By Jamal Syed, HEXstream president and CEO 

Let’s consider the concept of bespoke software as a service (SaaS).  

We’ve seen huge investments from major software providers in SaaS offerings. But the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is having a tremendous affect on this approach. 

Enterprises large and small are realizing that one size fits all not going to work with AI, and that the SaaS market that we’ve all known for decades, now, is undergoing unprecedented change. Some even believe the SaaS market is shrinking as users are recognizing the need for fully customizable, fully flexible solutions that are unique for their environments and their specific problems. 

SaaS might no longer be the perfect choice for companies, especially those who want to have best-of-breed solutions and not get tied to one vendor. I, personally, am recognizing a growing demand for these custom solutions. Bespoke SaaS, I like to call them. 

Consider our relaunched product Utility360, with which we provide users customizable formats in which they can ask enterprise-specific questions and get accurate answers to help resolve their enterprise-specific challenges. 

Empowered with AI, bespoke SaaS enables utilities to build their own environments and generate reports that address, specifically, the information they need to operate efficiently, especially during crises such as storms or wildfires. 

The giant software providers are realizing that customers are adopting bespoke solutions that are no longer dependent on rigid features roadmaps. This is creating a paradigm shift in the SaaS industry, and that’s a good thing. 

Of course, utilities are not in the business of developing software platforms; they rely on solution-providers to collect all of their information and put it into customized frameworks. Oftentimes they contract solutionists like HEXstream to manage these programs, particularly with the bespoke approach I describe here.  

Bespoke SaaS will give users environments that are custom built, but did not take 36 months to develop. Patforms like Utility360 and HEXaid already have a strong baseline that accelerates the alignment process and are usually up and running within weeks of the contract being signed. 

Think of it this way: utilities selecting software solutions are not buying T-shirts. They can’t select the right size and proceed with complete confidence. And we as software vendors must not categorize what utilities need from their analytics programs. These decisions must be made in partnership, a partnership that must be nurtured throughout the life of the analytics campaign. 

And that type of bespoke partner relationship is where HEXstream excels. 

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