I recently read an article in a Christian technology journal called
An Introduction to SaaS in which the
author defined the term Software as a Service (SaaS) as "an application designed to be accessed on the Web rather than installed
on the user's workstation. Though the software is Web-based, it is not
browser-based. Instead, the software provider develops a thin client
application that the user can download one time to their workstation."
I found that definition to be far too limited and partially
misleading. So what is the ‘true' definition of the term "SaaS"? Well the
definition has come under debate as more and more competitors enter the market
with various flavors of software delivery. Simply searching Google for "what
is saas" will return a plethora of articles that debate the topic from
every angle.
The most basic definition of SaaS is simply "a software
delivery method that provides access to software and its functions remotely as
a Web-based service" (Webopedia)
or "a software application delivery model where a software vendor develops a
web-native software application and hosts and operates the application for use
by its customers over the Internet" (Wikipedia).
Neither clearly defines a particular delivery model
(browser-based, thin-client, etc.) nor specific underlying architecture (multi-tenant, single
instance, etc). Fair enough... there are many different ways to do similar
things. Here at Fellowship Technologies we leverage SaaS companies for
everything from Sales & Support (RightNow)
to Time & Expenses (QuickArrow) to
Accounting (Intacct). Each of these SaaS
companies leverage slightly different delivery methods. Whereas QuickArrow and
Intacct are purely browser-based, RightNow is a thin-client that you must
download and install on your local PC.
A cursory review of
articles on the Internet yields some common threads -- a ‘true' SaaS utilizes "a
single production environment to support all customers" or put more
succinctly "single instance, multi-tenant." The evolution of
SaaS from the Application Service Provider model (delivering hosted client
applications via tools like Citrix) to today's model of web-native, multi-tenant,
applications also reinforces this concept.
Regardless, I believe the key consideration is this -- are
all SaaS delivery methods considered equal to both the provider (scalable,
efficient, profitable) and the end user (ease of use, accessibility, cost)? A great article on this topic can be found at
SaaSBlogs.com:
What is SaaS? The Answer is Rooted in the
End User. In the article, the author contends that the best way to define
SaaS is from the end user's perspective -- are their needs satisfied by the vendor's
chosen delivery model? However, the end user must also consider the viability
of the vendor's model. The author goes on to state that "the most successful
providers will leverage multi-tenant, single instance because it provides
maximal efficiency and value derivation."
So when evaluating companies that promote "hosted" or "SaaS"
product offerings consider the following:
-
Does the
software require that it be installed on your local computer? A pure
browser-based solution allows you true anytime, anywhere access regardless of
whether it's your computer at work, your spouse's laptop, a public computer at
a local library or coffee shop, or perhaps even an iPhone. All you need is a web
browser to get up and running.
-
Does the
application run equally well on PC and Macintosh computers? Macs are
becoming increasing popular, especially in churches. A pure browser-based
solution built on web standards will likely run on both.
-
Is the application
easy to use? The application should be written with simplicity in mind, it
should be as easy to learn and use as Amazon.com.
-
Does the
application leverage web-based tools and interfaces or is it simply a client
application redeployed onto the Internet? A native web-based solution will
take advantage of web-based concepts like tagging and linking and it will
leverage technologies like CSS and AJAX to deliver a rich user experience
without degrading performance.
-
Has the
vendor developed the application from the ground up with the SaaS model in
mind? A firm foundation is essential in order to provide the right
security, scalability, reliability, performance and efficiencies that are the
key elements to a successful SaaS offering. The proper database architecture
(multi-tenant), application architecture (web-based from top to bottom), and
systems infrastructure (data center, monitoring tools, etc.) is essential.
-
Does the
vendor provide true "no-touch, no cost" upgrades at regular intervals to their
browser-based and thin-client products? A key factor is a SaaS company's
ability to deliver regular upgrades to features / functions, and rapid fixes to
any issues that arise, without requiring the client to manually download or
install the updates.
-
Does the vendor
provide an API to extend the core functionality of their product offering? Another
success factor is the ability of the vendor to provide an Application
Programming Interface (API) so that clients and business partners can write
custom add-ons and applications to extend the product's core feature set.
-
Do you
believe the vendor is on the right technology path to succeed in the new
Internet economy? A new economy is rapidly forming whereby vendors
seamlessly connect to one another to form a mash-up of applications that ultimately
increases the value to the end user far beyond what one vendor can do alone. Examples
are Google, SalesForce,
and most recently FaceBook.
It is imperative that the vendor is building on a technology platform that can
allow them to compete and thrive in this new economy.
-
Is the
vendor's SaaS delivery model their core competency or is it simply one delivery
option among others? A wise saying is "focus on doing one thing and do that
one thing very well." A pure SaaS company focuses 100% of their time and
talents from Development to Sales to Consulting to Support on delivering and
improving their product offering.
-
Does the
vendor offer Support options that complement their SaaS delivery method? Because
a SaaS application should be accessible anywhere, any TIME, and that
availability is the responsibility of the vendor, then the vendor should
provide extended support hours to meet the expectation of availability 24 hours
per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
While there are many methods to doing similar things we
believe you'll find some significant differences between the various Church
Management Software (ChMS) vendors if you do your homework. We welcome such
questions about our own product, Fellowship
One, and will patiently answer any questions you may have.
God bless,
Curtis S