Launching a new product is easier said than done.

So, when the product takes the form of a whole new technology paradigm, well, the hype can be considerable and the risk for crashing and burning even greater.

That’s why a new research report What Leaders Say About Cloud Capabilities and Limitations from TechRepublic reporting that SaaS users are overwhelmingly satisfied with their decision to move to the cloud is pretty big news.  76.6 percent of those surveyed report that their SaaS implementation is “meeting expectations” and 13.3 percent report it is actually “exceeding expectations.”  Wow, that’s a satisfaction rate of more than 91 percent.

By any standard, that’s impressive.  Ask any product manager about the risk of failure when introducing a new product and the statistics are markedly grim.  A  Forbes article from just a few years ago states, “As many as 95% of new products introduced each year fail, according to Cincinnati research agency AcuPoll. That’s true even when they are backed by big companies and attached to well-known brands.”  Think Apple’s Newton, New Coke and Ford’s Edsel.

Couple the inherent risk with our modern propensity to generate overwhelming hype and any new product or technology is poised for a fall.  “The cloud” is most certainly as over-hyped as anything technology related that we’ve seen in the last decade.  So, it’s good to see some certified signs of success.

It was a big decision for IDI to move its telecom billing solution to the cloud, but we felt strongly that our service provider customers would see significant benefits.  So far, that decision is proving out for us, too.  The new architecture we’ve put in place to fully leverage the benefits of cloud computing in the B/OSS have resulted in the ability to:

• Develop and launch new Web applications quickly
• Implement a more powerful, stable and scalable technology infrastructure
• Create an open, Web services-based development platform for easy integration
• Deliver new features and capabilities on a predictable schedule
• Offer an end-to-end cloud billing solution with SSAE 16 credentials
• Provide enhanced services at a lower price

Our increasingly mobile world demands solutions that are accessible from anywhere and cost-conscious service providers are looking for ways to improve the bottom line and streamline operations.  To remain competitive, telecom service providers need the flexibility, scalability, performance, security and ease of use that a B/OSS solution in a SaaS environment provides.

While it can be prudent to take a “wait and see” position on any new technology, the cloud is rapidly moving away from being “The Next Great Thing” to being just “A Great Thing.”  If your B/OSS isn’t already there, it’s time to reach for the sky.