OnDemand Solutions FAQ

 What are the primary challenges associated with delivering a hosted solution?
Delivering a hosted solution is challenging many ways. First, you must consider how to design and architect a service offering that is scalable and maintainable across your entire customer base. Second, you must consider the costs associated with building your own hosted environment (data centers, hardware, bandwidth, etc.) or whether to outsource these services to a trusted provider. Third, if you are migrating an existing application to a SaaS delivery model, you will need to evaluate how your standalone application can be transformed into a service. Finally, whether you are migrating an existing application or considering building a new one, the licensing and billing mechanisms in a service model are vastly different than the models associated with standalone software products and perpetual licensing models. OnDemand Solutions can assist you in choosing how to migrate your existing application to a service model or how best to create a new SaaS offering. OnDemand Solutions has answers and options to help you quickly and effectively navigate through the complexities of launching a hosted service. Whether you need advice choosing trusted partners or don't know where to start in evaluating your application architecture, OnDemand Solutions can help.

 We have a hosted solution, does that make our company a SaaS Company?

SaaS Business FAQ

 I've been told that it will take a minimum of 12 months to take my SaaS prototype to the next level. How can I launch my SaaS application more rapidly?
Our advice to our clients is always 'don't overdevelop'. Early in the requirements definition process and before development has even started, we will help you to identify which elements of your application are absolutely critical for your customers and for generating revenue in your initial launch. We will also determine which features are deferrable (to phases 2 and 3). This approach will ensure that your development costs are contained, your key customer needs are immediately satisfied and that your application is effectively and successfully launched sooner rather than later.

 What are the advantages of the SEP over an internal SaaS evaluation?
SaaS is not just emerging, it’s already here. This means you need to act now. You need to determine what your company is going to do about it, what impact it has on your existing business and how you should respond. Without having specific SaaS experience and expertise, this is a daunting exercise. OnDemand Solutions brings three benefits to companies who are trying to determine how SaaS will impact their business. 1. We are focused exclusively on Software as a Service. We are industry experts and well connected to software development companies, hosting and data center companies, and other industry experts. It would be very challenging for an organization to have this level of understanding about SaaS without being involved in it on a daily basis as we are. 2. We bring best practices and additional bandwidth to your company. By using OnDemand Solutions, you do not need to slow down your current business to learn about SaaS. 3. We are an experienced third party that is able to look into your business from the outside. This brings new perspectives and ideas into your organization which are not always available to people who are “working in the trenches”. The SaaS Evaluation Program™ (SEP) is cost effective and will save you time and effort on unfocused research and development. By using OnDemand Solutions to evaluate the viability of the SaaS model for your business, you can continue to focus on running your business. Additionally, as experts in the SaaS industry, we are able to help ensure that decisions are based on facts rather than loose assumptions.

 Why do I need a business plan to launch a SaaS offering?
Launching a SaaS application and building a profitable SaaS business start with a good business plan. A good business plan requires requires the integration of many different departments from marketing and sales to development and customer support . Most importantly, you need a business plan that can be successfully implemented. At OnDemand Solutions, our eBusiness experts can guide you, quickly and easily, through the planning process - helping you to set concrete goals, responsibilities and deadlines and ensuring that your plan is both specific and complete. Good business plans are realistic and practical. We know. This is our business. We will help you develop a roadmap and a timeline that will enable you to make effective decisions from concept, through development, to market and beyond.

 What do we get at the end of the SaaS Evaluation Program?
At the completion of the SaaS Evaluation Program™ (SEP), you will know how SaaS will affect your business and your technology. You will also understand the benefits and disadvantages of operating your business in the SaaS model. The strategies we have discussed during the program along with our findings, conclusions and recommendations in each of the key areas in your business are compiled in a comprehensive and integrated report. While this report is valuable for aligning stakeholders and attracting investors, we believe that the underlying process of gathering information and strategizing about tactics around SaaS throughout the course of the program is even more important. At the end of the SEP, you will have an understanding of: • The technology gaps that you will need to address in order to deliver a scalable and secure SaaS offering. • The business and operational gaps that you will need to address in order to build, and grow, a successful and sustainable SaaS business. • The revenue potential of your SaaS offering and the impact of the projected recurring revenue on your business. • Who your target markets are and how you will manage your existing customer base. • The competitor landscape as it pertains to the new SaaS strategy and your competitive advantages. • Specific and measurable goals and objectives for your SaaS business. • Next steps and how OnDemand Solutions may be able to help you achieve your goals. In order to be able to visualize their SaaS offering, some clients also choose to develop a functioning prototype that reflects the look and feel of your new software as a service application.

