Comments on: Freshbooks Launches Benchmarking Service: SaaS Will Never Be the Same http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/ Connecting the dots ... Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:03:39 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: The Cat is Out of the Bag (Again): The Hidden (?) Business Model in SaaS | CloudAve http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-17722 The Cat is Out of the Bag (Again): The Hidden (?) Business Model in SaaS | CloudAve Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:46:23 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-17722 [...] soon did, launching their benchmarking service, which for the first time gave small businesses the insight needed for comparative analysis.  [...] [...] soon did, launching their benchmarking service, which for the first time gave small businesses the insight needed for comparative analysis.  [...]

]]> By: Welcome to CloudAve - and Thank You, Harry | CloudAve http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-13772 Welcome to CloudAve - and Thank You, Harry | CloudAve Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:10:23 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-13772 [...] so they can cut out the fat and enhance the in-demand features. New Business Models, like benchmarking - based on anonym aggregate data provide your customers with performance metrics.  Even newer [...] [...] so they can cut out the fat and enhance the in-demand features. New Business Models, like benchmarking – based on anonym aggregate data provide your customers with performance metrics.  Even newer [...]

]]> By: FreshBooks – Bill me already | DavidCrow.ca http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-12207 FreshBooks – Bill me already | DavidCrow.ca Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:25:31 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-12207 [...] addition of roll up data analytics to provide customers with performance metrics and benchmarking shows that [...] [...] addition of roll up data analytics to provide customers with performance metrics and benchmarking shows that [...]

]]> By: How do you consume information ? « @Romulus http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-9902 How do you consume information ? « @Romulus Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:18:09 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-9902 [...] receive their own performance metrics (benchmarking) for their data and their processes [...] [...] receive their own performance metrics (benchmarking) for their data and their processes [...]

]]> By: SaaS Will Never Be the Same - Again| Zoli’s Blog http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-7443 SaaS Will Never Be the Same - Again| Zoli’s Blog Wed, 05 Dec 2007 04:52:39 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-7443 [...] first time I said SaaS would never be the same was referring to Freshbook’s launch of their benchmarking service: It’s *the* hidden business model enabled by SaaS.  An opportunity not talked about, [...] [...] first time I said SaaS would never be the same was referring to Freshbook’s launch of their benchmarking service: It’s *the* hidden business model enabled by SaaS.  An opportunity not talked about, [...]

]]> By: Mike McDerment http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-1395 Mike McDerment Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:40:55 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-1395 Hi Anita - Mike from FreshBooks here. I am inclined to agree - this is not new, and it's not rocket science, but there are some noteworthy differences in how this service is being delivered by FreshBooks and the resulting benefits. First, there is no manual work for the entrepreneurs...no spreadsheets to be fed. All the calculations are done by machine with no human involvement. Better still the data is source data which means the quality of it is basically as good as can be. Second, there is a major benefit from a learning point of view for the entrepreneurs. Over time we will delivering a historical record to the entrepreneurs so they can measure their progress and work towards improving their results. To accelerate this we will be connecting best performers within the FreshBooks ecosystem with the group so knowledge can be shared and everyone can get smarter and run their businesses better. Lastly, we are serving undeserved businesses and doing it in the context of their daily work flow at now additional charge. The kinds of businesses we are assisting can't get the information elsewhere and the information is tailored to their unique needs therefore it's more relevant and more compelling. All of which is to say, we're reinventing and old concept and delivering value in new and deeper ways. What was done before was two dimensional. So you might say that what FreshBooks is doing possesses the third dimension of depth. Hi Anita – Mike from FreshBooks here.

I am inclined to agree – this is not new, and it’s not rocket science, but there are some noteworthy differences in how this service is being delivered by FreshBooks and the resulting benefits.

First, there is no manual work for the entrepreneurs…no spreadsheets to be fed. All the calculations are done by machine with no human involvement. Better still the data is source data which means the quality of it is basically as good as can be.

Second, there is a major benefit from a learning point of view for the entrepreneurs. Over time we will delivering a historical record to the entrepreneurs so they can measure their progress and work towards improving their results. To accelerate this we will be connecting best performers within the FreshBooks ecosystem with the group so knowledge can be shared and everyone can get smarter and run their businesses better.

Lastly, we are serving undeserved businesses and doing it in the context of their daily work flow at now additional charge. The kinds of businesses we are assisting can’t get the information elsewhere and the information is tailored to their unique needs therefore it’s more relevant and more compelling.

All of which is to say, we’re reinventing and old concept and delivering value in new and deeper ways. What was done before was two dimensional. So you might say that what FreshBooks is doing possesses the third dimension of depth.

]]> By: Anita Campbell http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-1394 Anita Campbell Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:46:13 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-1394 I bopped over to comment on the two-word strategy and then saw this article, so I had to stop and comment here, too. I think this data is very valuable and I am certain we will see a lot more of this kind of benchmarking -- and I can't wait. But it's not really new. Dealer 20 groups and other companies have been doing it for nearly two decades for automotive and powersports dealerships, using manually entered data and spreadsheets until data started going online. I was involved in acquiring a company in the 90s that did this, and I had created something similar for the powersports industry way back in 2000. Today I get data sent to me regularly from at least a half dozen companies that are currently doing aggregated statistics and benchmarking for the small biz market. I am glad to see it being done and think SaaS will make it more common in a few years, but I wouldn't say it is exactly new. Best, Anita I bopped over to comment on the two-word strategy and then saw this article, so I had to stop and comment here, too.

I think this data is very valuable and I am certain we will see a lot more of this kind of benchmarking — and I can’t wait.

But it’s not really new. Dealer 20 groups and other companies have been doing it for nearly two decades for automotive and powersports dealerships, using manually entered data and spreadsheets until data started going online. I was involved in acquiring a company in the 90s that did this, and I had created something similar for the powersports industry way back in 2000. Today I get data sent to me regularly from at least a half dozen companies that are currently doing aggregated statistics and benchmarking for the small biz market.

I am glad to see it being done and think SaaS will make it more common in a few years, but I wouldn’t say it is exactly new.

Best,

Anita

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-1393 Anonymous Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:51:01 +0000 http://www.zoliblog.com/2007/04/16/freshbooks-launches-benchmarking-service-saas-will-never-be-the-same/#comment-1393 Very cool about the Yugma session support at the upcoming conference. Moreover, this could be ideal for companies allowing their partner network to present to audiences at annual conferences. Cheers, DC http://www.batipi.com Very cool about the Yugma session support at the upcoming conference. Moreover, this could be ideal for companies allowing their partner network to present to audiences at annual conferences.

Cheers,

DC

http://www.batipi.com

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