Innovative Solutions: Why Turning to Everything as a Service Works

The as-a-Service marketplace isn’t new—but it’s definitely gaining both scope and momentum. Grounded strongly in the growing cloud-scape, the push for Everything as a Service (XaaS) is finding epic traction as forward-thinking CIOs look to shake up stagnate business models and generate new revenue streams. In fact, most experts agree: Everything as a Service is here to stay. But which as-a-Service segments make the most sense for your company? And how can you use them not just to save time and money—but to drive your company’s digital transformation? These are questions that will lead you to more meaningful returns on your as-a-Service investment.

Indeed, most companies won’t need literally Everything as a Service to be implemented within their business. But there are a few your business would likely be remiss to go without. The following is a brief overview of my Top 3 Everything as a Service must-haves.

Everything as a Service Made Easy

When you think of Everything as a Service, think of the gig economy, or as we used to call it—the freelance/contracting marketplace. Most companies know they can perform a majority of their business duties in-house. But there are a few specialized functions that make sense to outsource. The same is true for technology. Just as you can find a contractor for just about everything, you can find a tech service for just about everything these days, as well.

In many cases, for instance, your company will want access to things like data, machine learning, analytics, or security. But you won’t always want to support an entire team to work on them! That’s when as-a-Service makes sense. And while not every company needs AI as a Service, there are three As-a-Service models that make sense for just about every company—large or small. Below, I offer a brief overview of each, and how they can help drive your company’s digital transformation.

Mobility as a Service

Like I’ve said before—what goes around, comes around in digital transformation. And the same holds true for mobility. Just as we saw a blitz of businesses latching on to Bring Your Own Device programs as cost- and time-savers in the past few years, we’re now seeing many moving away from it and toward Mobility-as-a-Service. Companies such as Sprint, for instance, are looking to help overwhelmed—and over-fragmented—companies simplify their digital transformation by offering all-inclusive programs bundling devices, service, support, and data. Rather than forcing companies to purchase pricey tech assets that—quite frankly—are outdated as soon as they hit the office floor, the service allows business owners to rent just the devices they need and pay for only the data they use in any certain time period. The program allows for tighter security, fewer device compatibility issues—and fewer headaches. Talk about freeing up headspace for digital transformation!

Cloud Security as a Service

Sometimes, we in technology put the cart before the security “horse.” Such may have been the case with the cloud. In 2015, just 5 percent of big companies used cloud access security brokers to keep their cloud data secure. BY 2020? That number is expected to hit 85 percent. Why? Because hiring an expert to keep your cloud secure makes life way easier, keeps your data way safer, makes updates easier and more consistent, and in general allows your IT the freedom they need to focus on innovation, rather than cloud protection! In terms of Everything as a Service–this one would be at the top of my list.

Data as a Service

Face it: in digital transformation, data is everything. Even the best AI won’t be of any use without it. So, it’s imperative that every company today is making the most of data, in whichever way it applies to their own customers and industry. General Motors, for instance, began a process of “democratizing” the data available to their employees and found a $100 million benefit in the first year! The thing is: there’s data, and there’s the ability to extract value from data. The latter of which is far more difficult, especially for companies that are less versed in using data not just for information, but for CX, UX, and change. Data as a Service is something that could be a lifeline, especially in competitive markets, and in my opinion, should be part of every company’s Everything as a Service basket.

Everything as a Service = Big Opportunity

In a recent report, Accenture found that the as-a-Service marketplace is largely untapped, at least when it comes to big companies. Their research found 7 in 10 companies with revenues of $10 billion per year don’t expect to outsource their core operations for another five years. Those figures show big opportunity for savvy Everything as a Service developers—but also for companies quick enough to jump aboard the as-a-Service train before their competitors! The more time, money, and value you can gain in today’s market, the more successful you’ll be. And all of those can be found in the above Everything as a Service models.