SaaS: flexible, scalable, affordable
Perhaps 12-18 months behind the UK and US in its adoption rates, but good to see that Australia is catching on to the value of the software as a service (SaaS) model. An article called "Software Engine at the Ready" (login needed to read it) in the 21/8 issue of Business Review Weekly magazine profiles a mid-tier construction firm's use of SaaS technology.
Like most mid-tier contractors, the firm, Ichor Constructions, operates on multimillion dollar budgets on paper-thin margins, and the sophistication of its project management software can decide success or failure. The prohibitive cost of purchasing the required software meant that Ichor was unable to tackle more complex, lucrative projects. The article explains how, by using a SaaS project management tool for its benchmarking and forecasting, they were able to grow from a $15 million company to a $50 million company.
Talking about the initial reasoning behind the shift to SaaS, Ichor's GM is quoted as saying, "Cost was the biggest factor. By running the software on a remote server it's a lot cheaper than owning and maintaining it internally, and I don't need to worry about finding someone with the technical expertise to make my server work."
Whether for tracking forecasting data or managing documentation, more and more construction and engineering firms are moving towards SaaS solutions due to their flexibility, scalability and affordability. In the online document management market we're already seeing the SaaS providers pull away from the pack as clients see the value of this model.
Labels: Global trends
