The top ten benefits of a SaaS point of sale system vs. an on premise solution!

On the surface there are many reasons for a retailer to choose a SaaS POS system over an on premise solution. When you examine the benefits of the SaaS model it almost seems like a no-brainer. There are some real significant benefits but as with any evaluation of a solution you need to scratch below the surface to make an educated decision. Here’s a list of potential benefits

1. Lower front end cost based on the “pay as you go model”
2. A fixed ongoing cost for the software, support and upgrades.
3. Reduces the need for internal IT resources
4. Always on the latest version
5. Remote access using a web browser
6. The latest security and anti virus updates
7. Your data is secure and backed up
8. Much quicker and easier to scale and add users
9. The potential to add other specialized SaaS application software to meet specific needs- CRM, warehouse management, truck routing to name a few.
10. Vendor is highly incentivized to provide quality service since the their ongoing profitability is based on customers renewing their contacts

Since this is an emerging technology there are many companies rushing to get into the market with a SaaS solution. There are number of well established enterprise level SaaS software companies but on the lower end of the market there’s a mish mash of companies jumping into the market with low cost systems with minimum features. For anyone old enough to remember the TV show Hill Street Blues you should follow the advice that Sergeant Esterhaus ended his morning briefing with, “Be careful out there”. In my third blog about retail systems and SaaS I will provide a list of key questions you should ask before signing a contract.