In this episode of SaaS Fuel, we sit down with Sethu Meenakshisundaram, co-founder of Zluri - a SaaS management and identity governance company born out of the need to tackle hidden SaaS costs that surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sethu recounts the inception of Zluri during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing how the founders identified a critical need for better visibility and control over hidden SaaS costs even for small businesses. Sethu highlights Zluri’s evolution from a cost optimization tool to a proactive platform, addressing the diverse needs of both enterprises and smaller companies. Explore the value of integration, automation, and maintaining up-to-date to ensure scalable and adaptable IT management solutions. Additionally, Sethu shares insights on Managed IT, Shadow IT, and the emerging Shadow AI.

00:00 Ensure meaningful customer engagement with authentic SaaS.

03:17 Utilize analytics tools for detailed user insights.

07:06 Embracing problem led to $50,000 saving.

12:16 Different service delivery models for varying sizes.

13:37 Zulary needs integrations, highlights importance of security.

19:46 Complexity of integration improved, faster value delivery.

23:26 Questioning the purpose and value of work.

24:50 Champion Leadership Group scales revenue and outwits competitors.

29:02 Zluri offers exhaustive IT discovery engine.

31:53 Admin roles crucial, over-permissioning poses security risk.

36:52 Expand discovery, control and technology for visibility.

38:27 Architecture supports user access reviews for scaling.

42:16 Be prepared, but do it anyway.

45:39 Investing is complex, understand it thoroughly.

"Without integration, the platform doesn't work, which means integration is a core story of Slurry." — Sethu 00:17:54

Shadow AI: "People are using a lot of AI application that they don't want their IT to know of. And to use those apps, they are exchanging the company's data as a bottom." — Sethu 00:28:12

"Importance of Access Control in Safeguarding Organizations": "People find it very hard to get access to a job, and sometimes they do not get the right level of access, which means they get over permissioned in an application. And that becomes a critical issue during times when bad actors pop up because they can do a lot of things." — Sethu 00:32:12

But as our vision expands, do we have the technology today to expand along with that? And the answer is yes." — Sethu 00:37:19

"Engagement is one of the most important metrics SaaS leaders can track. Why is that? Well, it's a forward-looking measure of revenue and an early warning system of churn." — Jeff Mains 00:01:01

The importance of tracking authentic SaaS customer engagement: "You've got to go beyond vanity metrics and focus on actions that indicate genuine involvement and significant outcomes." — Jeff Mains 00:02:36

Quote: "Got to implement customer feedback loops. And to do that, we wanna actively seek feedback from users through surveys, through interviews, through in-app prompts." — Jeff Mains 00:04:30

Quote: "Tracking authentic SaaS customer engagement requires focusing on the right metrics, using advanced tools, and incorporating continuous customer feedback." — Jeff Mains 00:05:08

1. Embrace the Problem You Love: Sethu’s journey with Zluri began with a genuine passion for solving a significant problem they encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic– hidden SaaS costs. His deep connection to the issue drove the successful pivot from gamifying corporate learning to addressing...