Infrastructure planning is one of the nations’ main challenges in the post-pandemic world. Along with the necessary structures to ensure public health and safety, other factors must be considered, including the environmental impact of climate change, economic changes, the rapid rise of technological innovations, and – especially in highly-developed nations – and the aging population.
Australia is one nation currently challenged by planning infrastructure on a country-wide level. Before the surge of COVID-19 cases, the country was already in the thick of a period of rapid change. But now, with the uncertainty of the near future, the Australian government and private sector both need to consider innovative solutions to address issues related to the development of institutional and commercial infrastructure.
In which case, utilizing software as a service (SaaS) solutions could be Australia’s best bet for meeting the challenge head-on.
Why Use SaaS Solutions?
According to research conducted by teams from Intelligent Business Research Services (IBRS) and Insight Economics, replacing on-site legacy software with SaaS solutions over the next decade could save the government and private sector up to $252 billion.
Implementing SaaS in place of outdated tools can significantly reduce the total cost of operations. These solutions will make workplace maintenance and overall administration much easier and improve productivity throughout an enterprise, organization, or agency.
Indeed, organizations that have already shifted to SaaS report that they saved 32% in operational costs and up to 54% thanks to improved workplace efficiency.
Key Challenges to Consider
One of the primary challenges is shifting the general mindset regarding infrastructural planning. In Australia, planners tended to anticipate possible conditions and build infrastructure to meet these potential demands. Unfortunately, there are now far too many unknown variables to keep this approach practical. Therefore, the adaptability of SaaS solutions will undoubtedly come in handy.
Cost is another point of consideration in light of the severe impact COVID has had on the Australian economy. Currently, Australia has chalked up its largest-ever recorded debt, having spent so much to bolster public response to the pandemic. Even now, the government is spending a great deal on improving public health care, even as neighboring countries are already attempting to bounce back economically. That said, the savings accumulated from implementing SaaS can easily be siphoned into other useful initiatives.