18 June 2009

Would you lease a software?

Not you as a private person. Your company or, better, your own company.

Typical interaction between a software provider and a consumer often belongs to one of the following ways:

  1. Provider sells you a Box, you pay big bucks. Provider is happy.

  2. Provider sells you a set of Boxes ("licences") and a expensive service contract, you pay very big bucks first and some bucks later. Provider is happy for a time.

  3. Provider crafts a Software suited to your needs (at least promulgates it) and ties you with the maintenance service. You pay huge bucks now and big bucks for a while.

But a business never needs a software. Because it is not an asset. It is just a tool. And a specific tool can be utilized only by a specific professional. For example a wholesale FMCG company needs some furniture for its office. Does it need a saw and a hammer? No! It doesn't need even a carpenter who uses these tools to make tables and cabinets. It needs furniture.

In the cases "1" and "2" above a software provider sells me "saws" and "hammers". The last case gives me the desired service but for enormous price - it is rarely justified. And in every case I pay first and take all risks of later tool (software) use, efficiency and ROI. Why?! Because the current software market is a seller's market.

Aside from software - what tools do I buy for my company? That are proved to be used for a reasonable time by my staff for my primary business activities. For the rest I lease them or even order a professional service. For example: I am a wholesale company. Do I need a shiny box titled "SuperDuperCRM version 1.2.3 configuration XYZ" for my business? No, I need an up-to-date CRM system tailored to my current requirements (no more). While I interact with a large customer base (no longer). I.e. I need a service. And I ready to pay for the service at the rate I consume it. Obvious?

For every other subject it is obvious. We know - it's better to pay later. But for software we waste our money for shiny cartons. A hurtful habit.

So the question is neither technical nor financial. It is rather psychological. And the answer relies on habits. And (if the answer is "no") its change will boost software service market. All the current SaaS (software as a service) media buzz is because of it.