 Why would we enroll in the SaaS Evaluation Program?
Enrolling in the SaaS Evaluation Program™ (SEP) will enable your company to answer the questions: “Is the SaaS delivery and business model good for our company? If so, what are the benefits and drawbacks of operating as a SaaS company?” By choosing to participate in the SEP you will streamline and accelerate the evaluation phase. The advantages and disadvantages of the SaaS delivery model are unique to each company. Our SaaS Evaluation Program will help you identify, clarify, and visualize how SaaS will affect your specific business. The program is cost effective and will save you time and effort on unfocused research and development. By using OnDemand Solutions to evaluate the viability of the SaaS model for your business, you can continue to focus on running your business. As an expert in the SaaS industry, we are able to help ensure that decisions are based on facts rather than loose assumptions. Because we are an experienced third party, we are also able to stand outside of your daily operations and engage in a comprehensive evaluation encompassing business, marketing, and technology perspectives (something that is almost impossible to do objectively when you are so close to your business).

 How much does the SaaS Evaluation Program cost?
The SaaS Evaluation Program™ (SEP) is offered at a fixed price. Since every company has unique objectives and different reasons for considering SaaS, the program is tailored for each client. Our services produce savings throughout the entire planning and implementation process, generating a 5-10 times return on your investment. After a brief introductory session to learn more about your goals and objectives (either in person or via phone), we will be able to provide you with an initial price range for the program. If this falls within your expectations and you want to proceed, we will then schedule a follow-up meeting in order to scope out your requirements in more detail. This will enable us to develop a fixed-cost proposal for a SEP that is customized to meet your specific needs.

SaaS Marketing FAQ

 I have a small and loyal customer base but it is not growing as quickly as I'd like. Can you help?
Absolutely. We can help you develop and execute a sales and marketing plan that will rapidly grow your business. During this process we work closely with you on many levels including exploring the needs and characteristics of the different customer groups in your target markets; identifying opportunities that you may not be aware of, or that you may not be taking advantage of; assessing the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors; helping you to understand your competitive edge; focusing your marketing messages and market positioning; recommending ways to enhance your SaaS offering in order to increase and strengthen the appeal of your software and…much, much more.

SaaS Technology FAQ

 Should I develop my SaaS offering internally or should I use outsourced resources?
Developing a SaaS offering requires industry experience and a number of unique skill sets. Whether you are considering going off-shore or using internal resources, there is almost always an effective role a trusted partner can play in helping you exceed your customers' expectations. The on-demand nature of SaaS offerings will require you to support your customers in new and improved ways to reap the benefits of the revenue models associated with SaaS. Whether it is providing software architecture advice, developing a customer care program, or determining the best financial model for your SaaS solution, OnDemand Solutions can help. OnDemand Solutions has a number of partnerships with many service companies and will be happy to assist you in selecting the best mix of internal and external resources for your project.

 What is a multi-tenant architecture and why is this concept important to a SaaS offering?
Multi-tenant architecture is one in which the users or your customers (tenants) share the same application instance and delivery platform. This is an important concept when delivering SaaS offerings for a number of reasons. First, unlike traditional software models, data in a SaaS delivery model is all housed in the same location (relational database). Thus, appropriate controls and security measures must be in place to appropriately segregate data and allow only authenticated access to the resources within your service. Next, delivering different customer facing solutions from the same instance implies that your service has the capability for customization and extension based on specific customer needs. Lastly, a multi-tenant architecture implies that you can scale your single instance offering, as your business grows, without disrupting the service you provide. OnDemand Solutions has a wide variety of SaaS experts familiar with all aspects and nuances associated with delivering a multi-tenant solution.

 How do I manage upgrades and maintenance of a SaaS offering?
Managing a SaaS solution will provide you with new capabilities and new challenges in serving your customer base. With a SaaS solution, upgrades are made available to your entire customer base at once freeing you from the difficulties associated with supporting partners on many versions and platforms of software. With this capability comes the challenge of knowing how and how often to upgrade your service. Will your business model require customer specific Service Level Agreements (SLA's)? How will you manage new feature deployment versus customer-specific requests?