SaaS - Innovative business solutions
Systems and applications made available via the Internet are gaining enormous popularity almost all over the world, not only because of significant savings in corporate expenses, but also for creating unlimited development opportunities for companies. So what is SaaS and how can it affect Polish entrepreneurship?
Software as a Service - software as a service
In traditional software sales, the customer buys a license and then installs the software on his computer. SaaS changes that. The user has a powerful tool at their disposal, although they do not buy it. In return for the subscription fee, he receives only a login and password from the service provider, thanks to which, after entering the appropriate website, he can fully use all the functionalities of the software.
This has its direct reflection in the form of a significant reduction in company costs.However, it is not only the potential savings that make SaaS win such a large group of users, especially among small and medium-sized businesses. Freedom and greater mobility is an equally common reason why entrepreneurs choose on-line applications. SaaS systems can be used anywhere in the world without time limits. The ability to remotely access, for example, files, e-mail and many office applications, without the need to stay in the company, makes office work virtualized. This brings invaluable benefits, not only for companies with dispersed structures or using teleworking, but also for people who have to travel frequently.
Directions of SaaS development
According to DiS statistics, over 100 software producers on the Polish market offer in line with the SaaS model. Almost the same number of service providers offer this model of cooperation to their clients. Remote software sharing without a server infrastructure and without the need to install the program on the client's computer became possible only with the wider development of Internet networks. In Poland, according to data from the Central Statistical Office, already over 93% of enterprises have permanent access to the Internet, and as many as 53% have broadband access. Technological development has made the lending or renting of software, instead of purchasing its license, one of the more interesting alternatives for acquiring new application systems in companies. Hence, over 200 titles of software ready to work in SaaS mode offered by both international corporations such as Microsoft and SAP, as well as by local companies, from netCRM to wCompany.
Saas models are most often used in such areas of entrepreneurship as online auctions, mobile commerce, e-banking, online stores and business support. On the other hand, the software most often made available to companies are: Internet accounting, CRM - for managing relations with customers and contractors, CMS, HR, office tools and a program for Human Resources and Payroll, as well as speech synthesizers, which perfectly replace the work of an expensive teacher. The second direction of development are services provided on demand (software as a dem and), addressed mainly to non-business customers. Companies specializing in renting movies or music albums via the Internet, such as VOD, are the leaders in this field.
On-line applications are more than standard
SaaS is a great solution for all those who are allergic to expensive software, which generally makes it difficult to use the modern lifestyle. It also means quick access to company documents from anywhere in the world. All you need is Internet access to be able to fully perform your professional duties. Such a solution becomes more and more important for integral strategies, which with their thoughts go far "beyond" the area of small and medium-sized enterprises and plan to expand on a large scale. Another argument in favor of the SaaS model is its safety in use. All information entered into the system is encrypted and stored on special servers, protected against unauthorized access and destruction. It also guarantees the durability of the documentation stored in this way.
However, this technique is still fairly fresh for customers, therefore the supply of services significantly exceeds the current demand. It takes time for society to get used to new technological solutions. Especially if their use involves cash flow or IT risk. When the first online stores and auctions were launched in Poland, most Poles did not trust the online transactions. It took several years for online purchases to become completely natural. It was the same with e-banking and e-mail. Today, settling many matters without the help of the Internet becomes almost impossible. In this context, a SaaS model is emerging on the market that can change the lives of many people and that takes time to be fully accepted by Internet users.
