Are SaaS and IT Mutually Exclusive?

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

With all the cloud solutions out there there’s a lot of talk about the changing role of IT. It’s true that SaaS-based solutions are changing the playing field, but they are not the only factor at play. Mobile devices and the influx of a new generation of workers also impact the role of IT. 

That doesn’t mean that IT doesn’t have a role. It just means that some things are simplified, and you don’t have to rely on your IT personnel for things that you used to rely on them for. As a publisher, the cloud gives you flexibility and scalability fast, so you can adapt and make changes to your website nimbly—like turning on the light switch without having to rewire the house. 

SaaS Software and Cloud Computing create an opportunity for IT staff to focus on business-critical issues, like collaborative security for your data: creating a competitive advantage with technological choices.

Many IT professionals will argue that the role of IT isn’t changing, because technology has always been evolving. IT’s role should be (and has been) to lead, manage and advise, so that businesses’ make appropriate technological choices, stay ahead of the curve and effectively create and manage tools to improve processes and increase efficiency. 

A recent podcast on Unified Communications Strategies drives the point home: the question is not whether IT will have a role in the future, but whether or not you are using your IT team to its fullest potential.