When technology companies create game-changing software, they’re posed with the question ‘to SaaS, or not to SaaS’?
Software as a Service (SaaS) makes it simpler for developers to sell software, send it to market and make an impression in the industry. Combined with the fact that customers are actively driving forward this method of software delivery for their own benefit, SaaS is a no brainer – it just makes sense!
What are the benefits for developers?
Although there are numerous benefits for software developers, such as increased availability, the protection of intellectual property and reduced sales times. There are, two distinct advantages acting as the main driving force – these are financial efficiency and scalability. We’ve explored these below.
Financial efficiency
SaaS businesses are more financially efficient than traditional software companies and there are a number of reasons for this. One option for developers wanting to SaaS their Software is to create and maintain their own hosting platform, however, with this choice, the developer would have to purchase the hardware outright and then employ a team to manage and maintain it.
When partnering with a hosting provider, SaaS eliminates this requirement as the software developer rents space and facilities from the service provider, paying for them on a monthly or quarterly basis.
Scalability
Another fantastic feature for developers utilising SaaS is the ‘pay as you go’ system. With SaaS, the developer only pays for the resources that customers use. Many providers also offer needs based scaling, so when the demand is high they’ll have more resources available and software will continue to run as efficiently as ever. It’s also the responsibility of the hosting provider to account for future growth, which means the developer doesn’t have to spend money purchasing or maintaining hardware that may not be used.
Benefits for end users
From a commercial perspective it’s clear why developers are utilising SaaS solutions, but why are end users driving the industry forward? SaaS enables them to access a range of benefits, including:
- Instant access to new releases and updates
- Reduced pressure on the IT department
- Faster implementation times
- Reduced costs overall
- Access anywhere solutions
