SaaS Management- Close Gaps with Process, Automation

How did a 20-year IT leader turn chaotic SaaS sprawl into streamlined onboarding, cleaner license usage, and fewer support fires? Discover simple steps to map processes, automate HR-triggered onboarding, and centralize control without slowing teams. Uncover how exception branches, a day-one channel with the new hire, and continuous feedback eliminate gaps, reduce risk, and boost productivity.

In this video, John Baker, Sr Manager of Digital Strategy at Torii, and Gil Hananya, Global IT Director at Torii, shares a practical path from on-prem all-night recoveries to cloud-scale SaaS management. See the three pitfalls to avoid, the SaaS management platform tactics that deliver visibility, control, and automation, and the exact onboarding flow using HR data, branching logic, and a catch-all exception loop. Learn how to cut unused licenses, surface shadow IT, manage renewals, and rally one manager per department to drive adoption, making this a must-watch for teams battling app sprawl, compliance pressure, and slow, error-prone onboarding.

This article was originally a video (YouTube link here). Below is the full transcript:

Welcome to the webinar “Mind the Gaps: Fixing the Hidden Problems of SaaS Management.” We will begin with a few housekeeping items. We cannot see or hear participants, your microphones are muted, and your cameras are turned off. If you have feedback or questions, please use the chat or questions box in the webinar platform.

Today’s agenda covers the evolution of IT through a personal lens, common pitfalls of SaaS management, how to identify and resolve inefficiencies, how to build scalable and comprehensive processes, and the importance of continuous improvement. We will finish with a question and answer session.

Our guest is Gil Hananya, a veteran IT leader with over 20 years of experience. Gil is Global IT Director at Torii, focusing on system scalability and business resilience, and he has helped build robust IT frameworks, including SLAs and disaster recovery, at companies such as Salesforce and CyberArk.

From my perspective, there are two major steps in the evolution of IT: the virtualization revolution and the move to the cloud, which gave rise to widespread SaaS adoption. Initially, everything was on-premises, with each system on a unique physical server. Virtualization consolidated multiple systems on powerful hardware, simplifying some tasks but still requiring manual software installation and physical media.

I once experienced a maintenance error on an on-premises mail server that wiped all mailboxes, which turned a short maintenance job into an all-night recovery. That experience highlights the risk and overhead of on-premises administration. Moving to the cloud changed that; vendors handle backups, and nights spent in the office decreased dramatically.

The cloud also removed much of the centralized control that IT used to have over systems, accounts, licenses, and budgets. Anyone can sign up for many applications with a few clicks, and the COVID pandemic accelerated this trend by forcing remote work and broad access to cloud resources. As IT teams, we needed new practices and tools to manage these resources effectively.

SaaS Management, through a SaaS Management Platform or SMP, gives IT a central administrative console to manage and optimize SaaS usage, while enhancing protection for identities and data. A good SMP can provide visibility, control, and automation, and in our case, we use Torii for these capabilities.

There are three major pitfalls in SaaS management. First, legacy technology and technical debt that complicate modernization. Second, resistance to change among people who prefer familiar habits. Third, alignment challenges when organizations maintain mixed on-premises and cloud environments. Maintaining both can be complicated and costly.

When asked which issue is most common, I believe people are the most important factor. If people are aligned with the company and the technology, you can overcome many other challenges. You need the people with you to make change stick.

Onboarding is a good example of a process that often has gaps. It can take too long and be left incomplete due to poor communication between HR, IT, and hiring managers, and due to manual tasks. Incomplete onboarding undermines productivity and can affect retention.

Each onboarding is different because people, roles, teams, and departments vary. That variability makes standardization and automation challenging. To improve onboarding, start by mapping the current process manually to find bottlenecks and points of failure.

After mapping, remove unnecessary steps that add no value, and communicate with stakeholders because onboarding is ultimately for the new hire and their team. Reduce manual tasks through automation, and use a centralized platform to orchestrate the entire process. We implemented these steps using Torii.

For example, we trigger onboarding from the HR system so employee data, such as name, start date, role, and department, is transferred automatically. Branching logic handles different team requirements so each department gets the specific resources it needs. We also added a branch to catch cases that do not meet any predefined criteria so nothing goes unnoticed.

That exception branch generates notifications, such as a ticket, which creates a feedback loop for continuous improvement. We repeatedly revisit the process map, communicate with stakeholders, and refine automation where needed. This closed loop prevents issues from slipping through and helps the organization adapt as it grows.

We also created a dedicated communication channel that includes the new hire, the hiring manager, and an IT representative. This provides a safe space for the new hire to ask questions on day one, and it reduces the need for ad hoc escalations that slow resolution and create confusion.

Small, iterative changes like that can significantly improve the onboarding experience. Without direct channels and clear responsibility, simple issues such as login problems can turn into a game of telephone between multiple people. Centralized workflows and notifications minimize that friction.

SaaS management is an ongoing practice. It requires coordination with stakeholders, and it streamlines adoption of new technology while making life easier for everyone. A platform that centralizes visibility, orchestration, and automation helps IT deliver better service to employees.

Other processes that benefit from this approach include license management, renewals, and detection of shadow IT. An SMP can help remove unused licenses, coordinate renewals with app owners, and surface unauthorized applications. You can also build an app catalog and automate communications around changes or compliance requirements.

To get more people on board, identify one manager from each department who understands their team’s needs and can provide useful input. Reach out proactively to find allies, listen to what people need, and design solutions that address their pain points. Demonstrating that you are solving real problems is the best way to gain adoption.

In summary, treat SaaS management as a service to the business. Use process mapping, automation, centralized orchestration, and stakeholder engagement to close gaps, and iterate continuously based on feedback and data.

Thank you to everyone who attended. We appreciate your time, and we encourage you to submit any remaining questions in the chat.