{"id":38238,"date":"2023-09-26T14:28:15","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T14:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/?p=38238"},"modified":"2023-09-26T14:28:19","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T14:28:19","slug":"complexity-challenges-of-pandemic-hangover-could-lead-to-saas-hysteria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/press-releases\/complexity-challenges-of-pandemic-hangover-could-lead-to-saas-hysteria\/","title":{"rendered":"Complexity challenges of pandemic hangover could lead to SaaS hysteria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”||13px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” text_font=”Panton regular||||||||” text_text_color=”#11A7D9″ text_font_size=”20px” header_text_color=”#00081A” header_line_height=”1.2em” max_width=”80%” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”100%” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” custom_padding=”||4px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.1″ header_text_color=”#00081A” header_font_size=”42px” max_width=”80%” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”100%” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”34px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Complexity challenges of pandemic hangover could lead to SaaS hysteria<\/h1>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.1″ header_text_color=”#00081A” header_font_size=”42px” max_width=”80%” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”100%” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”34px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Stephen Hateley, DigitalRoute’s Head of Partner & Product Marketing, was featured in ComputerWeekly.<\/strong><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|17px|auto||” custom_padding=”0px||6px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.1″ link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#11a7d9″ max_width=”80%” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”100%” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||30px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

As originally published Sept. 11, 2023 on ComputerWeekly…<\/em><\/p>\n

The deployment of software-as-a-service applications during the Covid-19 pandemic has increased enterprise IT complexity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI give the customer what he wants. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s my place to offer dietary advice. If they want red meat and boiling tar\u2026 then buon appetito,\u201d said Tom Wambsgans, Shiv Roy\u2019s husband and head of one of Waystar Royco\u2019s divisions, in hit TV drama\u00a0<\/span>Succession<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This idea of feeding customers what they think they want regardless of the consequences is not necessarily a new one. While Wambsgans hit the nail on the head with Waystar Royco\u2019s approach to customers, how many IT leaders can look at their\u00a0mix of software-as-a-service (SaaS) apps, platforms and IT services<\/a>\u00a0and not feel that, somewhere along the line, they\u2019ve been oversold?<\/span><\/p>\n

This sums up nicely the almost Wild West approach of buying IT during the pandemic, when SaaS, for obvious reasons, had something of a growth spurt. The problem for many of these organisations is that data, which is needed for the efficient running of SaaS applications, resides in different enterprise systems. Often, the only way to overcome this is to buy a new SaaS product designed specifically to plug data gaps between enterprise systems with no application programming interfaces (APIs) in place. And so it goes on.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to a\u00a0<\/span>NetApp\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>2023 cloud complexity report<\/em><\/a>, released in March, 98% of senior IT leaders have been affected by increasing cloud complexity in some capacity, potentially leading to poor IT performance, loss in revenue and barriers to business growth.<\/p>\n

In its recent report,\u00a0<\/span>Innovate or Fade<\/em>, Accenture talked about the current \u201ctechnology deficit\u201d, which refers to \u201cthe disparity in adoption, implementation or effective use of technology (both established and leading edge) to create business value\u201d.<\/p>\n

Data disconnect<\/h3>\n

For Stephen Hateley, head of product and partner marketing at Digital Route, a usage data processing business that assesses SaaS companies, among others, this is typical. \u201cMoving to the cloud is often billed as a silver bullet to beating many problems, however, the popularity of various SaaS products has led to some organisations creating\u00a0<\/span>disjointed internal systems and data silos<\/a>,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

As a result, Hateley adds, data is no longer confined to a single enterprise system, but is spread across different cloud-based platforms as well as on-premise silos. \u201cAfter years of successful scaling or following a recent merger or acquisition, most businesses possess multiple data stacks and siloed systems, resulting in complex data operations,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

