Software as a Service (or SaaS), is a cloud-based service where instead of installing software to your desktop, you access it via the internet, usually paying a subscription to do so.
The software that you use is delivered and managed remotely by a provider and the application could be anything from office software to unified communications. You probably come into contact with SaaS everyday — whether you’re logging into Office 365 or streaming Netflix.
For small and medium sized businesses SaaS is a great cost-effective alternative to buying other kinds of software.
Here are some other benefits:
Unlike other software, with SaaS there’s no upfront cost for purchase and installation, as well on-going costs like maintenance and upgrades. Instead of spending large amounts of money on hardware installations, SaaS applications can be easily downloaded and maintained. You can also pay-as-you-go, meaning you only pay for what you are using.
There is less financial risk this way, because you are renting a service and gaining all the benefits of an expensive, high-powered software that you might not have been able to purchase out right.
SaaS applications sit in the cloud which makes things a lot easier if you’re looking to integrate it with other platforms or you are expanding your team.
You’ll have the flexibility to be able to scale your SaaS use up and down depending on your business need. If you need to add more users to your service, or reduce them, you simply adjust your payment plan accordingly – as opposed to having to buy in more hardware when expanding, or else having to shelve expensive software when you do not use it anymore.
The process of backing up your data on a regular basis can be painful if you don’t have someone to do it for you. Luckily, SaaS solutions carry out automatic backups. Through using cloud-connected software systems, you eliminate the risk of storing files to a local device. PCs, laptops and tablets can fail, but you’ll always have a digital back-up to hand.
And it’s not just backups, managed SaaS providers operate everything for you including hosting, support, upgrades and licencing. This reduces the stress over monitoring hardware systems and worrying about installing the latest versions of software updates.
Depending on the type of technology, most SaaS services also have built in disaster recovery enabling your information to be quickly recovered in the event of a disaster. When choosing a SaaS provider, it’s important to evaluate their security factors, service level agreements and the migration process.
Providing you have an internet connection, SaaS solutions can be accessed from anywhere. You can access your data and work more efficiently, making life easier for home workers or for those people that split time between home and the office.
If you are working remotely, an added benefit is that there’s no need to install apps or extensions, and because you will always be accessing the latest versions of apps, you don’t need to bring devices into the office for upgrades and patches.
SaaS apps allow multiple users to work together at the same time in the same files and documents. Data is saved automatically, so no more emailing things for your employees to review – it’s all in one centralised location.
Think about Dropbox, one of the smartest SaaS systems. You never lose any data and can access it anytime and anywhere. Zoom is another example of SaaS, apart from video calling, you can also use its messaging and file sharing.
Software as a Service has a lot to offer. If it’s used properly, it can help your business save money, time, and resources. By eliminating problems like software maintenance and security issues, SaaS can provide streamlined focus and greater productivity.
For more information, please contact info@auratechnology.com