How much time does your business invest in software and its management? There are some that you can’t really go without, like email solutions and productivity suites, but you might have other specialized software that also requires attention. When you acquire new software, you can either go the traditional route or you can go the Software-as-a-Service route. Which path is the best choice for your business?
What is Software-as-a-Service?
When you go the traditional route of software acquisition, you purchase a license that grants you the ability to use the software as you see fit. You might purchase a handful of licenses for Microsoft Office, for example, thus providing your employees access to the software suite for their use. The benefit of purchasing the license is that you can download the application or client for use on your desktop or on the network.
Software-as-a-Service, however, is more of a subscription-based service model. Think of it like Netflix or other streaming services. You pay a flat fee to get access to the app and its content on a monthly or yearly basis. Basically, instead of purchasing the software outright, you are paying for access to it via the cloud.
How Does It Benefit SMBs?
SaaS helps small businesses in several ways. Here are some of the more notable ones:
- Fewer up-front costs: Let’s face it; licenses are pricey and not always affordable for a large workforce. Rather than pay for the full licenses, you pay per user. This means you don’t have to scrape together funds to pay for a new solution, and therefore can get right to work.
- More up-to-date software: You might find yourself constantly upgrading your software as new versions are released or as patches are issued to cover security vulnerabilities. With SaaS, you get the most up-to-date version of that software, complete with patches and updates.
- Less maintenance and management: SaaS solutions aren’t hosted on your infrastructure in most cases; they are hosted by the provider or a managed service provider, meaning less responsibility on your part to take care of them.
- Greater accessibility: Since the software is often located in the cloud, you can access SaaS applications on your preferred devices through either an app or an Internet browser.
SaaS can help your business no matter what kind of organization you run, whether you need to start a new project or if you just want to save some money.
Get Started Today!
We know that small businesses don’t always have the resources available to take advantage of full software licenses, especially if they have specialty needs that need different applications. ClearView IT can help you ensure that you have access to the software you need to succeed. We can work with your business to implement SaaS solutions that are scalable according to your organization’s specific requirements. We can also host them for minimal involvement on your end in regard to maintenance and management.
To learn more, reach out to us at 866-326-7214.
