How often have you been frustrated by the challenges of installing new software? How about expiring licenses or outdated tools that need to be upgraded frequently to prevent them from becoming obsolete? These are all problems associated with buying software licenses, and they can all be avoided through the smart use of Software as a Service.
By “renting” access to applications with a SaaS model, you can lay the foundation for a more efficient, secure, and scalable infrastructure, all while potentially setting yourself up to punch at a higher weight class than your SMB might have been capable of in the past.
SaaS is Cost-Effective and Predictable
The biggest problem that businesses have with the old way of managing software is that it creates unpredictable expenses.
Think about it. You might buy a certain number of licenses, but how sure are you that they’re actually getting used appropriately? What happens when an employee leaves, and you have to move that license over to another user? What happens when a sudden hardware failure or software upgrade renders those licenses obsolete?
With SaaS, you bypass these inconveniences entirely; you can add user licenses, features, or storage capabilities as your business grows. This prevents you from getting locked into having underutilized licenses or being held back by your hardware.
SaaS is Secure, Reliable, and Automatic
In order to remain secure, software requires backend maintenance, patches, and upgrades—all of which are handled by the SaaS provider, not your business.
This right here is one of the most critical benefits of SaaS; it keeps your business from spending valuable time and attention on routine maintenance. More importantly, it prevents your team from forgetting that routine maintenance, and you can be confident that the important work is getting done. Furthermore, reputable SaaS companies will invest in enterprise-grade security, redundancy, and data backup measures that SMBs might not be able to afford, which basically makes you feel like you’re playing at a higher level than you really are (and that’s a good thing).
Add in the accessibility of using cloud-based resources wherever and whenever you need them, and you have a powerful tool that keeps your business productive, even in the face of disaster.
SaaS Solves Problems Your Business Cannot Face Alone
While SaaS solves many problems for your business, it can lead to SaaS sprawl, which is when your business implements too many cloud-based solutions that don’t work well together.
However, you also need to ask yourself if you’re implementing the best solutions available. While your business won’t have to worry about managing the software itself, it does have to take certain precautions to ensure it’s vetting applications for security, compliance, and suitability for your business’ needs. Any new integration should also strive for compatibility with your other applications, such as your CRM, accounting, and communications software, to avoid costly data silos. Furthermore, user management becomes increasingly important, especially given the anytime, anywhere access that cloud-hosted SaaS platforms provide.
Expert technology professionals can assist you in this effort, ensuring your company effectively manages its cloud-based resources to best serve both its employees and customers.
In short, SaaS can help your business control costs, improve security, and keep up to date, all while remaining agile enough to make changes to your infrastructure as needed. SaaS isn’t about adding new, innovative software so much as it is about adding the right new, innovative software—tools that your business can use for the long haul.
If you’re ready to implement SaaS, be sure to contact Lantek at (610) 683-6883.