2
3 Comments

How do you think SaaS companies / remote working tools should be responding to coronavirus?

Right now, like everyone else, responding to coronavirus/covid-19 is on my mind.

I did a quick round-up of SaaS teams that have made impressive / helpful responses on Medium: https://medium.com/@ryan_prior/6-examples-of-how-saas-companies-are-responding-to-coronavirus-86b9d0b18732

... but still haven't decided precisely how I would like Toggl Plan to respond.

Here's my thought process so far:

  1. We should identify which problems companies will face that we can actually help with. It shouldn't be a thinly veiled marketing ploy, but an effort to actually make a real difference to those affected

  2. The problems & concerns about remote working that come to mind / that Toggl & Toggl Plan can help with:

-- If my team is remote / WFH, are they actually working?
-- How can we keep projects on track to minimise delays / $$$ lost

In my Medium article, you'll see examples of how companies like Loom & GoToMeeting are providing remote working tools for free / discounted to help.

Questions I'd be keen to see your answers to:

  1. What are you doing, if anything?
  2. What do you think I should do?
  3. Did you see any other impressive SaaS team responses that are worth checking out?

Thanks!

on March 14, 2020
  1. 1

    Zoom is free for K-12 schools: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2020/03/13/zoom-video-coronavirus-eric-yuan-schools/#3a6f4c054e71

    I am thoroughly impressed with the companies that are actually trying to do good and help companies through this rather than just use it as a marketing ploy.

    I am curious to see the companies/leaders that are doing something to help hourly employees or employees that physically have to go to work. Many of us are very fortunate to be able to work from home during this time and still get paid. But for a majority of people, they don't have this.

    1. 1

      Helping companies is laudable, but companies that promote remote work also deserve a bonanza.

      At least, the bonanza should come from those with the means to pay. K-12 schools do not fit in that bucket. Hooray to Zoom for helping there. Also, Zoom will make a bucket of money from tech companies (who do have money) going remote.

      I agree with your principles, @RyanPrior. A thinly veiled marketing ploy would not work right now, but driving actual good would be (a) good for humanity (b) maybe a good customer acquisition method later.

      I take it Toggl is a project management tool? If I had one of those I'd probably hit the content marketing hard for the sake of those having to learn very quickly what it is to work from home, and then use that to create an audience that could be receptive to Toggl.

      1. 1

        hey @blakerson! right, Toggl Plan is a project planning tool (timeline/kanban board) and Toggl is a time tracker. meeting later this week to discuss what/if we can do :)

        luckily we have a lot of remote working content already available to use!