4 reasons you should consider SaaS for your business

From inventory programs to accounting applications, high growth organizations need to ensure they have the optimal level of support to stay ahead of the competition. When evaluating software, it is obvious to look at the cost of the software, but purchasing licenses and installing them is only a part of the investment. Hardware and servers can be costly and some organizations can only afford computers with limited storage space or prefer web-based programs. Online-based software solutions known as cloud-based programs or SaaS (software as a service) solve that problem.

What is SaaS? (And do I need it?)

SaaS stands for software as a service. It’s defined as an integrated web-based software hosted using the cloud that businesses can purchase for use. Usually, this service is subscription-based, with monthly fees rather than a one-time expense.

These programs and data are stored on large remote servers that can be accessed at any time. In essence, think of it as if your favorite online storage services such as DropBox, Flickr, or Google apps (like Google Spreadsheet).

SaaS programs are used by businesses to ease day-to-day processes and save RAM and processing power on a computer.

Here are four reasons your business should invest in SaaS programs today:

1.) Storage capabilities

SaaS gives businesses the opportunity to free storage space on work computers by storing data elsewhere (this is known as business cloud storage). This also means that businesses can use that free space to install detail-intensive programs such as CAD software, portfolio builders, and architecture tools that take up large amounts of space.

2.) Mobility

SaaS also helps employees take their work on the go. Since large laptops are difficult to carry, SaaS applications are smartphone and tablet-compatible to help employees work at their convenience no matter the location. Productivity is unleashed.

3.) Low monthly costs

These solutions are often cheaper than buying software licenses for companies for a variety of reasons, including needing fewer IT people to manage these applications. In addition, companies usually provide a low monthly payment rather than charge a larger up-front fee. Because of this, businesses save money for other necessities as well as increase their cash flow to spend on marketing, financial portfolios, and new projects.

4.) Simple (or no visible) upgrades

Network updates on work computers are often done after working hours when employees have gone home. These network updates can take large chunks of time and prove cumbersome for IT departments. SaaS solutions update remotely so none of the work is left on busy staff at your company. It also gives businesses a chance to spend time on more pressing matters such as day-to-day operations.

More than that, most good SaaS solutions don’t require a transition to a newer version. It happens automatically and is instantly compatible with how you were using the software before.