The application development industry is experiencing a boom from SaaS, a new concept. By 2022, SaaS will be worth nearly $150 billion, according to a recent study. But what is SaaS Application Development? And why is it so popular? Let’s find out.
SaaS – What is This Actually?
SaaS or software as a service is a model for delivering software. This model, however, is quite different from the traditional approach. By tradition, we meant software you needed to download before. In fact, this one is far less complicated.
To simplify, SaaS applications are meant to make life less complicated. Here, you don’t need to download software, nor do you need to install any. Rather, all you have to do is to access the software via your internet. No download, no install – that’s the motto of this concept.
Often referred to as ‘On Demand Software’, this system is already taking the place of conventional software. In case you are wondering what these SaaS applications are. Well, most of the mobile applications we use daily are SaaS. In fact, more than 80% of them are SaaS.
Why Does Your Business Need It?
If you have a software developing company, considering SaaS as an option is a legit call. Besides, with the present advancements, this is rather the best approach you can take.
Apparently, popularity comes from defined reasons. In the case of SaaS, the added benefits played a vital part. Wondering what these benefits are? Let’s have a look,
- It is Fast
Anything that is fast we like. And there is no shame in accepting that. The world has become a dynamic gold mine, and being fast is a must. Time is very expensive now, and spending hours installing simple software is an old thought.
In the case of SaaS, there is no need to install the software. You can directly access it through your browser. Life is made simple. It is also blazing fast.
- It Saves Money
Every company wants to save money, one way or another. And if there is a way to do so, what to hesitate. SaaS is a great cost-effective way to develop software that performs as well as any conventional software. Plus, in several cases, they perform even better.
The cost-efficiency comes from the lack of a developer department in a company. Just hire a SaaS developer and save the cost. Simple. Remember, less cost means less price, and less price means more customers.
- It is Very Easy to Access
Another great feature of a SaaS application is accessibility. Literally, you can access the software from anywhere. You don’t need to be on your computer or your phone. All you have to do is log in to your account, regardless of any computer you are using. And you have your whole access.
What Should You Be Considering?
Yes, we all know how great SaaS is. But there are also several potholes that you need to focus on. Falling into one may not erupt toxic gases of loss but may cause you to lose your momentum. But what are the drawbacks? Glad you asked.
- Lack of Security
As most of the operations of SaaS happen in the cloud, security becomes a huge concern. Basically, you are storing a lot of your customers’ data on your cloud storage. In case of any hack, those prominent data can be hijacked, causing massive havoc.
In fact, companies like Adobe face challenges like this regularly. In the year of 2013, Adobe had faced a huge blow. A credit card record accumulating about 3 million was stolen from their data. Online theft is real, and it’s quite hard to fight such occurrences.
- Tough to Get the Money
Getting money with SaaS is quite complicated. As here, you are not selling any software. Instead, you are charging a subscription fee. Also, most of the SaaS applications are offering free services with limitations. Therefore in most cases, the customer remains content with the free software they get, leaving you with no money generation.
Yes, there are ways to generate money from ads. However, that can also cause a negative impact. In fact, in recent times, a lot of users stop using applications where they see ‘too many ads.’ For this reason, make sure ads are low. Otherwise, your target customers will love your competitor more.
Thinking About Hiring a SaaS Developer? Keep These in Mind –
If you have made up your mindset to take the SaaS approach, don’t just dive in quickly. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Take time and understand who you will be hiring and how that will happen. For example, do you want an in-house team? Or will you, hire an external developer, much like outsourcing?
Whichever you do, have some considerations in your mind. Remember, hiring the perfect team will help you succeed. A wrong decision can cause you to lose the cake. About consideration factors? Keep reading to find more.
- Experience & Skill Set:
Jump into the portfolio of the SaaS companies. Check what they have worked on before. Check if they have the right kind of skill sets to pull off your projects. If they do, hire them.
Besides, another thing to consider is whether they have worked on a similar project before. Remember, if they do, 50% of your hassles are gone. As they have experience, they will need less briefing as well as less time to develop.
- Similar Mindset:
This may come as a surprise, but it is in fact important. If the company is business-minded, it will help you in a greater way. Most of the companies that have a business mindset will help you in making decisions. Besides, any of your new concepts can validate. As they are in the business, too, they know what to take and what to ignore.
Conclusion
Because of its simplicity as well as cost-effectiveness, SaaS has been gaining rapid popularity. While conventional software is lacking behind, the SaaS application development approach is shining.
With that being said, for a business, SaaS can be a great tactic to have a competitive edge. Remember, the world is moving towards cloud systems, and SaaS is a great way to capture the concept.
