Retailers implement technology for one of two reasons: to increase revenues or reduce costs, or both. In this economy, retailers who decide to advance their systems can’t wait around for the traditional one-to-two year framework for implementing on-premise software. It just is no longer reasonable, nor is it necessary.

With the Alpha Bay’s Adaptive Integrated Retail System—AIRS®, available in Hybrid IS, SaaS and Cloud Computing configurations, implementations can be accomplished usually in under 6 months with rapid return. Why? Because AIRS® Hybrid IS, SaaS, and Cloud configurations are invaluable for driving down IT costs and stimulating new revenue streams. The flexibility of AIRS® and its speed of adoption allow retailers of all sizes to keep up with the changing demands of their business.

In a recent interview for SaasPoint, Ben Pring, research VP for Gartner, commented on the noticeable shift in the market. “The dysfunction of the client/server era is driving alternative approaches to IT development, delivery, and management, of which SaaS is the most apparent version.” He further comments, “There is now a widespread consensus among the movers and shakers of the IT industry that SaaS is an important and meaningful issue which can no longer be regarded as the ‘lunatic fringe’.”

Aberdeen Group similarly has found that 69% of larger enterprises have already implemented or are considering on-demand solutions for their IT applications. The major drivers of this accelerated adoption include the numerous cost advantages, instantaneous scalability, real-time data visibility, and increased data security amongst others.

Tier 1: For Retailers >$5B in Annual Sales and/or 250+ Stores

Tier 2: For Retailers >$500M in Annual Sales and/or 50-250 Stores

Tier 3: For Retailers with <$500M in Annual Sales and/or 5-50 stores

Tier 4: For Retailers with <$50M in Annual Sales and/or <5 Stores

Beth Enslow, senior VP for enterprise research at Aberdeen Group, was quoted in internetnews.com* as stating that CIOs at large enterprises have changed their thinking about SaaS. “While previously they may have viewed it as a threat to their power over IT, it is now seen as a way of fulfilling business mandates without stretching their thin IT budgets. The thought process is being encouraged by a shortage of skilled IT workers to manage and maintain traditional systems.”

Alpha Bay has found her observations to be consistent with the increasing interest in AIRS since its release. AIRS clients have recognized in their cost benefit analyses that they could no longer wait for traditional in-house software to deliver expected returns. Nor could they justify the costs in licenses, implementation, and maintenance. Once the dollars were added up, SaaS (and its cousins, Cloud Computing and Hybrid IS applications) were favored over other traditional choices.

AIRS® customers follow the lead and advice of the most trusted industry analysts. AIRS customers, on average, realize more than a 50% reduction in IT costs. In addition, customers that implement the AIRS Mobile POS application realize significant cost savings through reduced hardware purchase and maintenance expenses. Other cost savings have been accomplished from real-time data at POS, PCI compliance and enhanced security. Soft benefits resulting from improved customer service/satisfaction, multi-channel integration (Save the Sale), on-demand scaling of operations have combined to bring about a tangible uptick in net income that delights CFOs, shareholders, business proprietors, and customers alike.