Struggling SAP Users Falling Behind in Progress

SAP, a leading enterprise software solution provider, has set its sights on the future, with a clear focus on cloud technology. The company predicts that its cloud business will reach parity with its on-premise business by 2018, signalling a significant shift in its strategic direction.

This transition is not a sudden move, but a long-term plan that SAP's customers are encouraged to understand. By aligning their own roadmaps with SAP's, customers can prepare for the changes ahead and reap the benefits of the cloud-based solutions.

One such benefit is the promise of S/4 HANA, which brings a significant step-change in data processing and analysis closer to reality. S/4 HANA, SAP's advanced business suite, is fully built on the advanced in-memory HANA platform, and represents SAP's long-term strategy for HANA, cloud, and mobile.

Adopting new technologies like S/4HANA may cause some disruption, but the returns on this kind of investment can be great. Understanding the migration path to S/4HANA is crucial for existing SAP customers to make the promised benefits a reality.

SAP has been active in acquiring and developing new technologies in recent years. This includes Ariba and SuccessFactors, which offer promising innovations in areas like supply chain management and human resources. However, the risk for SAP customers is missing out on these potential benefits due to a lack of knowledge and impetus to seek change.

To mitigate this risk, SAP customers must actively seek support and knowledge from SAP, its partner ecosystems, and user groups. This will help them understand the new technologies and make informed decisions about their adoption.

The automated nature of cloud can lead to quicker adoption and a potential reduction in costs. Cloud itself can speed the way to innovation because it supports quicker adoption. However, the key factor for SAP customers is understanding what their return on an investment will be and how it will benefit their organization.

SAP itself must be forthcoming with help and support that will give customers the full picture on how to carry out a successful migration to S/4 HANA. Recent announcements from SAP on S/4 HANA and its ongoing commitment to cloud indicate that the pace of SAP's innovations will not be slowing down any time soon.

In a survey by the UK & Ireland SAP User Group, 74% of members said SAP is bringing innovations to market quicker than their organisational ability to adopt. This underscores the need for SAP to continue supporting its customers to avoid leaving them behind in the process of embracing innovation.

SAP's recent partnerships and acquisitions, such as ThinkPalm, RAD integrating advanced IIoT solutions, and LTIMindtree with Shopify, are designed to enhance smart business IoT offerings for SAP customers, and create AI-commerce centers, enabling SAP clients to leverage Industry 4.0 and AI technologies for process optimization and competitive advantage. These developments allow SAP customers to benefit from improved enterprise orchestration, enhanced digital transformation capabilities, and access to integrated Industry 4.0 solutions, leading to increased efficiency, innovation, and market competitiveness.

In conclusion, SAP's focus on cloud and innovation presents both opportunities and challenges for its customers. By understanding the business case and resources needed to adopt new technologies like S/4HANA, and by seeking the right help and support, customers can ensure that they make the right decisions for their organizations and reap the benefits of these innovations.