If you’re like most people, you’ve glazed over the SaaS abbreviation many times online, assuming it’s some new high-tech thing no one’s informed you that you need to understand yet for work, so you haven’t made much effort to.
However, there’s a good chance you’ve been using SaaS for years in both your personal and professional life, and you just didn’t realize that the program you were using was also called SaaS. In fact, many people are just realizing that even email falls under the umbrella of cloud computing. Well, for that matter, both email and cloud computing also fall under the SaaS umbrella.
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which applications are hosted by a vendor or service provider and made available to customers over a network, typically the Internet.
What is Software as a Service?
Basically, SaaS is any application or software program that a service provider or vendor hosts on remote servers. You either pay or get permission to access the platform through a network. In most cases, the network is the internet. So basically, any website that functions like a software platform or any software platform that functions remotely qualifies as SaaS. This includes:
– Email programs,
– Web builders,
– Web developer tools,
– Accounting programs,
– Sales tracking applications,
– Chat windows,
– Telemarketing and call center hubs,
– Payroll managing programs,
– CAD programs,
– Customer relationship management programs,
– Human resources management programs,
– Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and
– Many other cloud computing platforms
However, though there are several very popular personal SaaS platforms, many businesses use SaaS in their day-to-day business activities. Many people even learn these programs when training for careers in HR, Accounting, Finance and other fields. Most companies would rather use these convenient platforms rather than buying costly software and installing it.
However, paid services usually have limited licenses — like you might pay for 10 users or 20 devices, (one smartphone and one desktop for each employee using the software etc.).
SaaS platforms are ideal for many corporations and organizations as long as your IT manager can vouch that the program you plan to use offers the appropriate security level for your industry. Most free platforms have iffy security, so it’s important to keep that in mind.
With Most SaaS Systems
1) There’s no software to install
2) Payments are usually affordable and you can choose to pay monthly, quarterly or annually
3) You can upgrade as your company’s needs change
4) You can access your software using mobile devices, laptops and desktops; from any location that offers internet access
Some platforms even offer customization, meaning, you can make it look like part of your business. So if you had a retail store, for example, and were using the platform to process sales; it could feature your company logo, general color scheme and style. Contact us to learn more about SaaS solutions that might help your business run more smoothly today!
