The 8 Benefits Of SaaS- (Software As A Service)
Much like most technology trends, Software as a Service, aka SaaS, has also entered the technology dimension already teeming with buzzwords. This inherently simple concept might come across as complex and confusing. We are here to tell you what SaaS is and how it can benefit your enterprise.
So, what is SaaS, and what can it do for your enterprise?
SaaS is a software delivery method in which applications are remotely hosted by a vendor or service provider. These applications are then made available to customers over a network. In simple terms, users rent the software they require instead of an out and out purchase. Most providers offer subscriptions to their software on a monthly or yearly basis.
On-Premise vs. SaaS Software
Almost all traditional on-premise software is purchased with a usage license by paying for the whole package upfront. Typically, software licenses are limited to only one user or device, whether its bundled with the hardware or happens to be a standalone Purchase. So to get started with traditional software, the user has to pay a hefty price once and then can continue to use the software by installing it on his device.
Conversely, in the case of SaaS software, businesses and users can subscribe to the service on a monthly or annual basis without having to pay large amounts of money in licensing fees. A significant advantage that SaaS holds over traditional software delivery methods is that the business or user can discontinue the subscription when the service is no longer required. This feature saves businesses and users from falling prey to endless contracts and licensing issues. Given that SaaS operates over the cloud, apps are updated in the cloud resulting in the business or user saving valuable resources that would have been spent on updating each computer.
SaaS is a deviation from the convention of purchasing software, and yet it can provide significant advantages to an enterprise that utilizes it. Today as the adoption of cloud computing gains momentum, software providers across the globe are adding SaaS capabilities to their portfolio, resulting in huge gains for companies that adopt the service.
Mentioned below are the 8 benefits of SaaS-
1. Cost-Effective
Choosing SaaS can result in significant savings for a variety of reasons. Firstly, SaaS eliminates the upfront costs the user has to pay for purchase and installation. Ongoing costs like maintenance and upgrades also no longer a factor. Instead of having to spend large amounts of money on hardware resources, SaaS easily downloadable and virtually maintenance-free from the user’s end.
Secondly, the pay-as-you-go model of SaaS allows businesses to cull costs, given that they only have to pay for the software they are using and not wasting resources on un-used licensing.
For small businesses, SaaS is truly a boon given that these businesses now have access to high-powered software, which is not only expensive but unobtainable through conventional methods of purchase because of budgetary constraints. The subscription-based nature of SaaS eliminates the financial risk that comes along with expensive software.
The SaaS vendor handles the complexity of the required IT infrastructure. When deploying business applications through SaaS, the user no longer has to worry about resource-consuming maintenance of hardware or worrying about choosing the right OS. All of this is the responsibility of your SaaS vendor, allowing businesses to free up resources and redirect them towards other processes.
2. Time Management
Time is money. Thankfully SaaS can help businesses in saving both. For most SaaS applications, installation requires merely an internet connection and the acquisition of a log-in. Moreover, maintenance responsibilities that come with traditional software are shifted to the vendor in the case of SaaS, thus eliminating downtime or extra work hours required to upgrade traditional software.
3. Scalability & Accessibility
Yet another feature of SaaS is that it offers fantastic flexibility. Since the software is externally hosted by the vendor, businesses opting for SaaS can change their usage plan without having to worry about giving advance notice. Furthermore, SaaS solutions can be accessed from anywhere in the world, given their web-based use. With SaaS, users are able to access their data and work effectively from anywhere, making the situation a lot easier for home workers and people who work at multiple sites.
4. High Compatibility
In the traditional method of software installation, updates can be very time consuming and expensive. Compatibility issues can arise because of version discrepancies between members of the workforce. However, with SaaS, users simply log in to the latest upgraded version of their SaaS solution. It is the SaaS vendor’s responsibility to manage updates and upgrades, removing the need to install patches.
SaaS assures that the end-user will always have access to the most up to date version of the software. Software as a Service can help your business by eliminating problems like software maintenance and incompatibility, thus providing your enterprise with streamlined focus and higher productivity.
5. Guaranteed Levels of Service, backups and data recovery
Unlike traditional software, SaaS gives the user a guarantee on how it will well it work.
It is common knowledge that with traditional software unless an expensive automated solution is deployed, the process of data backups on a weekly basis can be very labor-intensive. With SaaS solutions, businesses can completely remove this task given that SaaS supports automated backups without user intervention, thus ensuring data integrity.
6. Amplified Security
In most situations, SaaS solutions can keep an organization’s business information safer than traditional software. For instance, at Radixweb, we run multiple geographically separated data centers, which contact the IT infrastructure to deliver our SaaS applications. In the unfortunate event that an obstacle appears in one center, the other data centers continue delivering our services.
7. High Adoption Rates
It is noteworthy that since SaaS solutions are delivered over the web, they usually have much smaller learning involved since employees are already used to working on the internet, resulting in rapid adoption by the workforce.
8. Try it before you buy it
Most SaaS service providers offer free trials of the products and that too of the full version. This means that businesses can take advantage of ‘prep time’ to see gauge the viability of the solution and how well it works with their organization programs before making any investment in the systems.
Conclusion
Features like easy upgrades, Lower costs, and better scalability are some of the top reasons most businesses believe SaaS is the future of computing. Many small and medium enterprises are now looking to ‘rent’ the software they require instead of substantial investments in hardware and traditional software licenses. With SaaS, businesses no longer have to worry about upgrades, patches, and seamless deployment. The greater scalability and flexibility of SaaS means that enterprises can scale as they grow.
Cloud computing is the future, and SaaS, in particular, presents a brilliant opportunity for businesses. SaaS implementation done right can achieve increased and sustainable revenues and help businesses in meeting their requirements as they grow.
