SaaS vs Traditional NEMT Software

In the past, non-emergency medical transportation software (NEMT) was complex and expensive. The effort required to maintain infrastructure for software on the premises was large to put it mildly.

Nowadays, with the evolution of software as a service (SaaS), the burdens of traditional NEMT software can be avoided. SaaS helps users maximize productivity in working environments by providing a diverse range of remotely maintained applications over the Internet. And because of its foundations on the internet, it is more flexible and cost-effective than traditional software. You no longer have to worry about cumbersome hardware and complex software.

Now that we know a little more about SaaS, let’s dive into the key differences between SaaS and traditional NEMT software. There are nine main distinguishing features that we’re going to discuss: Quick Deployment, flexible monitoring, updates, security, installation and maintenance, data accessibility, cost-effectiveness, integration, and scalability.

Quick Deployment

Traditional NEMT software has a fairly steep learning curve. It also requires a complex set-up process. You must get all the hardware put together correctly and most likely go through training before you can utilize it.

SaaS, on the other hand, is simple. The learning curve is quite manageable. The deployment is quick and painless. All you need is an internet connection and you’re good to go.

Flexible Monitoring and Accessibility

You’re a busy professional on the move. You can’t have software that ties you to a specific location. Saas can be accessed from any device at any time as long as you are connected to the internet. This, of course, is advantageous because it allows you to travel while taking care of business.

Whether you need to use your phone, tablet, or laptop, or some other device, SaaS makes it possible. And that’s something we know you need.

Updates

Tired of manually installing updates? Well, you’re definitely not alone.

With SaaS, it’s easier to install updates to the software since it’s hosted in a cloud environment. This means you can dispatch updates remotely without disrupting your user base.

Traditional NEMT software requires you to play a waiting game as you try to get a hold of the latest features and upgrades. Then, you have to manually install those while potentially disrupting users.

Security

Security is a critical part of today’s world, particularly with everything moving online. When it comes to SaaS, you get expert levels of service and performance. This model also provides automatic data backups and recovery.

On the other end of the spectrum, traditional Software Licensing Model users have to go through a meticulous process regarding data backup and recovery.

By using SaaS data centers to ensure automatic recovery and backup of information, securing your data is an ingrained part of the process.

Installation and Maintenance

We’ve already touched on this a bit, but traditional NEMT software is a pain to set up. Not only is there a process, but the initial fees will hurt your wallet.

Meanwhile, SaaS is free of installation and maintenance costs. However, it does require a fixed monthly subscription that charges per user per month. This could be looked at as an advantage of traditional software because once you get past the initial set-up costs, you don’t need to pay a monthly subscription for the services.

SaaS is simpler to maintain, though, because maintenance isn’t the same burden. With traditional software, management of IT infrastructure and hardware is a constant. SaaS offers freedom from these considerations because it’s founded on using services and software via the internet (e.g., no infrastructure needed).

Data Accessibility

Many SaaS providers deliver intuitive, self-serve data accessibility that is easy for users to glean insights from. Users can find information they need quickly without a frustrating amount of effort.

Another way to think about it is that SaaS gives increased access to entire teams, so that team members can procure data within the software when they need it. Because SaaS is hosted on cloud-based servers instead of locally on a specific computer, your team can access the software from home or while working remotely anywhere.

Cost Effectiveness

As we’ve mentioned, the initial cost of traditional software can be quite high. Tens of thousands of dollars in many cases. SaaS does require a monthly subscription but there isn’t the same barrier to entry.

SaaS typically costs less per license than traditional software’s maintenance and set-up costs. And, since there aren’t licensing and physical copies of the software to maintain, there is also a lower cost of ownership.

Integration

SaaS allows you to easily maximize productivity on multiple systems inside and outside of your organization via streamlined integration platforms. This means that you can connect marketing, sales, support and other services to help you streamline your business.

For example, Tobi Cloud’s fully documented and open API allows us to work with any partner, provider, collaborator, customer, client, vendor, or system out there. And that’s a game-changer.

Scalability

Scalability is one of SaaS’ greatest strengths. It can adapt to accommodate the needs of your business. It scales quickly as your organization evolves and changes. If you need to add more users, you can take care of it with a couple of clicks. And you don’t need to worry about downloading the software onto every new hire’s computer.

The chance to increase resources to accommodate growth is still one of the best long-term benefits of scalability in SaaS. Instead of changing infrastructure and retraining staff, a business can easily enlarge its cloud resources to meet demand. This has the bonus benefit of diminishing downtime and lessening the chances of clients looking to competitors.

The ability to scale is a make-or-break factor in today’s business world. And that might be a good enough reason to choose SaaS.

Conclusion

SaaS is the way of the future. Its strengths when it comes to cost and scalability make it a great option for your NEMT business. It’s only going to grow in capability in the coming years.

Traditional NEMT software doesn’t have the same flexibility. It will hold your business back from reaching its full potential.

If you want to save money, work smarter, and grow your business, SaaS is the better choice.

Are you ready to adopt a new platform for your NEMT business? Check us out at Tobi Cloud today and learn more about our NEMT software’s features. We would love to start a conversation.