This blog entry isn’t about what you get from a cranky youngster with a bad attitude – that’s a different kind of “sass.”
Rather, SaaS refers to “Software as a Service,” also known as on-demand software, whereby access to a computer program is provided to an individual or company on a subscription basis and delivered over the Internet.
SaaS is closely related to cloud computing. You can think of the cloud as a computer located in some remote location, with SaaS being the software applications stored on that computer, accessible to anyone who pays for the service.
Traditionally, the most common way of obtaining software was to simply buy a copy of a program and install it on a computer. This still happens quite frequently, but now there are also many SaaS applications on the market, whereby a program can be “rented” on a subscription basis instead of paying a large, up-front fee to purchase it. Because SaaS applications are delivered over the Internet, they can typically be accessed from multiple locations, which can be a major advantage.
To give an example, MS Outlook is an example of a traditional software program, which is installed onto a single computer. Gmail and Hotmail, however, function more like SaaS applications in the sense that they can be accessed and used by any computer with an Internet connection.
SaaS programs have the same basic benefits and drawbacks as cloud computing in general. That is, reduced costs and improved accessibility, but heavy reliance on an external business partner (the cloud-based company providing the service).
SaaS is becoming an especially prevalent software delivery model for customer relationship management (CRM) systems. More and more contact centers are recognizing the benefits of SaaS-based CRM systems, and are using them as part of their solution to deliver their outsourced customer service and technical support.
This is a growing industry, and more and more SaaS CRM packages are popping up every day. It is important for a contact center to heavily research what is available in order to determine the best SaaS CRM solution to suit its particular needs.
