Systems Applications and Products (SAP) is the most prominent brand of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. SAP provides a centralized platform for businesses to manage key aspects of operations, from finances to procurement to manufacturing.
But such a powerful tool comes at a cost. It can be daunting to navigate the complexity of the SAP environment. High maintenance and implementation overheads strain your budget and divert precious time from your internal staff, hindering their focus on core business functions.
So, how can you get more value from your ERP solution without paying a fortune for support? Third-party support can help.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about SAP consulting services, including how to look for the right provider.
Why consider SAP consulting services?
Businesses should consider using SAP consulting services for the following reasons:
Deep technical knowledge
SAP consultants have specialized expertise in the SAP environment, including its constituent modules such as Financials, CRM, HR, and Supply Chain. Having a team with the right technical know-how ensures streamlined operations, as well as proper system implementation from the get-go, saving time and resources in the long run.
Competitive advantage
SAP experts can help businesses identify and implement new SAP functionalities or modules that may give them a competitive edge. By optimizing existing workflows and introducing new capabilities, consultants can enable businesses to operate more efficiently and effectively in the market.
Reduced risk
The expertise of an SAP consultant can help businesses avoid costly mistakes. Ongoing maintenance and proactive security efforts keep your system running without downtime. Expert consultants provide risk mitigation during implementation by ensuring your system is configured correctly from the get-go, which helps avoid future issues like data corruption or functional inefficiencies.
Operational efficiency
SAP consultants can help fine-tune the SAP system to better align with a company’s operational goals, thereby improving efficiency. This might involve optimizing workflows, automating repetitive tasks, or integrating the SAP software with other business applications. In the long run, these improvements can translate into significant cost savings.
Speed of implementation
Implementation is a massive, infrequent undertaking, which means in-house teams can easily find themselves in over their heads. SAP consulting providers bring a wealth of experience from similar projects, which can significantly accelerate the implementation process. Faster implementation saves time and reduces the overhead costs associated with a protracted project.
Ongoing support and optimization
Ongoing support ensures that your systems stay up-to-date and continue meeting your business requirements. SAP consultants can provide assistance with regular upgrades, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring the organization gets the most out of its investment.
Training and skill development
SAP consulting services often include comprehensive training programs designed to quickly get employees up to speed. They also offer valuable tips, tricks, shortcuts, and best practices, empowering employees to use the system more effectively.
Cost Savings
An effective third-party provider can often deliver higher-quality services at a fraction of the cost of in-house or vendor-supplied options. For example, Spinnaker Support saves users an average of 62% on SAP support costs compared to paying for vendor support directly.
Overview of the different types of SAP consulting services
SAP third-party support companies provide a wide range of solutions designed to meet the needs of companies across many varied industries. Here are some of the SAP consulting services businesses can employ:
Break/fix services
Break/fix services provide essential troubleshooting for the primary challenges organizations confront in their SAP ecosystems. When operational hiccups occur, SAP consultants step in to provide expert solutions.
Break/fix services can address a broad spectrum of problems ranging from errors in custom code to data handling issues to configuring integrations between multiple enterprise applications. SAP consultants offer a targeted approach shaped by the nature of the problem and the design of the ERP system.
The objective of break/fix services isn’t merely to solve the immediate issue but to enhance overall system stability and performance. They ensure that an organization’s investment in SAP continues to yield optimal returns.
Global tax and regulatory compliance
In an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, SAP consulting service providers play a vital role in risk mitigation through their global tax and regulatory compliance (GTRC) services.
SAP consultants provide timely GTRC service by staying abreast of changes in the volatile regulatory environment, applying crucial updates, and making needed configuration changes. These services are used proactively to keep organizations one step ahead of the ever-changing tax codes and government regulations.
However, if your company ever finds itself in a reactive stance, SAP consulting services can also be brought in to help you bring your nonconforming systems back into compliance as soon as possible, helping you minimize any potential fees or legal repercussions.
By outsourcing GTRC worries to a trusted third party, organizations can have peace of mind knowing that their SAP systems comply with the latest regulations, which frees up more time for focusing on core business objectives.
