The COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked digitalization in many countries in the most unexpected ways. What appeared to be a 5-year stretch of technological advancement was forcefully taken into serious consideration in the past 3 years mainly either because of what is required by the times or to be at par with competitors, who have taken on the challenge earlier on.
One term that we have commonly come across is SaaS, which translates to Software-as-a-Service. In the Philippines, this type of software deployment has taken industries by storm, making digitalization affordable for MSMEs. Who would have thought that the onset of cloud computing during the first decade of the year 2000 would give birth to such results? Budding software developers at that time may have found it difficult to challenge the big players in landing the larger companies as clients, but this opened the possibility of newer and bigger markets.
With the popularity of SaaS, it appears that the term itself has evolved into a more applicable meaning which translates to Software-as-a-Standard. Now every business, must-have, one way or another, a software service that allows one or two of its business processes to function more smoothly than before. It has become a standard, in the same way, that all businesses in the Philippines must have a Facebook or Instagram account, in order to take advantage of social media marketing – LinkedIn is still not a matter of fact in the local scene by the way. Being first in the market sets the standard, despite the changes that the times have set history apart, this is one of the truths that has kept things together in all things capitalism.
As we move along the standardization of digitalization across all businesses, one thing appears to set solution providers apart, and that is the availability of services. Hence, we come up with Service-as-a-Standard when seeking a solutions provider. Why is this important? In the land of all standard things, you would be surprised to finally speak to a human person who would in fact assist you with the solution you have purchased. Sounds ridiculous? This may be the case, but how many times have we encountered cliché in situations where the biggest solutions provider results in SOPs or FAQs in dealing with their clients?
In these times like where we are now, we have more reasons not to face clients or prospects, or even our staff, simply because there is the danger of getting infected. Human connection has become so precious as diamonds, that even providers would sell a premium for such availability. Have we become so digitalized that even meeting prospective buyers has to be dealt with this way?
Visit www.cadena.com.sg and www.tembo-pay.com for more information on SaaS HRM
