Introduction
I do not think that TechnologyOne should have kept an on-site version of its enterprise software. The main reason is that focusing on the SaaS framework enables greater efficiency and effectiveness of operations to constantly update and improve the cloud-based service, whereas on-site modifications would directly involve the users. A latter element is a form of inconvenience for the clients, which does not contribute to the customer satisfaction and user-friendliness of TechnologyOne’s products. Today’s market would not sustain maintaining two systems since the competition is stiff and tight, and each provider needs to have an edge in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and user experience.
Discussion
When it comes to giving a piece of advice to a potential client regarding a support plan, I would recommend basing the decision on the consistency of need for the service. If there is no consistency of need for the software and it is sporadic due to the nature of their particular business or even industry, the hourly plan might be more cost-effective. However, if there is a regular and consistent demand for TechnologyOne’s system, then the client should consider a plan package instead.
Conclusion
The best way to assess the security measure in a SaaS company is to use a security checklist on its core metrics. These include two-step authentication, data management, encryption, data management, secure admin workstation, regulated data security controls, credentials, key management, and others (Stanford University IT, 2022). The given metrics need to be analyzed for risk levels ranging from low risk to moderate risk to high risk (Stanford University IT, 2022). If a company were an international entity, I would ask about the data storage location, its accessibility, and national data security standards.
Reference
Stanford University IT. (2022). Information security.