Quick: Name the world's most successful software as a service (SaaS) companies. Most readers will likely mention Salesforce.com ... then perhaps NetSuite, two key players in on-demand CRM (customer relationship management) and accounting software, respectfully. Salesforce.com and NetSuite certainly have momentum in their markets. But consider this: Big service providers and broadband providers like Cablevision and Verizon Business may be the best-kept secrets in both the SaaS and managed services markets. With each passing day, I notice big service providers launching more and more SaaS and managed services offerings. Increasingly popular options include: Managed and hosted unified communications Hosted Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Managed routers, switches and network infrastructure Increasingly, big service providers provide both the pipe (broadband) and the applications flowing through the pipe (email, groupware, CRM, enterprise resource planning, and so on). When Big...
Digital Business Transformation Journal