Global SaaS Market Recovering from Pandemic Slump as Enterprises Renew Digital Initiatives
Enterprises are increasingly shifting from traditional software to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) as highlighted in the latest ISG Provider Lens report. This transition, driven by a desire for innovation and cost-efficiency, forecasts a 21% growth in combined SaaS and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) annual contract value in 2021. Companies are focusing on core applications like ERP and CRM. The report emphasizes the rise of vertical SaaS tailored for specific industries, aided by modern APIs and mobile app personalization. Key players like Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Workday are recognized as leaders in the market.
- SaaS demand is expected to grow by 21% in 2021.
- Enterprises plan to enhance spending on core applications, improving operational resilience.
- The surge in vertical SaaS solutions offers tailored services for specific industries.
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ISG Provider Lens™ report says a growing number of companies are embracing SaaS above and beyond core applications that sustained them during lockdowns
The 2021 ISG Provider Lens™ Enterprise Application-as-a-Service Platforms report on the global market finds enterprise SaaS demand rebounding from a slowdown caused by the COVID-19 crisis. ISG currently is forecasting 21 percent growth in combined SaaS and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) annual contract value in 2021.
“Enterprises in all industries are adapting their systems to take full advantage of digital capabilities,” said
Companies are expected to increase their spending on core enterprise applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), human capital management and customer relationship management, which increasingly are being delivered and billed as SaaS subscriptions, the report says. These types of applications help enterprises keep operating during disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the next 12 to 18 months, enterprises are expected to launch major projects aimed at business continuity, centralization, cost optimization and greater collaboration and visibility. They are expected to adopt SaaS solutions for an even broader range of applications.
Demand is surging for vertical SaaS solutions aimed at specific industries, ISG says. Providers are focusing on developing pre-built integrations for specific sectors and meeting each industry’s key performance indicators (KPIs). The pandemic has sparked especially strong demand for vertical SaaS solutions for supply chain management and ERP, the report says.
One major driver of SaaS growth is the availability of modern application programming interfaces (APIs) for easy integration, according to ISG. APIs enable channel partners and integrators to easily combine sets of applications to meet the needs of specific customers. This shortens the time to market for new offerings, allowing providers to focus on their core capabilities and develop functions that set them apart.
The report also sees mobile app personalization as a key trend for SaaS providers looking to offer superior user experience, with integrated machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver greater insights via mobile dashboards.
While the SaaS market has a growing number of players, including small niche providers, industry consolidation to increase scale is expected to continue, the report says. Nearly all companies covered in the report have acquired smaller vendors in the last three years. When considering SaaS providers, customers should consider the chances of the company being acquired and be mindful of support options, ISG says.
The 2021 ISG Provider Lens™ Enterprise Application-as-a-Service Platforms report for the global market evaluates the capabilities of 33 providers across three quadrants:
The report names
In addition, Unit4 is named as a Rising Star—a company with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition—in two quadrants, while Zoho is named a
The 2021 ISG Provider Lens™ Enterprise Application-as-a-Service Platforms report for the global market is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.
About ISG Provider Lens™ Research
The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across
A companion research series, the ISG Provider Lens Archetype reports, offer a first-of-its-kind evaluation of providers from the perspective of specific buyer types.
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