If you’ve talked with enough business owners or executives over the past couple of years, you may have heard a complaint that has crept up in the minds of some old-school types: the idea that you don’t really own the software your business uses anymore.
They have a point. Back in the day, you could buy a set of disks and install an application as many times as you wanted. You didn’t need new licenses, didn’t have to worry about how many devices were activated, and weren’t forced to update to a newer version if you didn’t want to.
At the same time, these complaints aren’t really all that valid. We’ll just give you a few of the reasons why…
You Never Really Owned Your Software Before
While it’s true that you used to be able to buy disks with software loaded onto them, they also came with user agreements that forbade you from doing all sorts of things. While there were (and are) people who would stretch the rules, getting a CD or floppy was never a license to install an application wherever you wanted or to make changes to the underlying code.
In other words, software companies have mostly just gotten better at enforcing the regulations that were already supposed to be in place.
You’re Getting Newer and Better Updates With Subscriptions
Believe it or not, most software providers aren’t changing their business models to charge you more or to stop you from doing the things you need to do. Instead, they have altered their programs to include monthly or annual subscriptions because it allows them to deliver more for less.
Rather than waiting to release a new version of a program every year, or a few years, developers can now be more responsive to customer requests in real-time. They can integrate the new tools and features people want and then upload the changes within days. That means you’re getting newer software at a rate that was impossible to achieve a decade ago.
Cloud-Based Software Is Safer and More Scalable
It isn’t only new features that are included in fresh software updates. Often, a patch will include security improvements that keep your data from being accessed by hackers and thieves. Again, this is something that wouldn’t be possible if you were installing applications from preloaded disks year after year.
Additionally, with a cloud-based software subscription, you can expand your license at any time. So, if your company grows you can keep new employees or workstations ready to use without having to wait for new editions of applications to get emailed to you. And, you don’t have to worry about deciding whether to wait for the next major update or not. It’s all included in the same price.
It’s All About Having the Right Tech Strategy
At the end of the day, what matters isn’t which set of applications you use or how you pay for them – it’s that your business has a technology strategy that makes sense for your goals and bottom line. With that mindset in place, the rest is details.
If you feel like your plans aren’t as cohesive as they could be, then let our virtual CIOs help. Contact a member of our sales team today to schedule a free consultation and see how easy it is to get the expertise you need at a low monthly or quarterly rate.