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Enplug

One of the questions we often get asked at Enplug is: “Why should my company pay monthly for digital signage? We’ve only paid a one-time upfront fee in the past.”

Like most cloud-based software, Enplug offers monthly and annual plans as opposed to one-time payments. We do this to provide users with lower initial costs, free updates and new features, greater flexibility and transparency, and higher lifetime value. This article will cover the background of cloud-based SaaS technology and six reasons we’re worth the price.

Lakers monthly digital signage Enplug

The Rise of SaaS

Back in 2005, Bill Gates predicted that service-based technology would be “The next sea change [that] is upon us[note] USAToday 2005. Microsoft’s Gates warns of major ‘sea change‘[/note].” He was right. Today, organizations of all sizes have turned to SaaS-based technology for everything from accounting (Blackline) to CRMs (Salesforce) to servers (Amazon).

In fact, 2016 is the year that SaaS software will overtake traditional software for CRMs, generating $32.8B in revenue and growing at 20% per year[note]SaaScribe 2015. “SaaS Market Overview 2015[/note]. So, what advantages does Enplug’s SaaS-based model hold for our clients?

Reason 1: Quick and Inexpensive Setup

You can see if Enplug is a good fit for you at very low cost, and there’s no upfront fee to get started. You can run our signage software on your Windows computers, or buy Enplug Devices which come pre-loaded with the software. Our Enplug Device is one of the most affordable media players on the market.

Enplug Digital Signage Device

Enplug is also simple to get running. It typically takes 5-15 minutes for new customers to get content onto their displays. As Salesforce, the most successful SaaS company, has noted, “An internet connection is all the infrastructure you need” to get started[note]Salesforce.com. “Benefits of SaaS[/note].” Digital signage providers that aren’t SaaS-based often require users to allocate their own servers to host content, adding significant time and expense to set up.

Reason 2: Automatic, Free Updates

At Enplug, we’re constantly improving our software — from weekly security updates to large releases like DisplayOS. When we build new features or add new apps to our App Market, all of our users automatically get access for free.

Unlike competitors that charge for new versions, Enplug users never have to deal with out-of-date software. Using outdated software poses significant risks to your organization’s security, competitiveness, IT flexibility, and responsiveness to change[note]Rackspace 2014. “The Risks And Hidden Dangers Of Outdated Technology[/note]. Updating and maintaining current software is a huge drain on IT resources; 30% of your IT team’s day is spent on these low-level tasks[note]ComputerWeekly.com, 2012. “Low-level tasks eat up 30% of IT departments’ time, report reveals”[/note].

Reason 3: Flexibility and Scalability

Say you’re a large organization evaluating a signage solution for hundreds of screens around the world. You can do sales demos and read reviews, but the best way to find the best digital signage provider is to try it for yourself on a small scale. It’s simple to evaluate Enplug with a few displays, then upgrade when the time is right.

On the flip side, if you’re a small organization or run a few events each year, a monthly model is still a good fit. You can pause Enplug service at any time and re-activate just for the months when you need it. We don’t require any long-term contracts, so if you decide we’re not right for you, you can cancel at any time.

Reason 4: Time Savings

The time required to manage your signage system quickly increases the total cost of ownership of your technology. An annual salary of $60,000 a year equates to $30 an hour. If your current system takes just 2 hours a week to update, that adds up to $240 per month. It gets even more expensive if you have to rely on your well-paid IT team to update your digital signage content.

Enplug is simple enough that anyone in your organization can update and manage content in minutes, not hours. You can also use our Social Media, News, Dashboards, and Trends for content that you set up once and automatically stays fresh over time. As Salesforce notes, “the subscription-based SaaS pricing model can keep IT budget costs consistent or lower than packaged or homegrown software[note]Salesforce.com. “Benefits of SaaS”[/note].”

Reason 5: No Hidden Fees

Ever notice that it’s hard to find pricing information for most digital signage companies online? Some digital signage software companies provide quotes that don’t reflect the full cost you’ll pay as a user.

These secondary costs may include:

  • Paid mandatory training. One competitor charges almost $200 an hour for initial training, which rarely takes less than 5 hours and can often be significantly more.
  • Ongoing maintenance and support fees. These can be hourly or yearly. One provider charges $100 per month per account in support fees alone.
  • Paid updates or upgrades. Providers that don’t include automatic updates often charge for them. They also charge more to access features that make your signage more useful.

At Enplug, we’re transparent about our pricing from the beginning. You’ll never pay more than the cost of your Enplug Devices plus your monthly subscription.

Reason 6: Gets Better With Time

The transition to cloud-based SaaS software means that more of your data is hosted online and able to connect with other services. Our Geckoboard App already makes it simple to pull in your key metrics from many services across the web, and future apps will add more useful functionality. Enplug’s signage software will evolve to integrate with changing technologies over time, making it future-proof.

With the launch of the Enplug SDK, developers can easily write their own apps to run on Enplug digital signage. Apps can be available to all Enplug users, or they can be specific to one user who wants a custom installation. Either way, our App Market opens the way for even more power and flexibility over time.

Conclusion

If you’re considering monthly options like Enplug versus upfront or free options, remember: You get what you pay for. Enplug’s customers enjoy the quick setup, automatic updates, increased flexibility, and time savings of our SaaS signage.

We hope you’ll join us! Get a free demo to see if we’re a good match.

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