The Benefits of SaaS
Software as a Service (SaaS) is quickly becoming the go-to model for technology solutions, and mass notification systems are no different. At Singlewire Software, we began offering SaaS for each of our three InformaCast service levels two years ago. Since then, we have seen eager adoption among customers and prospects due to its advantages.
But what if you don’t know what SaaS is? And why is it better than more traditional perpetual licensing models? SaaS is typically based in the cloud rather than on-premise, which is a crucial differentiator. As explained by Forbes, “The basic difference between an on-premise system and SaaS or PaaS is that on-premises solutions are installed locally on your company’s hardware and servers and then managed by your IT team while a cloud solution is provided to you as a service, inherently reducing the total cost of ownership of your software infrastructure.”
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the benefits end-users receive when selecting a mass notification solution offered as SaaS.
Lower Upfront Cost
A mass notification system is a significant investment, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still be looking for a good deal. Mass notification systems that offer a SaaS option have a lower upfront cost than on-premises systems because the customer is essentially renting the system. In contrast, the customer would own traditional software with a perpetual license. SaaS software exists in the cloud and can be downloaded and configured at the end-users convenience. As the concept of software as a service has gained widespread adoption, more customers have become comfortable with treating software as an operating expense rather than a capital cost.
Upgrades are Handled by the Vendor
With on-premises systems, software updates needed to be downloaded and installed to take advantage of new features. With a cloud-based solution delivered as SaaS, downloads are typically automatic and handled by the vendor. That means less time is spent navigating new updates, and organizations can begin taking advantage of new safety features sooner.
Quicker Deployment
Chances are, if you’re looking for a mass notification system, there’s a pretty important reason your organization needs it. Life-threatening events can happen at any time, so the last thing you want to do is spend large amounts of time deploying a solution after going through a selection process. Because the brains of a SaaS solution live in the cloud, it can be deployed quicker throughout an organization. This also makes it more convenient should you need to scale the solution due to growth.
Less Infrastructure Maintenance
If the mass notification solution lives in the cloud, the burden on the customer’s IT staff is lessened. Nearly all of the maintenance takes place on the vendor’s side and is automatically backed up and restored should there be an issue. This helps organizations save money because they don’t need to worry about maintaining equipment and often require less observation by IT teams to see if the system works as intended.
When it comes to mass notification, organizations need a solution that is reliable, easy to use, and doesn’t break the bank. Mass notification systems offered as SaaS gives organizations an excellent option for delivering emergency alerts that reach everyone quickly. Contact one of our territory managers to learn more about the benefits of SaaS when it comes to emergency notification software.