What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software distribution and licensing model in which a vendor hosts software in the cloud and makes it available for clients to access via the internet. This means the vendor is responsible for managing not just the software, but also the related hardware and database, and charging the client a monthly subscription fee. Comparatively, organizations that opt for an on-premises model are responsible for the management, maintenance and capital expenditure related to their hardware.
The software as a service (SaaS) model is available to support any number of business functions, including human resources, accounting, billing, email, and contact centers. Organizations that use software as a service (SaaS) choose it for the many benefits it offers, including:
- Less IT overhead - clients don't have to buy servers, hire a system administrator, load software updates, or tune databases - that's handled by the vendor, allowing the client to put their focus elsewhere.
- Flexibility - software as a service (SaaS) typically allows clients to quickly scale up or down, pay only for what they use, and terminate the arrangement with little notice.
- Ubiquitous access - because SaaS applications are accessed through the internet, all that's needed is a computer and internet access. This makes it a good model for companies that have a mobile workforce or employees that work from home.
Software as a service (SaaS) also has a few drawbacks. For example, SaaS providers are typically less likely to customize their software, although clients might accomplish what they need with configuration options. Also, not all software as a service (SaaS) providers are created equal - clients should ensure vendors have relevant security certifications and that contracts contain acceptable terms.
How NICE can help
NICE CXone is the market leading contact center software in use by thousands of customers of all sizes around the world to help them consistently deliver exceptional customer experiences. CXone is a cloud native, unified suite of applications designed to help a company holistically run its contact center operations. CXone includes:
Open Cloud Foundation – enables rapid innovation with an extensible enterprise-grade platform that scales securely, deploys quickly and serves customers of all sizes globally. We guarantee an industry-best 99.99% availability and offer easy customization through RESTful APIs and DEVone developer program.
Omnichannel Routing – routing and interaction management that empowers agents to positively and productively interact with customers in digital and voice channels. These solutions include an automatic call distributor (ACD), interactive voice response (IVR), interaction channel support and proactive outbound dialer.
Workforce Optimization – unlocks the potential of your team by inspiring employees' self-improvement, amplifying quality management efforts to enhance customer experience and reducing labor waste. These solutions include workforce management (WFM), quality management (QM), recording and performance management (PM).
CXone also includes pre-defined CRM integrations and UCaaS integrations with most leading solutions on the market. These integrations provide a holistic contact center software solution capable of elevating customer experiences for companies of all sizes.