When change happens – personally, relationally, developmentally, politically, ethically – it’s important and appropriate that we ask questions and debate the answers. Many years ago those questions might have been about how the railroad would displace the local workforce. More recently it might have been if video really did kill the radio star. Now the questions are about the family unit, privacy and security, or the junction of science and ethics.
Yet in every age we reach a tipping point, a moment when the pro list is longer than the con and we jump forward into a brave new space. We’re at the tipping point with the growth of software as a service (SaaS), and the question has shifted from “Should I integrate SaaS?” to “Why haven’t you integrated SaaS?”
SaaS technology, simply put, is enterprise software hosted in the cloud. Instead of reconfiguring expensive hardware and shipping your IT team off to expensive training, you quickly and easily download the software. You also receive updates virtually, and with the best systems have 24-hour support lines hosted in your country.
Initially, there were concerns about database security, particularly for industries like healthcare that deal with sensitive personal information. Really, today, that’s a concern for any company that stores customer credit card information in its system.
But security concerns are the one big item in the “con” column when it comes to SaaS, and providers have been diligent and vocal about providing redundant security for their SaaS platforms. The “pro” column includes savings in cost and time, the ability to focus IT budgets away from infrastructure and into development, immediate updates with the latest bells and whistles, and a dedicated, active support structure. There’s no contest. A recent survey by MintJutras shows that by 2023, more than 45 percent of all software will be SaaS.
There are always some holdouts – the laggards – who are either still suspicious of security in the cloud or just can’t be bothered to make the change. In time they may begin to harm their own international business growth. Traditionally these holdouts will make the change in their business software before doing so with their personal accounts. By contract early adopters will either test new technology on a personal level first or integrate something new both personally and professionally.
If you know, or are, still skeptical of cloud-based SaaS, here are few things to look for as you shop for providers: