I’m pleased to announce that THINKstrategies unveiled today a new set of packaged services aimed at helping Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Managed Service providers (MSPs) ensure that they have properly designed and can reliably deliver their web-based solutions.

Our new Readiness Assessment Services (RAS) have been developed in response to the rapid rise in demand for SaaS and Managed Service alternatives to traditional, packaged applications and network/system management (NSM) solutions among end-user organizations of all sizes. This demand is attracting a rapidly expanding array of start-ups and established vendors attempting to capitalize on this new market opportunity.

We at THINKstrategies have found that many of these companies are not fully prepared to succeed in the SaaS and managed services markets because they’ve under-estimated the organizational, operational, sales, marketing and financial requirements of these service-oriented, subscription-based businesses.

Despite the growing interest and acceptance of SaaS and managed services, many providers are still uncertain how to successfully package, price, promote, sell, deliver and support these web-based services. Improper design and delivery of these services can seriously harm customer satisfaction and lead to customer abandonment.

THINKstrategies’ new Readiness Assessment Service includes a structured scorecard to evaluate the strength of SaaS or Managed Service providers’ strategies and solutions. The multi-dimensional scorecard examines the following key indicators:

• Target Market Segmentation
• Competitive Landscape
• Corporate Management
• Functional Capabilities & Features
• Solution Packaging
• Pricing & Revenue Realization
• Service Delivery Platform & Architecture
• Security and Availability Assurance
• Service Provisioning, Billing and Testing
• Contracting, SLAs and Reporting
• Sales Strategies and Skills
• Strategic Partnering/Ecosystem Strategies
• Marketing and Positioning
• Customer Support Capabilities
• Financing and Capital Structure

The scorecard will identify SaaS and Managed Service providers’ strengths and weaknesses so that they can address important issues before they affect the provider’s ability to deliver quality solutions. THINKstrategies will recommend specific remedies to fill these gaps so the provider can achieve their corporate objectives.

THINKstrategies is also establishing a series of partnerships and alliances with a variety of third-parties to meet clients’ specific needs, including application design companies, service delivery infrastructure providers, enabling technology vendors, financial services and investment firms, and specialized consultancies.

These new consulting services are based on THINKstrategies’ extensive SaaS and Managed Services experience and indepth expertise. THINKstrategies was founded in 2001 to specifically address the unique business challenges in an increasingly services-oriented world. Since its inception, THINKstrategies has helped over 100 client companies achieve their business objectives by leveraging the power of services. THINKstrategies was the first consulting and analysis firm to identify growing interest and adoption of SaaS and managed services in 2005, among organizations of all sizes, based on its survey research in conjunction with Cutter Consortium and the MSP Alliance.

In January 2006, THINKstrategies unveiled the SaaS Showplace® (http://www.saas-showplace.com/ or http://www.thinksaas.com/) and Managed Service Showplace® (http://www.msp-showplace.com/ or http://www.thinkmsp.com/) online directories and web-based resource centers with easy-to-use listings of SaaS solutions by application and MSPs by service category, and extensive information and insight about industry best practices to help organizations fully leverage the growing array of SaaS solutions and managed services.

Today, over 500 companies have registered to be listed on the SaaS and Managed Services Showplaces, offering over 2,000 on-demand solutions, making the Showplaces the largest, vendor- independent, online directories in the on-demand services market worldwide.

Please contact me if you have any questions regarding these new consulting services.