Entries RSS · 5 reasons SaaS developers enjoy their job
If you’re a software-as-a-service publisher (eg Google as far as Google Earth or Google Gear aren’t concerned, SalesForce, Idylis, TellMeWhere, Netsuite, Excentive, Facebook, Zlio, Brainsonic, Microsoft as far as Live or Titan are concerned, U.[Lik], eBay, Yahoo!, Inspirational Stores Group, Amazon, 37Signals, Neocase, Advance IT, Constellation, blueKiwi, SideTrade, Twitter, etc.), here are 5 reasons you’ll find hiring software developers easier than traditional software companies or, even more true, IT service companies.
1) SaaS developers enjoy faster release cycles. Indeed, go-to-market time frames tend to shrink as new functions may be implemented on a seamless basis (provided all regression tests were performed on a redundant test server or mirror environment).
2) SaaS developers don’t suffer the pain of an heterogeneous installed base (the nightmare of traditional software license vendors like Oracle and SAP). If all users work on the same environment, then it’s easier to innovate (you don’t need to take into account upgrades and regression risks) and even, dare to think about starting all over again from scratch a new version of your software.
3) SaaS developers will enjoy the pressure of having to keep up with client requests and new web technology trends constantly. Actually, since the SaaS paradigm is equivalent, roughly speaking, to a pay-as-you-go business model, then clients may decide to stop using the app and hence paying the SaaS vendor anytime they want. Which puts pressure on the software publisher team in general, and on the develops in particular who will have to keep watching what competitors do, how the market evolves, what their clients need, and what new technologies may allow (eg Silverlight and Apollo definitely open new windows of opportunities).
4) SaaS developer will work in small, agile, commando teams rather than endless product development open spaces. Why? How? Making money per US$50 / month doesn’t leave room for too aggressive recruitment campaigns. It takes a long time to build a sustainable SaaS company. Cash flow stream forecasts may grant visibility, you’re still never 100% sure that you’ll keep your clients until then. In other words, SaaS publishers don’t benefit from the huge upfront fees software license vendors collect as soon as they ship their product and find it trickier to finance their working capital. In a nutshell, viable SaaS publishers are by nature and by design very healthy, well-managed companies with conservative approaches. Software developers are key elements of the engine and this is where the money will go as soon as recruiting will become the current motto. Till then, R&D teams will remain small, agile and commando-style (testing new features, removing some, etc.). Great labs to give new software engineering methods a go for people passionate about such things!
5) SaaS developers have a chance to do the work of graphic designers as well (and modify it more often than with a software license vendor), and may, should they choose to do so, have a true impact on the user experience and general design of their application service. For instance, I heard develops @ Google do the design work themselves, keeping a few principles (simplicity, etc.) in mind, and starting from what they think the mindset of the user will be. Same for Titan (online version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM) Salesforce or Idylis (online ERP company based in Paris). In short, Software as a Service may be the best option for software developers with a strong graphic design acumen, or keen on interacting with users and brushing their design skills up!
Enough for tonight. I’m not even mentioning the possibility for develops to improve their infra- or distributed computing skills thanks to SaaS models but I’m pretty sure you would’ve thought about it. Let me know if you can think of other selling points SaaS vendors may make use of to attract software developers vs. software license vendors. Software publishers are whatsoever all amazing, be they SaaS companies or not. So if you’re a good develop in an IT service company, jump off and if you don’t know where to apply, send me an email and I’ll put you through.
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Published this post almost 20 hours ago, and still no criticism from traditional software license vendors.
I tried hard to be controversial but it seems that I failed.
Would everything here be true? Traditional software license vendors, are you capitulating vs. SaaS or what??
I guess they have. But I enjoyed it, in preparation for an interview tomorrow
. Maybe, I’ll have something more in-depth to say about it in a few weeks.
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