A client-focused approach to solution licensing called the Cloud Services Agreement (CSA) has been unveiled, which RightNow says will “reinvent” how cloud vendors engage with clients.

The company has said that while cloud computing promised to change how software was purchased and delivered, the actual benefits have yet to be seen from a business point of view. The CSA aims to provide the pricing benefits of a traditional master services agreement without hidden costs, escalating maintenance bills, lock-in, and shelfware.

The agreement covers annual usage alignment, three year price commitment plus three year renewal price cap, annual termination for convenience, annual pools of capacity and unlimited capacity for 90-day pilots.

RightNow CEO Greg Gianforte explained, “With our new Cloud Services Agreement, we are truly holding ourselves accountable for our clients’ success and delivering on the unfulfilled promise of the cloud. Enterprise cloud computing shouldn’t involve shelfware, vendor lock-in, or classic enterprise software selling tactics. RightNow is taking bold steps to reinvent how cloud vendors engage with clients.”

Robert Mahowald, VP, SaaS and Cloud Services, IDC, added, “SaaS revolutionised how software was delivered, and RightNow’s cloud services agreement is a call-to-action for cloud providers (and customers) that they need to get back to the roots of what's most innovative and impactful about the cloud -- its impact on business agility and value.”

RightNow also issued what it calls the 'Cloud Challenge', an industry-wide proposal that challenges vendors to deliver on the full promise of cloud computing.