Picture a world where your business can rent all of the IT tools it needs. No having to dole out thousands for hardware installations and maintenance. No having to set aside money year in and year out for expensive licenses. No having to constantly upgrade your systems because they’ve become outdated and ineffective. All of that is taken care of for you.
If this sounds like a dream scenario, then we’re happy to say that it’s actually a reality thanks to Software as a Service, or SaaS, solutions.
What Does SaaS Mean?
At its heart, Software as a Service is a cloud computing offering. It’s on-demand, cloud-based software that helps you and your teams use business apps over the cloud.
SaaS apps are also far-reaching, providing businesses with access to tools and software for mobile telephony, human resources management, payroll and accounting, resource planning, performance management, customer relationship management, and so much more.
Unlike almost all traditional on-site software, SaaS isn’t paid for upfront. Where traditional software involves having to purchase expensive licenses, SaaS tools can be subscribed to monthly or annually, without paying huge amounts of money towards licensing fees. They can also be terminated whenever you like, meaning that you’re not tied into permanent or long-term contracts.
And these are just one or two of the benefits of using SaaS. There are so many more, and we go over some of them below.
Key Benefits of SaaS
The benefits of SaaS are numerous, given that it’s extremely flexible. It usually works as a subscription-based model, as explained above, allowing you to access the tools you need, straight from your Internet browser for a monthly fee, rather than having to pay for them upfront. But there are so many more reasons to choose SaaS apps over traditional software:
- Reduced time
SaaS helps businesses save a substantial amount of time. You need very little to install a SaaS app aside from an internet connection and login details from the app provider.Also, in the case of SaaS, maintenance becomes the providers’ responsibility, not yours. Whereas, when it comes to traditional on-premise software, you would always be responsible for the day-to-day management of your software solutions.
Lower costs
This is one of the most important benefits of SaaS. Because the software is month-to-month and doesn’t require upfront payment, you’ll start to see considerable savings. Plus, costs associated with maintenance and upgrades are also covered as part of your monthly instalment. You can save a lot of money, because there is no need to buy multiple, sophisticated hardware components either. SaaS solutions are easily downloadable and maintenance-free from your perspective.Scalability
A huge advantage of SaaS is that it offers great scalability. Since your provider is the one hosting the software, you can upgrade or downgrade your usage plans to suit your needs at any time, without the hassle of having to give advanced notice.Upgrades
With SaaS, as soon as you upgrade your subscription, the improvements become available to all your teams. There’s no need to buy an upgrade, then spend hours implementing and installing it across your machines. Another benefit of Software as a Service is that you also don’t have to spend thousands on specialised services just to get your environment upgraded. It’s as easy as the click of a button.Quick setup and deployment
Another key benefit of SaaS is that everything you need is already setup, configured and installed in the cloud. This makes it quick and easy for you to implement new SaaS offerings across your company. All you need to do is register and choose your plan, perhaps make a few configuration changes, and everyone within your teams will immediately have the access that they need.Easy to use
SaaS offerings are typically extremely easy to use since they usually come with built-in best practices and training tools. You can test the software, often on a free trial, or a new release feature before you subscribe to it. SaaS technology also often allows you to try out a variety of versions, helping you to smoothly migrate from one technology to the next.Accessibility
In a post-Covid world, where everyone is used to working from home, SaaS solutions make it easy to accommodate and embrace remote teams. All you need to access SaaS apps is a reliable Internet connection and a browser. Your teams can access their SaaS apps on a range of devices, from anywhere in the world. This not only helps your staff members, but your company as a whole. You can easily see why Software as a Service is an advantage for companies that have remote teams.Compatibility
SaaS has proved to be very appealing when it comes to software upgrades, largely because all subscribers have to do is login, to find that their apps have already been upgraded. This eliminates the hassle of finding that one team member is using a different software version to another. All apps are updated at the same time, with nothing more than an internet connection being needed, so you’ll never have to deal with version discrepancies or compatibility issues.
How to Leverage the Power and Benefits of SaaS for Your Business
Companies across the world have started to adopt SaaS at a rapid pace, and for a good reason! The technology helps enterprises like yours access business apps on a cloud network, without having to physically install or maintain software on every on-premise system. This reduces costs, increases flexibility, and helps your business scale securely and without any hassle. Now that you know the benefits of SaaS, reach out to our experts at Solid Systems when you’re ready to enhance and modernise your business operations!
