Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS, is certainly not a new concept but many mature industries, such as the print and document imaging industry, are slower than others to adopt it. But savvy customers who are looking for ways to efficient manage infrastructure and operating costs see the benefits.
For some companies, being able to pay on a subscription service means more flexibilty and less risk. Today, an IT manager may not want to risk entering into a long-term contract when business conditions, mergers and acquisitions and other volatile environments are happening.
For others, it is much easier to get approval on smaller operating expenditures than for larger, capital costs.
In fact, in a May 2016 report, Gartner says:
"Through 2020, more than 80% of software vendors will change their business models from traditional license and maintenance models to a subscription-based approach." 1
Shouldn't our industry adapt and offer subscription services?
We say yes. Since last year, YSoft SAFEQ has been offered as a choice -- use as a monthly or quarterly subscription service or purchase as a perpetual license. We offer all of our suites and modules with this choice so you truly have flexibility and less risk. No other print management and document capture provider offers subscription pricing across their entire print management and document capture offerings and for the majority of multifunction devices (MFD) printers. And, we offer this no matter where you are located.
For you trivia buffs: Software-as-a-Service was made popular by Salesforce. Do you know who coined the term? Answer below.
(Answer: the eBusiness Division of the Software & Information industry Association.)
1 Forecast Analysis: Print Hardware, Software and Services, Worldwide, 1Q16 Update, Gartner, 13 May 2016 Document #G00307894