Software as a Service: Is it for Me?

Software as a service is closely related to Application Service Provider (ASP), which provides computer based services to companies over a network. Software as a Service specifically refers to software offered as a service. A more traditional model of software distribution, where a company purchases software, installs it and maintains it themselves is known as software as a product. Companies have many options when it comes to handling their software. However, software as a service has numerous benefits that should be explored.

The IT Staff is Already Busy
Employing a new technology across an entire company is very complex and very time consuming. If a company utilizes SaaS, it is much easier to roll out a new technology to a small test department, minimizing risk if it fails. However, most importantly, it won’t utilize an already overworked IT staff.

Motivation
What happens if the software or technology breaks? Your IT department, already overworked, will get to it when and if they can, depending on the needs of others in the organization and how important your issue is. In the SaaS delivery model, the vendor is very interested in keeping your business. This means that when something breaks it will get fixed right away.

Faster Installation
Since everything is running securely at the vendor’s location, companies will not need to rely on their IT departments to install an application. Not only that, but all users in the corporation will be able to have the same version of the software at the same time. You won’t need to roll it out over a period of many months.

Cost Savings
Customers pay for the software monthly in this model. This means that a company won’t need to come up with a large sum of money at one time when they want to update or add new technology and/or software for their employees. The monetary risk is much lower and companies will be more willing to take a risk when they aren’t seeing such a large sum of money leaving the company at one time.

Security
Data security can be safer when it is hosted. Frankly, it has to be secure or vendors will lose business. Security is a number one priority and data is backed up constantly. Again, with a busy IT department, it may be easy to overlook backing up or securing information.

Software as a Service is becoming a worldwide method employed by companies to service their technology needs. In a world where software is updated yearly, adding important and often business essential updates, it is no wonder companies are looking for ways to save money. Software as a Service has become a solution for companies to save money, have faster installation times, relieve an already busy IT department and ensure things are happening in a secure and timely manner. Is it for you? More and more companies will begin asking themselves that question as they look to the future of technology within their organizations.

About the author: Rebecca Beckett is a freelance writer for Innuity. For more information about Software as a Service or Application Service Provider go to Zoot .