When the worst happens
If an ASP sinks and isn't rescued by another, bigger firm in a merger or acquisition, your data sinks, too. That leaves you a big-time loser no matter how you cut it. If the data's crucial to running the business, say accounting or payroll, the blub-blub of the ASP may be echoed at your company.
Investigate the worst-case scenarios. Although the idea runs contrary to the whole ASP model, find out if you're able to back up your data locally to your own computers or network. Ask too about the data's format.
You want those files saved in formats that other software (Web-based or desktop applications) can easily read so that if the ASP goes under, you have a way to salvage the bits, thus your business. Accounting data held by an ASP suitable for small business should, for instance, be transportable to formats such as QuickBooks, or at least Excel.
ASPs are tough to figure out no matter how much expertise you have. Check out the next section, where I recommend three first-rate sources of more detail about ASPs.
