Customers are more likely to switch to competitors if a brand does not offer personalized experiences.

9. What is the impact of AI on sales forecasting?

AI significantly improves sales forecasting by reducing errors and increasing accuracy. It can decrease forecasting errors by 30% to 50% and reduce lost sales due to inventory issues by 65%. AI also helps in identifying trends and making data-driven decisions.

10. Why is there a need for better sales training?

Better sales training is necessary because a lack of adequate training leads to poor performance. In 2020, 42% of salespeople missed their targets, often due to insufficient training. Effective training programs can bridge skill gaps and improve overall sales effectiveness.

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By Nestor Gilbert

Nestor Gilbert is a senior B2B and SaaS analyst and a core contributor at FinancesOnline for over 5 years. With his experience in software development and extensive knowledge of SaaS management, he writes mostly about emerging B2B technologies and their impact on the current business landscape. However, he also provides in-depth reviews on a wide range of software solutions to help businesses find suitable options for them. Through his work, he aims to help companies develop a more tech-forward approach to their operations and overcome their SaaS-related challenges.