Can Software As a Service Work for Enterprise Level Business Software?
As a business consultant it is a recurring question that is asked over and over by almost every client at some stage in the growth process.
The last client that asked the same question was looking to upgrade the human resource (HR) and payroll software they were using which was hopelessly inadequate as well as being outdated by the company growth.
This is when she asked the question.
Should we opt for Software as a Service (SaaS) for the applications we feel are critical to our business? Software as a Service is effectively having software applications delivered over the web for your organisation, of course this is the one part that worries people, however for most businesses in urban areas that have stable Internet, network and telephone infrastructure this is not really a major concern.
When this question is directed at me invariably I respond with questions of my own.
How does it work? Most SaaS provide the service from their own data centre delivering the software functionality direct to desktops in your business without the need for any ongoing IT involvement from your end.
There are different payment models for this service, however by far the most popular is a pay as you use subscription, the savings compared to providing your own IT services can be significant.
What software can be supplied this way? Theoretically any applications can be delivered this way in fact you will see more and more of this in everyday computing as time passes, although it will be a subscription based model and unlikely to be called SaaS.
Business use tends to be based around critical software applications like Human Resource management software or payroll software for instance, actually all back office functions can be securely delivered in this fashion.
Tell me more Around something like the payroll & HR software example they service could also provide key payroll services such as legislative upgrades, payroll processing, BACS transfers and pay slip printing.
Having these key areas covered by a service allows you to focus on using the tools to run your business whilst the software company manage the technical and administrative burden associated with managing the associated IT.
The last client that asked the same question was looking to upgrade the human resource (HR) and payroll software they were using which was hopelessly inadequate as well as being outdated by the company growth.
This is when she asked the question.
Should we opt for Software as a Service (SaaS) for the applications we feel are critical to our business? Software as a Service is effectively having software applications delivered over the web for your organisation, of course this is the one part that worries people, however for most businesses in urban areas that have stable Internet, network and telephone infrastructure this is not really a major concern.
When this question is directed at me invariably I respond with questions of my own.
- Do you want all the benefits of an integrated HR and payroll solution?
- Do you want it without the headaches of managing the IT system that supports it?
- Would you like to reduce some of the administration burden in the payroll process?
- Do you want to pay for things as you use them as opposed to an upfront license?
How does it work? Most SaaS provide the service from their own data centre delivering the software functionality direct to desktops in your business without the need for any ongoing IT involvement from your end.
There are different payment models for this service, however by far the most popular is a pay as you use subscription, the savings compared to providing your own IT services can be significant.
What software can be supplied this way? Theoretically any applications can be delivered this way in fact you will see more and more of this in everyday computing as time passes, although it will be a subscription based model and unlikely to be called SaaS.
Business use tends to be based around critical software applications like Human Resource management software or payroll software for instance, actually all back office functions can be securely delivered in this fashion.
Tell me more Around something like the payroll & HR software example they service could also provide key payroll services such as legislative upgrades, payroll processing, BACS transfers and pay slip printing.
Having these key areas covered by a service allows you to focus on using the tools to run your business whilst the software company manage the technical and administrative burden associated with managing the associated IT.
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