Don't spend today's budget on yesterday's technology. HRMDirect's true On Demand platform delivers a level of service that no ordinary Application Service Provider can match.

Why a subscription isn't a service
The first thing every shopper looks at is price, so it's easy to understand why many software buyers think "subscription services" and "On Demand" software are the same things. In fact, they're almost completely different.

Most Application Service Providers are selling software packages originally designed to be used only by a single company. When they sign a new client, an internal IT team will set up a new database server and application instance to be used by that client alone.

An ASP with 200 clients will be maintaining at least 200 application instances, and 200 databases. If a new upgrade is released, the ASP will have to repeat the upgrade process 200 times, once for each client. This requires just as much labor as if you maintained a system internally—and your IT team would not be marking up the cost of services to you!

The On Demand Difference
In an On Demand platform, all users are supported by a single, unified software and hardware environment. While the ASP provider has to repeat a task 200 times, an On Demand provider like HRMDirect can do the same task once and divide the cost by 200. For clients, the benefits are clear:

• Lower initial and ongoing costs
• Regular free feature upgrades
• Faster implementation

Know Your Vendor
ASPs are eager to obscure the distinctions because supporting On Demand delivery usually requires a clean-slate rebuild. But as a buyer, it's eay to tell the difference if you ask the right questions:

• Do you offer a free trial? On Demand vendors always offer a trial, while ASPs rarely do.
• Is there a setup fee? An ASP usually charges a setup fee to recover the cost of building a new system for a client. This is "money down the drain" for you.
• How long does setup take? An On Demand system will be ready to use in just a few minutes. If an ASP says their setup takes longer "because it's more flexible," don't believe it. It takes longer because it's obsolete.
• Are upgrades included in the price? On Demand systems are upgraded regularly to improve performance and add new features to stay current. These upgrades are included in the basic monthly cost. ASPs often charge a hefty service fee for each upgrade—it's really a stealth price increase.