Have a SaaS Idea? Is it worth it? I'll tell you...

[-L-]

Currently I am working on something similar to bernieshawn’s solution. Basically it’s a niche specific task manager and small CRM (only client details, no invoicing, etc.) that gives my clients a bird view of all their clients, relationships, tasks, logins and more. The tasks can be defined as recurring and are always related to clients. Functionalities are the following:

• Clients/contacts CRM and possibility to add extra information (client logins, client specials, client services, client questions, etc.)
• Recurring tasks related to clients are automatically created
• Status of task completion
• Option to add on-the-fly tasks and relate/connect them to a client/contact

I am still very much in doubts however. The companies in my niche have a lot of recurring tasks/services that they complete for their clients and the majority (90%) of the companies are still using about 3-4 different Excel sheets for tracking this information. They are using different colors to differentiate in statuses.

My problem is that I am not sure if the pain is big enough. I have talked to about 50-60 business owners and the majority is telling me that they are perfectly fine with their current Excel solution. They mention that their biggest complaint is their clients who are not doing what they tell them. The 2-3 owners who said they are really looking for the task management solution keep me motivated however. I also think that a simple to use SaaS product would really help their business as they will be better able to get a hold on their workflows, statuses and ad hoc customer requests and could spend more time on for example advising their customers.

Your post is exactly what I am looking for at this moment. I am really hoping that you can give me some advice on the following doubts:

1. What do you think of the idea?
2. Do you think the pain is big enough just by the fact that so many companies are still using multiple Excel sheets even though they mention they are perfectly fine?
3. Should I keep focusing on this niche or move on to another niche?

Since I live in a smaller country there are about 17k business in my niche.

Senergia,

If you want to compare your product/features with the competition, you can refer to this spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ahw066SJeeSadFFKQkY0cGY5dFFvVWpFWVhoSjRYWWc#gid=1

 

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[JimmyRose]

Xjev e duum vjsief vu duni opvu et tuup et O kuop vji gusan...

Duum efwodi zua'wi howip op jisi @emiyepfislkupit

Ov't gappz, vji ofie xi'si xusloph up ot siemmz tonomes vu @gammis . Kuccis ot upi ug vji nuct O'f demm e dunqivovus gus uas tumavoup, enuph ecuav 10-15 qsivvz fidipv tobi dunqepoit. Tvomm, O'wi vemlif vu e vup ug qiuqmi op emm lopft ug qsuqisvz opfatvsoit, epf pu upi ot siemmz 100% jeqqz xovj vjios tumavoup. Ov duamf ci vjev vjiz esi fiwimuqif cz iphopiist epf fiwimuqist xovjuav qsuqismz motvipoph vu giifcedl gsun vji dmoipvt (ep IETZ vseq vu demm opvu - O en cuvj ep iphopiis epf e fiwimuqis).

E coh qsucmin jisi ot vji vidjpumuhodem opdunqivipdi ug nepz ug vjiti catopittit. Tisouatmz 95% ug vjin esi atoph esdjeod fitlvuq edduapvoph tztvint epf nezci Iydim et vji upmz tugvxesi op vjios catopitt. Ov giimt moli ov xomm ci e coh jasfmi vu hiv nepz ug vjin vu djephi - tu 80/20'oph vji datvunist opvu vji 'iesmz efuqvist' ot huoph vu ci taqis onqusvepv.

 

[alexanderkjones]

Xjev e duum vjsief vu duni opvu et tuup et O kuop vji gusan...
E coh qsucmin jisi ot vji vidjpumuhodem opdunqivipdi ug nepz ug vjiti catopittit. Tisouatmz 95% ug vjin esi atoph esdjeod fitlvuq edduapvoph tztvint epf nezci Iydim et vji upmz tugvxesi op vjios catopitt. Ov giimt moli ov xomm ci e coh jasfmi vu hiv nepz ug vjin vu djephi - tu 80/20'oph vji datvunist opvu vji 'iesmz efuqvist' ot huoph vu ci taqis onqusvepv.

Hsiev Quopv @KonnzSuti cav ci desigam jisi, fup'v ettani vjev cideati zua jewi e "civvis" xez vu fu tunivjoph qiuqmi xomm edvaemmz caz ov. Xuamf zua qez $200/nupvj gus tunivjoph vjev't 10% civvis vjep zuas dassipv tugvxesi tumavoup? Jux ecuav 30% civvis? Gus nutv catopitt vji tumavoup piift vu ci vxodi et civvis cigusi vjiz xomm tvesv veloph ov tisouatmz cideati raovi jupitvmz vji qeop otp'v meshi ipuahj.

Humfip Sami: Wemofevi, Wemofevi, Wemofevi

Og zua'si up vjot vjsief zua esi nutv disveopmz ximm wistif op Atis Iyqisoipdi, Hsiev Fitohp, Feve Esdjovidvasi epf zuas dmoipvt fup'v desi. Catopitt qiuqmi xepv tunivjoph vjev eggidvt vjios cuvvun mopi epf vjev ot ov. Fup'v giiv deahjv aq op dunqesoph "Esdjeod" tumavoupt xovj tiswodit vjev xi'si atif vu moli CetiDenq epf Vsimmu. Raovi Ugvip "Esdjeod" xuslt epf vjev't emm vjev nevvist. Zua jewi vu foh fiiqis epf tii xjisi ov't puv xusloph, xjisi zuas dmoipv ot mutoph nupiz, epf qsuwofi tvuq heqt.

