Picture this: it’s 2005, and you’re running a small business. You need software to track your sales, but that means shelling out hundreds of dollars for a disc, installing it on every computer, and praying it doesn’t crash when you get an update. Fast forward to now, and Software as a Service (SaaS) has turned that headache into a distant memory. It’s like going from renting a clunky VHS tape to streaming your favorite show on demand. But what exactly is SaaS, and why is everyone from startups to grandmas running Etsy shops raving about it?
I am going to guide you through the SaaS world and teach it in the form of breaking it down as though we are chatting over a cup of coffee. We will discuss what constitutes Software as a Service, how it is enabled by cloud computing, and what a subscription business is that brings change, and how web-based apps make things much easier.
I am going to include some SaaS examples just to give you an idea as to what is in the marketplace and why scalability is such a remarkable situation. After we go through what SaaS stands for we often find that the jargon behind this is not just a jargon but rather, a real tool, altering how we work, create and even connect.
What is SaaS?
But first things first. SaaS enjoys software as a service or SaaS, whereby one can receive software without the bother of possessing it. Irrespective of having to purchase a program and install it on your computer, you are accessing it via the internet using a web browser. It is similar to leasing or renting a tool as opposed to purchasing the tool. It is hosted on the servers of the company that provides the software and all the maintenance is performed by them and they ensure that all software is operational. It is as simple as logging in and just using it with no IT degree.
A personal example would be as follows: a couple of years ago when I helped a friend organize a community event. We had no means of organizing volunteers or a budget to spend on elaborate packages, though. We got to work with Trello, which is a SaaS product, and five minutes later, we were assigning tasks and keeping each other informed all via a simple web-application. Nothing to download, no tech support requests, just a subscription structure that worked perfectly fine with us. And that is when I woke up to the fact that SaaS is not meant only to the large companies.
