How a particular solution is sold (Saas or on premise) has to do a lot with many factors not just whether it is Saas or On-Premise. I refer to these two modes of selling as low touch selling (through website, over the phone etc.) Vs high touch selling (in person, face to face). Some of the factors which typically come in to play in deciding what is the optimal mode of selling (high touch or low touch) are:
1. Size of investment on the part of buyer (enterprise Vs. for a business group or individuals) (Organizations are much more rigorous about evaluation and doing gap analysis if they are investing for a enterprise solution and high touch model might come into play in such situations)
2. Mission criticality of the application/solution: What functions, activities are being supported through the offering (for example financial application Vs. application which allows you do to marketing surveys etc?.)
3. Confidence in the solution/services provided by vendor (If you have already done business with a vendor, buying organization would be less hesitant to use low touch sales channel)
For example, if a buyer organization wants to invest in web conferencing service, they are more likely to do such investment through low touch selling models of the vendors. Someone trying to invest in accounting solution might prefer to do it through face to face interactions.
I agree that many a times price point at which Saas solutions/services are offered (as well as the functions which they offer) necessitates vendors to use low cost/low touch selling models, but I think Saas fundamentally does not mandate change in sales model (it enables and opens up multiple channels and possibilities for sales channel).
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