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4 Reasons a Secure-Source System like SiteViz is a Better Investment

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Posted on 11/29/2017 at 12:00 AM

If you are in the market for a new website, you have a lot of choices ahead of you. One of those choices will be to determine which Content Management System (CMS) you will use to build your website. 

A Content Management System is the software your website runs on which allows the average user or a non-developer to edit their website without needing to know how to code. At a high level, there are two types of content management systems out there: Secure-Source and Open-Source. An open-source system does not restrict access to the application’s source-code, meaning it is available to anyone using it. Secure-source systems, on the other hand, do restrict access to only a handful of select developers that know and work with the code.

SiteViz is a Secure-source CMS which Global Reach built from the ground up. There are a number of reasons small businesses, and enterprises alike should consider a secure-source system over a free open-source platform. 

On-Demand Answers and Support When You Need It

While blogs and forums are great for building a sense of community, they don’t always provide a convenient or efficient way to resolve problems which you may run into when managing your website. 

Because open-source software typically relies on a community of engaged users for support via forums and blogs, the quality of help you receive, as well as the response time, will never be consistent. It may take you hours to locate a community member who experienced a similar issue, and if you are not lucky enough to find an answer, you’ll need to resort to starting your own thread surrounding the matter. Whether anyone responds, let alone, responds with an answer that works for you, is completely up to chance.

With secure-source systems like SiteViz, however, service and support on demand can be a godsend, especially to users with little or no technical skills. A direct and dedicated point of contact adds accountability into the equation, which ensures that bugs are fixed promptly and solutions are identified that truly meet your needs. Additionally, support manuals offer a central location for users of proprietary systems where this information is maintained and updated on an ongoing basis. 

Benefit from Research & Development

While some say that secure-source systems don’t allow for much flexibility when it comes to new features, this is not actually the case. In fact, this constraint actually helps to safeguard the security and maintain the reliability of the product because it ensures that all new features are thoroughly tested before they are offered to our users. 

There is a lot of research and development that goes into new functions and features, which ensures custom functionality is developed in line with your specific needs, and that product upgrades are only rolled out if they meet our high-quality standards. In fact, Global Reach invests more than 2,000 hours of development time every year in support of our product enhancement strategy which is geared toward the evaluation of new technologies, improvement of existing functionality, and the development and incorporation of additional features.

More User-Friendly

As a rule, secure-source systems offer a user experience which is unmatched by that of open-source systems. This is because standards are employed and agreed upon which create a consistent experience for those using the software. Open-source does not provide this benefit, as there are no agreed-upon standards since anyone can add to the code to create new plugins or features. 

When rolling out new SiteViz features, we ensure extensive usability testing is conducted by our on-staff usability experts. As mentioned, inline help manuals are also provided so that customers can understand the system and a training session is included in the cost of the website itself. Additionally, support services are provided by your dedicated account manager who will not only ensure that any problems that arise are addressed promptly but who will also help you stay up to date with new features to make sure you get everything you can out of SiteViz. 

Much More Secure

A recent study conducted by Sucuri found that the three most commonly hacked systems are WordPress, Joomla, and Magento, all of which are open-source systems. Security of open-source systems can be a concern because the code is open to anyone, making it more susceptible to hacks. Hackers understand that this is a weakness of these systems and, therefore, make a point to target them, as there is a much greater likelihood that there will be loopholes within the code that will allow them to infiltrate your website and successfully obtain sensitive information. In fact, as the recent Equifax hack has exhibited, the reliance on open-source software, without continuous monitoring, development, and patching, can be disastrous.

Secure-source software, on the other hand, has a better reputation in the security arena. Because it is developed in a controlled environment by only a handful of developers that have the clearance to view or edit the source code, and because routine audits are conducted, the risk your website will be hacked is mitigated greatly. In fact, our SiteViz content management system has never been hacked.

Save Time, Money, and Headaches In The Long Run

The combination of the above items ensures Global Reach can provide our clients with the most cost-effective solutions for a predictable and low total cost of ownership over time compared to open-source content management solutions. Curious to learn more about our secure-source SiteViz Content Management System? Contact us today!

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