Software companies have made strides in reducing their footprint of non-renewable resources by distributing their products through download or through the SaaS (Software as a Service) subscription model. Often overlooked, however, are the CDs, shipping boxes, and sales brochures (not to mention airplanes and delivery trucks) used to send out demo versions of software.

Runaware, a Fort Lauderdale-based company, has a uniquely “green” alternative to this process. TestDrive lets software vendors demonstrate their products to multiple users over the Web in a virtual “test drive” environment. The solution enables prospects to interact with the vendor’s fully-featured product, yet without ever loading the software onto their personal PC or workstation. 

With TestDrive, all functionality is made available on the prospect’s PC though ActiveX or Citrix Java browser plug-ins. Users can interact with sample data, customize the user interface and make other changes; each time they leave the TestDrive session, however, all changes are discarded and the environment is reset.

TestDrive is actually a suite of services that includes customer profiling, lead capture, tutorials, customer usage reporting and more. In addition, Runaware can develop online tutorials, self-guided tours, and marketing support videos to further improve resource efficiency the for software industry, a business now accounting for $400 billion in annual worldwide sales.

Top software companies including Microsoft, Intuit and Sage Software already use TestDrive to improve their “green” commitment. TestDrive is one of the most responsible ways yet for small ISVs (Independent Software Vendors), as well as world-class software companies, to save thousands of dollars per prospect while significantly reducing the environmental impact of their sales and marketing cycles. For more information about Runaware and their TestDrive online demos, visit www.runaware.com.

For more information on Runaware contact Hanni Itah, hitach@sspr.com, or Sarah O’Connor, soconnor@sspr.com at SS PR.