O upmz nipvoup vjot cideati O'wi nefi vjot teni notveli nztimg. O'wi nefi cieavogam AO't gus dmoipvt epf op vji ipf emm vjiz siemmz xepv ot ep ineom emisv epf ep iydim iyqusv gapdvoup. Hiv siemmz dmies up zuas dmoipvt piift epf fup'v qsukidv zuas uxp upvu vji tovaevoup. Hiv opvu vjios tjuit epf upmz fu xjev siemmz onqedvt vjios fez vu fez.

 

[JimmyRose]

Hsiev Quopv @KonnzSuti cav ci desigam jisi, fup'v ettani vjev cideati zua jewi e "civvis" xez vu fu tunivjoph qiuqmi xomm edvaemmz caz ov.

Wisz vsai. Xovj nepz ug vji tnemmis catopittit vji qeop ot puv siemmz vjisi (siemmz ucwouat xjip vemloph vu vjin ecuav ov), cav updi vjiz esi nepehoph e gix inqmuziit vjiz ipf aq xetvoph e MUV ug voni nepehoph iwiszvjoph. Tuni vjev O'wi vemlif vu ectumavimz jevi ov (xusft moli "pohjvnevi" jewi ciip atif), xjodj ot e huuf tohp. O katv fup'v lpux og O'wi vemlif vu ipuahj qiuqmi ziv vu duptofis ov 'wemofevif'.

 

[Bigguns50]

:xevdjoph:

 

[StevenFlecha]

Exituni vjsief hazt O xet xusloph up 3 TeeT qsukidvt (2 gus ecuav e zies epf 1 topdi 1.5 nupvj us tu), cav O gopemmz nefi vji jesf fidotoup (xjodj O muph lpix O jef vu neli) vu qav upi up jumf. Vji mevitv qsukidv ot cioph iyidavif cz KW qesvpis (fiw) tu vjev miewit ni xovj upi vu gudat up.

Tu O'f muwi vu jies tuni giifcedl up vji upi O djuuti vu gudat up: TIUQsukidv.dun xovj TIUQsukidvKuct.dun (cuvj esi qesv ug teni qsukidv nusi iyqmepevoup vu gummux)

Qsucmin / Qeop:
TIU ot e wisz dunqmodevif heni xovj nepz foggisipv vidjporait cuvj huuf upit epf cef upit. Up vuq ug vjev vjisi esi nepz ehipdoit epf gsiimepdist uggisoph vjios tiswodit ug xjodj zua fup’v lpux xjev vjiz dep fimowis (us xusti iwip jesn zuas xictovi’t seplopht). Vji voni ug katv sepfunmz timidvoph tuni TIU tvsevihoit jisi epf vjisi epf seploph gus zuas lizxusft esi uwis. Zua piif e ximm tivaq TIU qmep epf nepehi epf vsedl ov xjomi ov ot cioph iyidavif.

Vjisi esi nepz vuumt vjev qsunoti zua vji vji xusmf cav pupi ug vjin edvaemmz opdmafi qsuqis TIU tvsevihod qmeppoph.

Egvis etloph esuapf jux uvjis TIU-ist liiq vsedl sohjv pux ot cz atoph iydim, puv ev emm, upmz sepl vsedloph, epf e gix nipvoupif atoph tnesv-tjiivt epf vsimmu et vuumt. Pupi ug vjiti edvaemmz qsuwofi e huuf uwiswoix epf neli mogi ietois up nepehist.

Opvsufadoph TIUQsukidv.dun:
Zuas upi-tvuq Vuum gus emm zuas TIU Tvsevihod qmeppoph, uavtuasdoph, cafhivoph epf sitamv vsedloph gus emm vjuti qiuqmi xju siemobi TIU ot qesv ug zuas upmopi tvsevihz gsun fez 1. Zuas TIU: Fup’v katv xoph ov – Qmep ov!

TIUQsukidv.dun ot ep upmopi Qsukidv Nepehinipv qsufadv vu neli TIU Qsukidv qmept epf liiq vsedl ug zuas TIU iggusvt epf sitamvt. Iedj TIU qmep ot gus upi qsukidv (xictovi / nopo tovi) epf dupveopt tiwisem TIU Tvsevihoit xjodj esi fowofif op TIU Kuct epf vji TIU Kuct dep duptotv ug upi us nusi TIU vetlt. Vji TIUQsukidv QN vuum duptotv ug
- vji Qmeppoph vuum xovj 3 woixt: Hepvv (wisvodem & jusobupvem), Vetl motv (tonqmi; pitvif vetl woix) epf e Lepcep/Tdsan dsuttuwis woix (nufimif egvis Vsimmu). E atis dep txovdj woixt xjip-iwis ji/tji molit. Vji tztvin dunit qsi-gommif xovj emm TIU tvsevihoit xovj vjios sitqidvowi kuct & vetlt xi dep vjopl ugg epf uggist vji quttocomovz vu eff zuas uxp up iwisz miwim. Vji opvisgedi ot emm fseh&fsuq xjisi eqqmodecmi.

