Kevin Wright, CIO, Softchoice
The cloud has made it easier for businesses to procure
software. But with all of the options for cloud-delivered software that are now
available, organizations struggle to find the most appropriate fit for their
businesses. To address this issue, Softchoice has launched its own cloud solution,
a portal that provides one-stop shopping for enterprise-class apps.
The Softchoice Cloud Portal offers a wide-range of SaaS
services to assist partners and customers in the development of customized
cloud solutions. The new platform makes it easy for businesses to research SaaS
applications by providing categories of apps based on specific business
functions, such as CRM or security. Businesses can use Softchoice’s management
console for better control over the deployment of SaaS applications. They can
also consolidate cloud billing and view ROI reporting, and connect with live
support services around the clock. For complex enterprise environments,
Softchoice offers application consulting services that range from risk
assessment to migration plan implementation.
The Softchoice Cloud Portal was designed to solve many of
the challenges organizations face as they try to manage the proliferation of
applications in modern business environments. “It's my opinion that, today, IT
is not at the table when it comes to making decisions about buying SaaS; and
therefore they're not accountable to manage it,” said Kevin Wright, CIO of
Softchoice. He explained that it is common for the SaaS vendors to approach
business and department leaders with their software, bypassing the IT
department and its requirement that applications “comply with potentially rigid
IT policy.” But Wright warns that as companies continue to make these types of
decisions in a decentralized fashion, support and administration also becomes
decentralized. “What we're trying to do is create a management platform for
CIOs to take control of SaaS in their environments.” In other words, the
Softchoice platform brings accountability for SaaS back to CIOs.
