With the news of Adobe’s introduction of their cloud-based Creative Suite pricing model, people are beginning to take notice of the cloud and how it is shaping the software industry. In particular, software companies and vendors are starting to feel the effects of the SaaS technology on their business models. Vendors are having to stay on top of both the changing priorities of customers as well as the industry due to the structural changes that are being influenced by the cloud.
Mixed Feelings on Adobe’s Cloud
Adobe’s move to the monthly fee version of the Creative Cloud didn’t sit too well with their customers — in fact, it even sparked a Change.org petition that’s garnered nearly 30,000 signatures at the time of this article. Customers are upset over the subscription-based pricing model, and worry that the change will prove to be too costly for the end user over time.
But not all customers are upset by the new pricing. Some feel that it’s the only way Adobe can succeed in an era of cloud services and 99 cent apps. Adobe defends the new structure by pointing out that instead of waiting for new versions of their software to be released, users can utilize new features as they come without waiting for the next year’s updated software.
Adobe’s move is part of a broader trend towards cloud-based software offerings. Software that is expensive and difficult to maintain is a prime candidate for SaaS sales. It presents a great opportunity for software companies, and Adobe’s move will pave the way for future enterprises’ move to the cloud.
The Cloud Molds the IT Landscape
Seventy-four percent of organizations today are now using some form of Software as Service. With such an overwhelming majority of companies utilizing the cloud, the IT industry is having to adapt to the change. Conventionally, IT departments were structured either by location or by the technology they supported. Now, a company’s users may be located in multiple locations, and services can be performed anywhere, so when there’s an issue, it’s probably with one of the services being delivered. So who notices this problem? How do you alert a user of a problem? And who is going to fix it? Alternatively, IT departments are now able to focus on innovation instead of maintenance of servers.
It may pose a bit of a learning curve, but there’s no denying the fact that the move to the cloud is well worth it. For small businesses with no IT department, the cloud is the answer to their prayers — a team of specialists will get you on to the cloud, monitor your data, and tend to the servers. The cloud is a hands-free solution that is appealing to businesses of all sizes.