15 Jan 2009

SaaS vendors offer high customer service, expert says

An industry expert has highlighted the role of good customer service in the work of software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendors.

ITWorld blog writer Martha Young commented that providers of such applications will look to provide firms with cost savings in return for the fees they charge.

Firms can save money through SaaS because they can download the applications they need, when business operations require them, Ms Young said.

In addition, customers can request specific software upgrades on demand, as and when they require them.

Because of this, firms can better manage their budgets, Ms Young suggested.

"A pure SaaS vendor's organisation and culture focuses on subscription-based customer service excellence," she commented.

Her comments follow a recent global survey by Evans Data which revealed that 52 per cent of IT developers expect to work on SaaS programmes in 2009, as the economic crisis prompts companies to consider cost-effective technology solutions.

SaaS implantation is currently highest in North America, but a surge of SaaS development is likely in the Asia-Pacific region this year, the report said.