SAP ERP Solutions
We need to face it, Companies can’t afford any more a complex and costly SAP ERP implementation. “Speed over perfection” is the new trend, we work in a fast-changing environment where decisions must be made in hours and access to the right information has become the most precious asset. Applications cant be ugly anymore, they have to be user friendly, no more training, we are used to Facebook, Linkedln, anyone can design an app in hours using internet tutorials, we need to run our business with our phone in the middle of an airport, we expect real time info and most important the most accurate information possible.
With globalization most of the basic processes of any company, purchasing, finance, etc., have become standard and 98% of the companies should be able to survive implementing best practices ERP recommendations for most of their processes. We should only look at the processes that make companies unique and invest on those as this will keep the company soul and ahead of competitors.
How Cloud works
On top of this, the cloud is here to stay, and cloud means less customization, no migration headaches, additional functionality released every quarter, less internal IT investments, OPEX vs CAPEX, quick change and quick adoption by users. Are we ready.?
This sounds really good and someone can think that this can really work great if you are a new company with little historical data and not to complex processes, you will be able to adapt, and you will take advantage on the new cloud ERP practices. But what happens when you are a company with an on-premise ERP that has been customized for the last 10 years based on high demanding users requests, with huge amounts of historical data, with a complex landscape, with additional Business Intelligence applications to fill the gaps of your ERP, complex integrations with 3rd party software’s, etc.?, is your company ready to jump to a simplify ERP on the cloud?, will your users “kill” you?, will the business suffer?, for how long?.
As an SAP partner form more than 20 years we have been looking at this transition like in a slow motion movie, we believed the traditional ERP will be hard to remove, its going to take time we told to each other, the cloud model is a complete game changer, if you are not able to keep your customer for more than 3 years the profit is gone. Service approach also changing, no more “all you can eat” approach with customers, now we need to convince the customer that less is more. The implementation methodologies have also changed, we don’t ask anymore what you need, what are your processes, we show you how the ERP works and we identify the gaps, we try to find a workaround and if no other option, we think about a “light” development.
Cloud also brings the possibility to consume niche applications, human resources, Travel & Expenses, Procurement platforms, Ecommerce applications, in a standalone or integrated approach. So we can have a lighter ERP and use specific applications for other traditional functions. Who guarantees a seamless integration, is it as smooth as the ERP vendors is telling us.? Is it more expensive on the long run?
Customers are expecting analytics to be part of the ERP, to access dashboards and real time info with no additional effort, no more cubes, no more aggregations, data is now the core and has to be consumed in a very easy format.
Application Software vendors like SAP are keeping different offerings to customers, private cloud managed by SAP, private cloud on Azure, pure cloud multi-tenant S4/HANA Public, traditional On-Premise applications, etc. But with a clear path to surround the ERP with niche pure cloud applications, like Success Factors for Human Capital Management, Ariba as a Procurement Platform, Concur for Expense Management, C/4HANA for Customer Experience, etc.
Its not easy to be an early adopter, but the path is clear, all is moving to the cloud, the earlier you start thinking on how to go through this transition, the earlier you will be ready an ahead of competition. Companies must focus on their core business and consume the technology available for their needs.
In the past we used to have great ideas but difficult to achieve because technology was not ready, we were not able to manage large amounts of data, but now there is no excuse, for the first time in many years technology is ready and improving every day, but we are lacking the NEW IDEAS¡¡¡.
Get Ready¡¡¡