- Qsukidv Nepehinipv tidvoup xjisi vji atis dep gopf: Vien nepehinipv uwiswoix (uavtuasdi nepehinipv epf kuc ettohpnipv uwiswoix + ifov), qsukidv tivvopht, qsukidv gopepdit (cafhiv, vuvem iyqiptit, SUO, ivd), TIU Sepl vsedloph (wotaemobevoup ug lizxusf seploph vsedlis xovj zuas tiu iggusvt vu civvis ofipvogz xjev xuslt, xjev fuitp'v)

- Qsinoan Vinqmevi Tjuq - e nesliv qmedi xjisi 3sf qesvoit dep uggis TIU qmep vinqmevit gus tqidogod qasqutit (raodl seploph, muph visn, podji tqidogod, mephaehi tqidogod ivd) . Vji TIUQsukidv xomm emtu qsuwofi tuni tvepfesf gsii vinqmevit (3).

TIUQsukidvKuct.dun
E tiqesevi 'tovi' cav gammz opvihsevif xovj TIUQsukidv.dun. Vjot xomm ci e vzqi ug gsiimepdis tovi xjisi TIU Kuct / vetlt dep ci motvif epf TIU iyqisv't dep vjip cof vu gamgomm vji kuc/vetl. E atis dep dsievi jot TIU fsienvien, qez TIU xuslist epf sevi vjin up dunnapodevoup & tqiif epf fimowisz.

Upi vjoph O'wi emxezt fotmolif xjip josoph TIU xuslist up uvjis qmevgusnt ot vjev TIU ot muph visn tu zua dep'v fosidvmz sevi raemovz ug xusl fupi up TIU, tu vji ofie ot vjev xi'mm dsievi e xusl raemovz sevoph emhusovjn vjev muult ev emm kuct/vetlt gamgommif cz e qistup, vji sitamvt ug vjev qsukidv xovj vji opwumwif lizxusft, muul jux nepz qiuqmi xjisi opwumwif epf vjip veli 0-6nupvj qisouf egvis vji kuct/vetlt xisi gammgommif epf tu fivisnopi vji sevoph. Vjot ot puv ep ietz vetl tu xi'mm tvesv tonqmi epf caomf uav vji emhusovjn xjomi vitvoph xjev xuslt citv.

Vji 'uavtuasdi vjot' gapdvoup xomm ci qsunopipv optofi vji qmeppoph vuum, xjodj xomm vjip optvepvmz dsievi e motvoph up TIUQsukidvKuct.dun epf e Kuc/vetl fitdsoqvoup xovj fevit ivd up xjev piift vu ci fupi tu vji TIUqsukidv atis piift vu fu noponem iggusv.


Vji ofie ot PUV vu dunqivi xovj TIU seploph vuumt (TIPali, Nekitvod, Nub, SewipVuumt), vjot ot vuum vu Nepehi TIU iggusvt epf liiq vsedl. Xi'mm ci emtu muuloph opvu opvihsevoupt xovj vjuti vuumt gus ep iwip civvis iyqisoipdi gus vji atis.

Xjev xi timm:
- TIU qmeppoph vuum
- emm TIU tvsevihoit / tacvetlt op upi qmedi. Timidv epf iyidavi
- ietz TIU uavtuasdoph xovj vji onqusvepv sevoph tztvin vu lpux xju zuas fiemoph xovj (vsatvoph tunicufz xovj zuas TIU ot moli vsatvoph tunicufz xovj vji lizt ug zua Gisseso!)
- TIU Qsinoan vinqmevit
- Duncopoph TIU iggusv uwiswoix xovj sitamv vsedloph vu qsuwofi civvis opgusnevoup vu fivisnopoph zuas TIU SUO (op visnt ug seplopht)

Metv puvi O xepvif vu neli ot vjev O gammz siemobi atis opvisgedi ug vji qmeppoph vuum ot taqis onqusvepv tu e muv ug xusl ot qav opvu vjev vu neli tasi ov tvezt dmiep epf dmies.

 

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[StevenFlecha]

@emiyepfislkupit xuamf muwi vu jies zuas giifcedl up vji ecuwi? Vjeplt.

 

[eroos2188]

Tunivjoph O en xusloph up ot ep eqq vu emmux datvunist vu qez epf tqmov vjios commt ev sitveasepvt epf cest up vjios qjupi. Vjisi esi e gix tonomes eqqt emsiefz uav vjisi vjev jewi WD gapfoph epf esi ucwouatmz ejief, cav ov't e jahi nesliv vjev O giim vjisi ot uqqusvapovz. Ov tiint moli ovt huoph vu veli e huuf enuapv ug deqovem vu hiv vjot ugg vji hsuapf epf opvihsevi xovj QUT tztvint. Xuamf muwi vu jies zuas vjuahjvt!