IT professionals today have high expectations with regard to the software tools they use to track and manage their customer issues. Almost everyone who is researching Help Desk software is looking for an application that has the most powerful feature set at the best price with the simplest software deployment options.
Some providers of Help Desk software offer various software deployment options for their solutions. This means that there are additional options that need to be talked about during the buyer’s product research phase. The three main deployment options are In-House (Perpetual), Hosted (SaaS), and Annual Subscription.
Almost everyone has heard of a “Perpetual License” model. This means that the license has no expiration date, so once purchased it can be used indefinitely by the customer on a server inside the customer’s environment. While this model typically requires the greatest initial investment, it is the most popular of the three. However, in order to lower initial investment current some firms are becoming more open to other software deployment options.
Another well-known deployment option is the “Hosted”, or the “Cloud Computing” model, and is becoming more popular these days. This model is not installed at the customer site, but instead is hosted by the provider. The greatest benefit of the Hosted model is that there is no requirement to set up servers or build out infrastructure, which is typically required for most In-House installations. Cost-wise, this model is typically the most affordable as it requires the smallest initial out-of-pocket investment to get started.
Still another deployment type is known as the “Annual Subscription” model. Some companies who use this term are referring to a pre-paid 12-month contract on a Hosted model. Other companies offer a 12-month license that works almost exactly like the In-House model, except that the license must renewed before the end of the 12 months. At Novo Solutions, our Annual Subscription model offers the best of both worlds. The software can still be installed internally in the customer’s own environment, and is also less expensive than the In-House/Perpetual model. This option is also drawing more attention because of the current economic climate and the need to cut back on spending.
This means that everyone can evaluate the various solutions that are on the market and can determine which software truly is the best fit for their needs and their IT infrastructure, as well as their budget. By understanding the various software deployment options and asking questions the right questions in advance, a solid “research plan” can be drafted prior to looking at Software solutions.