For all the good it has done, there\u2019s a growing sense that the rush to SaaS has, in some quarters, created a monster. Hateley agrees, saying many businesses aren\u2019t able to fully integrate their data silos, and this is leading to missed revenue streams, development opportunities and organisational gains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe resulting problem means businesses are unable to communicate internally via multiple systems,\u201d adds Hateley. This issue comes to a head when working in industries traditionally awash with data, such as financial services.<\/p>\n

According to Craig Walter, principal solutions manager at payments platform Vitesse, an integration solution is key to overcoming the multitude of big data challenges that businesses are increasingly facing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe data ecosystem in the payments industry is a complex one, comprising multiple merchants and third-party players, who work across a variety of formats and structures,\u201d says Walter. \u201cTo process that data at scale, we needed an integration solution that would allow us to digest large amounts of data in specific formats, alternating on a per-region and per-customer basis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vitesse teamed up with SnapLogic, a \u201cvisionary\u201d in Gartner\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>2022 Magic Quadrant for data integration tools<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span>SnapLogic is an integration-platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) product<\/a>, which automates much of the data processing work.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur biggest challenge was a scarcity in internal resources, as development teams had to be taken away from day-to-day tasks to facilitate integrations for customer onboarding,\u201d says Walter. \u201cWith AI [artificial intelligence]-powered integration solutions like SnapLogic, we can onboard new clients at a far lower cost than previously estimated, as well as automate a large number of processes that previously required dedicated manual work.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says this has eliminated any dependency on software development teams, as well as removing the blockers that were previously delaying the business in bringing additional customers onto its platform.<\/p>\n

It is a similar story for online clothing retailer Hush, another SnapLogic customer. Brad Woodward, head of data at Hush, echoes Walter\u2019s concerns over manual processes and data inputs soaking up resources, but fundamentally it was the need to connect data, to make it sing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe realised early on in our digital transformation that integration would be the key to getting the most out of our data,\u201d says Woodward. \u201cWhile it\u2019s nice to have large volumes of data, when it is inaccessible, it isn\u2019t very useful to the business.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

\n

Caught in a trap<\/h3>\n

Trapped or hidden data is not uncommon. Even with SaaS, it\u2019s possible to get cloud-based and on-premise silos. This is a recurring challenge given the breadth of SaaS applications and the different approaches to data management and interoperability.<\/p>\n

DigitalRoute\u2019s Hateley says that, in his experience, organisations can encounter a lack of accessibility between departments due to permissions or simply systems not communicating with each other.<\/p>\n

Inconsistency between datasets and siloed data, perhaps collected and stored in different ways, are making it difficult for organisations to analyse and consolidate data accurately. \u201cThe quality of the data in question can also make it taxing on an organisation\u2019s time,\u201d says Hateley. \u201cSome silos may be outdated, incomplete or even duplicated, impacting its integrity and accuracy when it comes to reporting.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Hateley, the most obvious answer to integrating SaaS is APIs. \u201cIt almost beggars belief that SaaS applications continue to remain closed off to sharing data easily,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s the sort of scenario that gives fuel to an organisation such as the\u00a0<\/span>MACH Alliance<\/a>, a not-for-profit industry body of over 70 members dedicated to \u201copen and best-of-breed enterprise technology ecosystems\u201d.<\/p>\n

Composable technology is at the heart of this, something Conor Egan, vice-president of product and engineering at Contentstack, a composable content management system (CMS), clearly advocates. APIs and enterprise SaaS ecosystems are fundamental here.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn an API-first system, organisations can adapt to changing compliance requirements by adding modular components, which can be easily updated through the cloud to help maintain your security posture,\u201d says Egan, referring to the data governance challenges of a SaaS-heavy business.<\/p>\n

This is something that touches most businesses with data across multiple platforms, but Egan believes the biggest challenge concerns the speed in which organisations are adapting to customer needs. A lack of APIs, data integration and interoperability is only going to lead to trouble.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the e-commerce boom, enterprises are dealing with more content, channels, data policies, guidelines and integration points,\u201d says Egan. \u201cThe biggest proof case for composable technologies is eliminating integration complexity. The ease of integration and subsequent flexibility that APIs offer enterprises provides them with the agility needed to scale their organisation whilst managing data compliance across systems with ease.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putting this into context, he says the average marketing organisation has deployed 91 different tools across its stack, raising the spectre of fragmentation, with data in silos and decisions being made on incomplete intelligence.<\/p>\n

