SAP may well have a catchy name for its new software as a service. It will be very interesting to see if the new SAP Business ByDesign will really deliver.
There are three issues that need to be addressed. First, how safe will my data be when it is hosted on SAP's servers? Second, is the on-demand cost model scalable in my business? And finally, will the level of customisation ByDesign offers be enough to satisfy the unique nature of my business? These issues will have a significant impact on a company’s ability to compete and its unique selling point. This is important in companies of any size but smaller companies are more agile and can react quicker to new business opportunities. ByDesign could prevent me from running my business if the service is unavailable; it could damage my ability to compete if it is too inflexible, or worse, give my rivals the same competitive edge.
