Much has been said about the “cloud”, and without a doubt it has redefined the way we do business, the way we work, and even the way we play. Today, cloud computing has reached a state of maturity and it has gone beyond the basics—to become an essential business tool for companies that demand the greatest levels of precision, security, and access.
Before deciding to move towards a cloud-based, software-as-a-service tool like AdvanceClaim, you’ll no doubt have some questions about the deployment, and about the cloud itself. We decided to roll out AdvanceClaim as a SaaS implementation to deliver you the best service, easiest access, best security and lowest cost.
SaaS versus in-house
Mission-critical systems demand tight control, and for this reason, companies sometimes decide to retain those systems in-house. But does that approach really offer the sort of control you need? Not really, and here’s why. Your company has a mission—and it’s not information technology. Your main focus is on delivering life-saving EMS services, and you cannot afford to be distracted. In most cases, leaving information technology to the IT people who specialize in it will actually result in better control than if you were to do it yourself.
The best IT people tend to gravitate towards very specific service centers, third party providers, and of course, companies like AdvanceClaim. And because we have the best and brightest in the business, you can take full advantage of this talent without having to try to retain it in-house.
24×7 Oversight
Most small to midsize organizations do not have 24×7 IT support—it is costly to maintain round-the-clock staff, and unless you are a very large organization, you just don’t have the need for it. Nonetheless, your computer system needs to be operational at all times, and you certainly don’t want to walk into the office in the morning and find that your computer system is down. By using a third-party center and a software-as-a-service deployment, you can be reassured that your system is always available.
Automatic updates and patches
Internal IT staff spend an inordinate amount of time simply keeping programs up to date. Newer versions of software must be installed, often manually, on all systems; and occasional patches need to be rolled out as they are made available. All this takes time, and there is often a lag between the time the update is available, and when the internal staff actually finds time to roll it out.
Software-as-a-service operates by drawing against a common code base. This means that updates are automatically rolled out to all users, without having to take any action at all. New versions are available immediately—there’s no need to update anything. Just log on as usual, and the new version will be there for you.
Robust security
Software-as-a-service actually offers a higher level of security than most in-house installations—again, because the third-party service center that deploys the SaaS installation will be an ultra-secure data center with 24×7 staff, physical as well as virtual security, and state-of-the-art firewalls and intrusion prevention.
The cost advantage
It’s never all about the money, but costs are always a factor. Software-as-a-service eliminates the need for costly license fees, deployment of expensive hardware, and provisioning of internal staff. AdvanceClaim gives you the advantage of cost savings—along with excellent service, more features and unparalleled access.