License Management: The Importance of Compliance and Software Trials
Reading Time: 5 minutes Are you interested in getting the attention of potential customers by offering software as a service (SaaS)? It’s a good idea in today’s modern age, as most people depend on software and apps to handle life’s responsibilities. Being a software vendor can come with plenty of advantages, and any business that does well in the industry will flourish and make its mark.
One of the more crucial aspects of business management in terms of SaaS is the prospect of software licensing. That said, software licensing can be a challenge due to general license management and compliance issues. The good news is that there are ways to make software licensing and management easier to deal with. In most cases, it’s a good idea to have software trials, as it’s one of the more popular business models today.
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What’s so important about licensing and compliance?
The primary reason some businesses flourish over others is due to how they handle the issues of compliance within their industry. For example, the contact center industry deals with phone calls to various individuals, which means privacy issues as the name of the game with compliance. You’ll have to deal with TCPA compliance issues if you’re going to flourish in such an industry.
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The same goes for most other industries because of the use of software. It’s not just about being a SaaS company, as just about every business uses software to stay afloat — and each piece of software comes with potential issues in compliance and licensing. If you don’t stay compliant, you could end up with hefty fines and legal fees that could pull your business under if you aren’t careful.
What can I do to stay on top of licensing and compliance?
One of the best ways to stay on top of licensing and compliance is to build a proper foundation on data management platforms. For example, a license management system is a fantastic idea, as it works toward automating licensing, allowing you to make the most out of every opportunity without the threat of being blindsided by legal issues. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for a new company to stay compliant, as there are often so many challenges with startup management that some aspects are neglected. Those without insight often try to cut corners with software licensing. The result is an overall higher risk concerning software piracy, where the developers don’t get nearly as much revenue as expected because of the lack of compliance.
Companies at the other end of the spectrum develop harsh solutions to combat piracy. For example, companies that use third-party anti-piracy measures often cause more problems than they solve, which leads to even more piracy. A proper license management system is necessary to help you keep track without alienating your audience.
How do I combat the threat of piracy as a SaaS company outside of license management?
As a SaaS business that focuses on providing top-quality software experiences to its target audience, it’s a good idea to look into business models that can provide the ideal experience. Here, it’s all about pushing forward with the help of software trials. It’s why some of the most popular gaming software, such as World of WarCraft, became so popular, as the subscription-based model focuses on convenience without making things tricky for either the developer or the end users. If you’re interested in the subscription model, here are a few reasons it’s such a good idea.
1. It’s relatively easy to deal with licensing
The advantage of offering free trials is it helps give you more insight regarding the business model you should use for your software. For tech-savvy companies, the subscription-based model is one of the most popular and typically comes with a free trial. However, it also opens the door to many other opportunities for data management. For example, you can use the license mentioned above management system to help keep everyone on the same page and ensure your business model is as efficient as possible.
Considering how many companies suffer from issues concerning licensing, free trials can help nudge your business in the right direction. However, software and compliance aren’t to be taken lightly, and there are plenty of ways to go wrong if you neglect licensing as a business.
While some companies can get away with laziness and cutting corners, such a thing will not work with licensing. The subscription-based model can make it much easier to deal with licensing matters.
2. You get first-hand accounts from potential customers
While a free trial means people get the benefits of your software without compensation, what you get is not something to be underestimated. After all, you receive first-hand accounts from your first batch of end users, which can elevate your business in a competitive environment. That the software is free (with some limitations) means people get every opportunity to test your software.
Even if you’ve spent a lot of money scouring the software for bugs and dealing with every issue, there are some bugs that only your customers will find. They might also have opinions regarding specific aspects of your software. While not every bit of feedback will be mind-blowing for your business, paying attention to what your end users say can make things much easier.
That said, it’s not a good idea to depend entirely on your end users concerning bugs in the code. Having your team of testers is crucial to ensure that you iron things out as much as possible before releasing it to the public. While it’s great to have your end users act as makeshift play testers, it’s not a good idea to play too much toward their goodwill and take advantage of your audience. All it takes is a single disgruntled end user to cause no end of issues for a business, as it might break the trust between you and your supporters. Therefore, it’s much better to have a proper balance of bug testing and feedback to optimize your company’s software fully.
3. Long-term commitment and how free software trials ease the fear
Most people are unhappy about committing to software, especially in the long term. A free trial allows them to try your software with no strings attached, giving them an idea of whether your software is worth keeping. While it forces companies to be more honest concerning the quality of their software, what you get is the loyalty of your supporters. Free trials can ease the fear of long-term commitment, encouraging more people to try your demo.
While it means that more people get to try your content for free, any publicity is good. Even if they aren’t paying anything for it, such an act could encourage others to follow suit. There’s nothing wrong with spending more money if it means your long-term investment pays off.
Conclusion
There’s no denying that SaaS can be very lucrative for most companies, though you’ll have to work hard if you want your customers to respect your products. Whether through licensing or collecting feedback, there’s no denying that free software trials are some of the best ways to market your software.
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