Tag: SaaS

  • Take the Opportunity to Explore NEW Technology When Updating Hardware

    Take the Opportunity to Explore NEW Technology When Updating Hardware

    Hardware can be expensive to upgrade and easily become redundant if you don’t make the right decisions when purchasing. With such a significant investment, BEFORE you spend is a great time to jump outside the box and look at how you can do what you do better and save on costs by investing in the latest solutions.

    Don’t Make These Mistakes When Buying Hardware for Your Company

    First, let’s have a quick look at the biggest mistakes that businesses like yours make when looking at updating computers and other technology.

    Failing to Complete a Comprehensive Network Analysis

    It’s advisable to regularly conduct a network analysis, especially before purchasing, to ensure that you have an understanding of what works and what doesn’t work in your current setup. It helps to chart your data flow through your core technology, so it is easy to identify issues.

    Skipping this step could mean spending money in the wrong areas.

    Not Discussing User Needs

    The best people to ask about the effectiveness of your technology are the employees. They use it every day and will be able to tell you about its successes and failures. This information can inform the plan that you make to update your system.

    Only Buying When Things Break Down

    It’s better to use a proactive plan for your technology rather than buying ad hoc as needed. This way you can get the most benefit out of your budget and have the leverage to negotiate discounts when you buy.

    Only Buying the Cheapest Equipment

    Being smart when buying is essential but with your technology, the cheapest option is not always the best option and a good long-term investment. Sometimes you need to spend a little more initially for the best solution that saves money over time.

    Not Consulting Experts

    If it’s not your job to maintain networks, then talking to experts that have all of the latest information is recommended. An IT expert can help you to understand the latest in technology and how you can make it work for you.

    SaaS as an Alternative to Expensive Computer Updates

    SaaS applications are run in the cloud. For a regular fee, as a business, you can access the latest software and hardware, via an internet connection, without the significant upfront expenditure.

    The SaaS provider is the one that maintains the servers, software, and databases that permit you to use their product/services remotely. SaaS can be tailored to fit your requirements and you only pay for what you use, and you can scale up or down depending on the season and your turnover.

    This allows you, as a business, to focus more on your core products and redirect the budget that would usually be spent on software and infrastructure to other areas of the business.

    A Few Last Words

    SaaS is worth serious consideration for any size business. It offers considerable savings and access to software and hardware that you wouldn’t be able to use otherwise. The first thing you do is audit your network and determine your needs.

    Once you have done this you can talk to a number of providers to determine who would be best for your business.

  • Change Your Thinking: Switch to SaaS Instead of Buying Software

    Software, you need it, you buy it, you update it. That’s how you access the applications you need, that’s the only way. Or is it? Times have changed and NOW there is a much easier, more economical, and relatively stress-free way of accessing software (and hardware) without the burgeoning costs. Let us introduce you to the possibility of SaaS.

    Software as a Service or SAAS offers applications through the internet as a service and is tailored to any sized business. It enables you to access the latest hardware as well as software without needing to purchase new licences and avoid the complexity (and cost) of installing and maintaining complex software and hardware at your premises.

    What Are the Basics of SaaS?

    When you sign a contract for SAAS you are purchasing:

    • The right to access software – the provider is responsible for updates and replacement, and everything required to keep the software accessible and running.
    • A hosting service.
    • An infrastructure service – the software runs on the providers infrastructure offsite; they cover the costs of maintaining and upgrading the hardware, including the availability of security options.

    SaaS is bought as a subscription with a recurring fee that grants you the right to use the software for your business.

    You can tailor your plan to fit your business model and pay for the services you need, with the option to expand as your business does or to fit busy trading periods. And you stop paying the fee once you choose to terminate the service – contracts may vary so check the terms before you sign.

    The 4 Main Benefits SaaS Provide to Your Business

    The benefits of SaaS can be broken up into four main areas:

    Extensive savings free up money for other budget items

    • Removes the upfront costs of both installation and purchase of software.
    • The cost of upgrades and ongoing maintenance are shouldered by the provider.
    • Gives SMBs, in particular, access to software they could otherwise not afford.
    • Less financial risk investing in expensive software.
    • When hosted offsite, the provider supplies the infrastructure and upgrades as required.

    Time saved can be spent focusing on your business

    • Simply installed via existing internet access.
    • Upgrades are remote and completed by the provider saving downtime and internal wages.
    • Maintenance is the vendor’s responsibility, freeing your IT team (if you have one) to undertake more pressing tasks.
    • Quicker adoption by your employees.

    SaaS offers scalability and greater accessibility

    • Pay-as-you-go allows you to easily change your usage plan to fit your circumstances. Scale up or down to suit your circumstances.
    • As a web-based service, SaaS enables users access wherever they have an internet connection.

    Software is always upgraded to the latest version

    • Security is optimal when software is always up to date.
    • No more compatibility issues with version discrepancies.

    A Few Last Words

    If you are currently purchasing your own software, you not only pay for it and licencing to suit the number of users, but you are also responsible for all of the costs to support that network. These will include power and cooling for the server, applying updates, and ensuring you have the best security solution installed.

    On top of that, you assume all risk, labour costs, and a myriad of other costs that are ongoing including hardware updates and maintenance. SaaS enables you to stop focusing on your IT and instead leave it in the hands of experts.