Global 'Software-as-a-Service' market expected to hit $10.7bn by 2009

Owing to the current credit crunch and economic downturn experienced in the Middle East, Raqmiyat, a leading UAE-based systems integrator, announced that it is offering its unique solutions on the 'Software-as-a-Service' (SaaS) model for the SMB market in the Middle East.

'SaaS' is a software usance model where the application is hosted by the vendor or service provider and made available to customers across the internet. The model eliminates the need to install and run the application on the customer's own computer, thereby alleviating the customer's burden of additional costs for software maintenance, ongoing operation and support.

Raqmiyat's capacity to identify unique business opportunities amidst the challenges of the global economic turmoil has led it to venture into the 'SaaS' market, with high expectations that the movement of all regional SMBs towards cutting back on its expenses will usher in increased demand to adopt the 'SaaS' based solutions.

The ever-increasing growth of broadband technology in the region is expected to further boost the popularity of 'SaaS' solutions among SMBs, thereby making the Middle East a highly viable market for this type of software deployment. In addition to SMBs, the government sector also poses a great potential for the 'SaaS' market, as more public services take on a technology-driven approach to maximise efficiency.

"Given the current economic climate, the 'SaaS' model proves to be very compelling to SMBs, as cost savings, connectivity, and functionality of the solution are the main core drivers of 'SaaS' based applications in the SMB market,"

said Navneet Tandon, Vice President - ERP & Services, Raqmiyat.

"The cost benefit of neither incurring capital expenditure for infrastructure nor incurring ongoing administration and maintenance for the usage of the software is so attractive that we are now at an inflexion point where most enterprises will automatically consider the 'SaaS' model as an alternative to an outright purchase of their CRM, ERP systems, collaboration tools, e-mail system and so on. The fact that there is broadband connectivity easily available at a low cost, further adds to the appeal of this value proposition. The functionality in many cases is now at a point where they match the on-premises solutions."

With the sheer number of SMBs in the region, combined with their continuous search for effective and easy ways to leverage technology to meet their business needs, Raqmiyat is looking forward to leveraging the potentially massive market for 'SaaS'-based applications in the coming years. Furthermore, recent IDC studies have shown that the market for outsourced IT services in the UAE continues to offer strong growth potential, with a projected peak of USD 170.5 million by 2010. Offering applications like CRM, accounting, payroll, distribution and HR applications, and GEMS ERP solution through 'SaaS' model, Raqmiyat is focusing on segments such as ERP, supply chain management, and HR applications, which appear poised for strong 'SaaS' advances over the next several years.

"With customers becoming more attuned to the current advances in technology and its effect on making processes more effective and efficient, they have developed a preference for organisations who adopt technology-driven solutions. This competitive landscape within the region's SMB sector has made it imperative for companies to upgrade their IT model framework to stay ahead of their competitors. By offering our solutions on the 'SaaS' model, we seek to aid companies increase their focus on offering better experiences to their customers, reducing response time, and overall increasing productivity and reducing costs," concluded Tandon.

Raqmiyat has recently opened a new development centre in India, in line with its plans to strengthen its outsourcing resources and services in the critical fields of managed services, hosting and infrastructure services, information systems, software applications, networking, enterprise service management and help desk services. A total of 100 IT personnel have been trained and deployed in the new development centre, which serves as a major software and technological development and outsourcing centre for its customers in the Middle East.