Fast, Cheap and Easy

 

When companies are faced with implementing enterprise software applications, two choices instinctively spring to mind: buy or build. However, nowadays a lot of smart companies are starting to discover a third option: renting a Software as Service solution.

A Software as Service (SaS) solution can be defined as a Web-based software application provided by a third party vendor that's accessible via a Web browser. One of the most well known SaS providers is Salesforce.com, who provide sales force automation as a hosted, web-based application that is priced on a per-seat, per month model. Another example is CrownPeak Technology, who provides Web content management as a hosted service. CrownPeak's customers log onto the CrownPeak software via a Web browser, manage their websites and digital assets, and publish out--via templates--to websites, intranets, PDF documents, wireless devices and so on. Companies like Salesforce.com and CrownPeak typically charge their clients monthly for their services.

By tightly integrating business applications with the services necessary to deploy, support and manage them, SaS solution providers can offer customers a better alternative to packaged software solutions--and at a much lower price to boot.

I recently had an interesting conversation with Jim Howard, CEO of Crownpeak Technology, who knows a thing or two …

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