Application Services
The applications that we use in our businesses are the critical factor in ensuring success, they help us manage the business, our customers and the services we offer. Ensuring you have the right applications to enable your business to thrive is critical but it can be one of the most confusing and challenging decisions you will have to make. Make the wrong choice and your business could be left behind the competition, Business Boxed are here to offer impartial and intelligent advice.
Business Boxed are application independent, we listen to you and ensure we understand the needs of your business before we make our recommendations. Our service includes the identification of potential applications and the management of the project through to completion, we manage relationships with vendors so you don’t have to.
Things to consider when choosing an application:
- Does the application provide all of the features I need?
- Can the application be easily modified to meet my needs, can I do this myself or do I need to pay someone to do it for me?
- Does the application integrate with my other applications and data?
- Should I purchase the application or rent it on SaaS model? (See SaaS explained below)
- Can the application adapt to meet the changing needs of my business?
SaaS Explained
There are a number of delivery methods for applications, the traditional way is to install the application on a PC or Server. This method usually means you buy the software licenses up front and then manage and maintain the application yourself. Software as a Service (SaaS) is where instead of purchasing the application you simply rent it on a per user per month basis, the application is usually hosted by the vendor and accessed over the internet.
There are many business benefits to SaaS, these include:-
- Lower capital outlay, software is paid for on a per user per month basis that can fluctuate up or down with user numbers
- Reduced server infrastructure to maintain
- Access the application from anywhere securely through your internet browser
- Software updates and upgrades are usually included
- Software support is also usually included
SaaS is usually the preferred option for businesses deploying new application, there are significant reductions in costs and SaaS offers the flexibility to grow or shrink alongside your business which helps you to manage costs. It is important to understand however that SaaS is not right for everyone, there can be instances where a SaaS deployment can be inflexible and restrict integration with your others application and business data. Business Boxed will discuss these options with you and advise if a SaaS delivery method is right for you.
