How to Select an Enterprise EHS and Sustainability Software Solution

I recently had a discussion with the Environmental Business Journal (EBJ) on challenges companies face when selecting EHS and Sustainability management software. Environmental managers have to consider many things at this time of rapid technological change. The solution that was considered an industry standard or good fit just two years ago may not be the right answer any longer. With rapid penetration of multi-tenant SaaS, always connected mobile devices, and the Internet of Things, enterprise software selection just got much simpler (and less expensive).

The reality is that if a software vendor is offering you a latest on premise version of its software, or any version, you should not invest into it. Why? The new version, that comes out in two years from now, will most likely have unexpected changes that will cause pain for users, installers and/or managers of the solution.  But that pain can be avoided by moving to a SaaS-based solution.  SaaS not only improves cost efficiencies and offers better  integration with mobile deployments, but provides the ability to gleam more intelligent insight in the collected data.  Even Microsoft with its pending Windows 10 release, which is expected to be the last of the traditional big bang launches, is likely to complete Microsoft’s transition from a software licensing model to a cloud computing one.

Your next EHS solution must be built around continual upgrades and stable releases on a schedule or what is in SaaS industry called a rolling upgrade program. Due to market dynamics, your enterprise EHS software platform will evolve over time. This strategy will allow you to consume innovation easier and have success stories along the way.

I share my views and opinions in a 10 question and answer interview, entitled “Locus Technologies’ Duplan Advised on Navigation of Rapidly Changing World of EHS/Sustainability Information Management“, which appeared in the December 2014 issue of the Environmental Business Journal newsletter.

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