On this point, analytics cloud platform company Alteryx recently released some findings from research revealing that UK businesses are struggling to make timely, insight-driven decisions due to what it calls \u201canalysis paralysis\u201d. The research found the majority of strategic decisions (55%) within a company take an average of four weeks.<\/p>\n

Overcoming this paralysis is fundamental to sharing data, but as Egan points out, there are also security concerns to consider here. With data moving across multiple platforms and via various virtualisation tools, there is a risk of leaving some loose ends. Composable architecture, he adds, helps mitigate security risks by segmenting different types of data into different systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis means that in the event of a breach, bad actors would only have access to the data managed by that piece of the architecture, safeguarding the system as a whole,\u201d says Egan. \u201cMonolithic systems, particularly on-premise systems, could potentially provide a threat, giving bad actors the \u2018keys to the kingdom\u2019 from one single entry point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Onwards and upwards<\/h3>\n

All of this is not going to stop the surge in SaaS, and neither should it. As an IDC report into enterprise application growth revealed earlier this year, the market will see a five-year compound annual growth rate of 8% to reach a whopping $385.2bn in 2026.<\/p>\n

Discussing the findings, Mickey North Rizza, group vice-president for enterprise software at IDC, says: \u201cThe digital world is completely altering the way software is utilised and incorporated into the organisation, from modularity to APIs, to low code\/no code, to business process automation, to TaskApps, and even with innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good point, but somehow doesn\u2019t ease the idea of complexity. For organisations continuing to plough the SaaS field, this is an issue that won\u2019t go away. Data integration is a continuing pain point that needs addressing. The rise in data virtualisation and connector tools is testament to the growing needs of businesses to overcome SaaS integration challenges creating an increasingly confusing and fragmented space. This one is not going to go away any time soon.<\/p>\n

Link to full article<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>[\/et_pb_text][dssb_sharing_buttons icon_placement=”icon” _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”320px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||52px|||” custom_padding=”||23px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][dssb_sharing_button social_network=”linkedin” _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/dssb_sharing_button][dssb_sharing_button social_network=”twitter” _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/dssb_sharing_button][dssb_sharing_button social_network=”email” _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/dssb_sharing_button][dssb_sharing_button _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/dssb_sharing_button][\/dssb_sharing_buttons][et_pb_divider color=”#0a0000″ _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”80%” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”50px||50px||true|” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”80%” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||49px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]

About DigitalRoute<\/h5>\n

DigitalRoute has the only portfolio that is purpose-built to convert raw usage data into billable items. The DigitalRoute Usage Engine\u2122 enables companies to capitalize on the growing wave of usage-based business models. More than 400 companies rely on our platform for usage-based monetization, quote-to-cash automation, finance system consolidation, and telecom mediation. We deliver extreme precision in the most complex environments in the world.\u202fWe unlock the value of usage data to optimize business performance. Learn more at www.digitalroute.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Editorial contact:
Shirley Johansson
Shirley.johansson@digitalroute.com<\/a>
+46 72 227 1389<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Technical contact:
Achilleas Lekkas
achilleas.lekkas@digitalroute.com<\/a>
+30 694 350 2300<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][dssb_sharing_buttons _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/dssb_sharing_buttons][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Complexity challenges of pandemic hangover could lead to SaaS hysteriaStephen Hateley, DigitalRoute’s Head of Partner & Product Marketing, was featured in ComputerWeekly.As originally published Sept. 11, 2023 on ComputerWeekly… The deployment of software-as-a-service applications during the Covid-19 pandemic has increased enterprise IT complexity. \u201cI give the customer what he wants. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"industry":[],"topics":[],"class_list":["post-38238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-releases"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38238\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38238"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=38238"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalroute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=38238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}