COMMENTS
I don't think anyone can afford not to look at new and different ways of doing things. SaaS is a good example. Although they're not suitable for all organizations, they are for many and usually cost a fraction of large scale server/client solutions. Deployment is usually a child's play, so IT resources can be spared for something else. That said, business intelligence software or SaaS is something that should not be cut in order to save money. Actually, BI software helps save money, among other things, when used wisely. A better solution could be to find a cheaper product, maybe, but getting rid of a BI solution isn't quite a wise decision.
I believe Travis is spot on in his comments. Properly designed and deployed BI can provide organizations with enormous leverage and business benefits that far outweigh the costs. One big challenge is transitioning the discussion from a cost-basis to a value-basis. Yes I know this sounds a bit like "motherhood and apple pie" but this really is the dialogue that technology decision makers and leaders must engage in.
There needs to be some context set around the economics of any new innovative solution, like SaaS BI. Engaging in a total cost-of-ownership comparison of a build it yourself with traditional BI tools, versus say using a SaaS model, is interesting but only half of the story. Folks need to dig in with as much vigor to determine which solution will do a better job driving the value or "Return" in the ROI equation. There are differences and fundamental questions to be asked:
1. Which model allows more universal access to the solution by the community that counts --- the internal business users (and perhaps even external supply-chain partners and custoemrs if appropriate) to help drive informed decision making?
2. Which approach does a better job leveraging functional best practices and domain expertise and who does a better job exposing these concepts into specific reports and analytics?
3. Which appoach is more of a business relevant solution solving a specific business challenge and driving specific initiatives?
Too often the question asked in traditioanl deployments with tarditional tools is "What does the tool do and what is it good at?. The common response is "That really depends what you want it to do." I would sugegst this becomes a circular dialogue chewing up precious cycles and proloning already long production deployment times.
So Travis I agree folks need to be specific, ask the detailed business questions, and make certain that whatever approach is taken really solves the domain specific business challenge.
Borrowing from the dated, but still entertaining movie, Blazing Saddles: "We don't need no stinking general reporting tools."