SHEFFIELD, England — GWD Media is announcing in a press release the sale of VeoVend and Genkiosk — two software-as-a-service (SAAS) offerings.
"Software-as-a-service delivers software as an Internet-based service via a Web browser, rather than as a product that must be purchased, installed, customised and maintained," explained James Oladujoye, chief executive officer of GWD Media. "The pricing works on a pay-to-use basis, including maintenance and updates, with a monthly or annual subscription fee.”
Industry analysts IDC and Merrill Lynch predict the U.S. SaaS market to reach $8 billion this year as companies are quickly realizing the business benefits including reduced cost of ownership, faster deployment times and ease of scalability, the release states. According to Saugatuck Technology, the U.K. will experience the same growth, although adoption is currently 12-18 months behind the U.S.
The low cost of initial deployment is one of the main benefits of the software, according to the release, as the solution is hosted by the service provider, eradicating the customer’s need for large up-front IT investment.
“A typical software implementation involves purchasing and maintaining servers, housing them securely, and installing and maintaining the software," Oladujoye said. "Once the solution is hosted via SaaS on the other hand, you simply access the solution via a web browser from any location, providing greater flexibility and control, whilst eliminating high entry costs”.
According to the Gartner Group, application outsourcing can reduce the total cost of ownership by 50%.
Softwar-as-a-Service lowers the risk of deploying new solutions since subscriptions can be changed or cancelled without sacrificing a large initial investment. Rather than making a long-term commitment to one fixed account structure, the user can quickly add or subtract accounts in line with the company’s real needs.
"The software-as-a-service model is designed for rapid scalability," Oladujoye said. "Operators can rapidly grow their estates without major investment in their IT infrastructure."
A small operational expense is also easier to incorporate into your budget compared to large capital investment. The subscriptions are based on usage providing predictable costs, budgeting and planning.
Software-as-a-service saves time and hassle, according to the release, since it eliminates the typical implementation tasks associated with licensed software. The software is already up and running on the service provider’s data centre, subsequently deployment time tends to be much shorter.
One company successfully embracing the benefits derived from SaaS is U.K.-based Spectrum Interactive. The company currently operates 1,900 Internet kiosks across the U.K. and Germany, including 25 U.K. airports and many hotel brands.
"The key benefit that Genkiosk’s software-as-a-service delivery model offered Spectrum Interactive was the ability to remotely manage and integrate its network of new and legacy systems without incurring considerable upfront costs," explained Daniel Gray, head of group marketing and product innovation for Spectrum. "Through eradicating the need for significant IT infrastructure investment and dedicated in-house IT staff, Spectrum Interactive benefits from more control, uplifted revenues and the reduced costs that Genkiosk delivers yet the cost of ownership is relatively low."