Security and vulnerability management
Expert consultants proactively track and prevent threats to safeguard the organizations SAP systems. Security and vulnerability management efforts are tailored to address the unique security needs arising from your company’s particular implementation of its ERP.
These security services identify and remediate vulnerabilities as needed, but they also go beyond this by proactively implementing measures to mitigate potential future cyber threats as well. This service aims to create a robust security posture that aligns with the organization’s specific SAP applications and configurations.
Such an approach ensures both data integrity and operational continuity, so you can avoid costly incidents of data breaches or downtime.
Technical advisory services
Technical advisory services form a crucial subset of SAP consulting services that aim to guide organizations to their ideal path through a complex technical landscape. Staffed by experienced SAP specialists, these services offer impartial insights into cloud migration strategies and interoperability planning, among other technical issues.
Such guidance is invaluable, especially when an organization is at a crossroads concerning technological advancements or architectural shifts. Reputable service providers further distinguish themselves by granting clients access to an extensive network of technical expertise, ensuring not just one-off solutions but ongoing support and knowledge sharing.
This system creates a foundation for sustainable, long-term success in managing and optimizing SAP environments.
General inquiry and advisory
General inquiry and advisory services provide organizations with targeted advice and answers to their questions about SAP. This service covers a wide range of inquiries concerning SAP functionalities and configurations — anything from initial system setup to optimization strategies to major decisions around system migrations and version upgrades.
Experts in this realm have a comprehensive understanding of SAP solutions and are well-equipped to guide organizations with this expertise. This solution aims to empower clients with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and make the most of their investments in their SAP systems.
Archiving services
Archiving services offer specialized support for organizations transitioning to third-party support structures. Recognizing that any shift away from a native or existing platform can be fraught with complications, these solutions aim to streamline the process, making it both easy and organized.
The SAP consulting service providers leverage their in-depth expertise to carefully evaluate the existing data and operational landscapes. They then formulate and implement archiving strategies to maintain data integrity and compliance throughout the transition.
This service is designed to make the shift seamless, thus safeguarding operational continuity and minimizing potential disruptions.
What to look for in an SAP consulting service provider
Here are some key factors to consider when evaluating a potential SAP consulting service provider:
Solid track record
A service provider with a consistent history of successful SAP implementations has already proven they have the experience and expertise to get the job done.
You want a partner that has traversed the complex landscape of SAP, be it rollouts, migrations, or upgrades. Companies like Spinnaker Support are experts in swiftly developing and applying lasting solutions that reduce the time and expense needed for implementations.
Extensive SAP coverage
A competent SAP consulting service provider should be well-versed in a wide array of SAP’s offerings, such as ECC6, S/4HANA Cloud, S/4HANA on-prem, and SAP Business ByDesign.
With a given platform, your consultant should have expertise in any and all modules your business relies on. SAP is a multi-faceted platform that covers a myriad of subsystems, from finance (SAP FICO) to human resources (SAP HR) and everything in between. Selecting an experienced provider whose coverage extends over all these domains is crucial ensure you receive thorough, unified support throughout your entire SAP landscape.
And if your business relies on multiple enterprise software products, you could stand to benefit even more by choosing a provider with a comprehensive skill set. For example, Spinnaker Support offers expert third party services for SAP, Oracle, Microsoft SQL and Salesforce all under one roof, so you can streamline operations and save money by using a single provider instead of maintaining multiple separate vendor contracts.
In-depth expertise
Having a wide range of services is important, but depth of expertise is equally critical. The SAP ecosystem is complex and ever-changing. Hence, a competent SAP consulting partner should have deep technical and business knowledge about how SAP integrates with your specific industry requirements.
Look for certifications, years of experience, and a complex SAP implementation portfolio. Spinnaker Support has a team of level 2 and 3 engineers with an average of 20 years of product experience. Meanwhile, their level 4 specialists are available to handle more complex issues when required.
Strong project management skills
An SAP implementation is a multi-layered, resource-intensive project that requires rigorous management. Strong project management skills are not just an asset but a necessity in a competent SAP consulting service provider. They should be adept at crafting a realistic timeline, setting achievable milestones, and allocating resources efficiently.
Providers like Spinnaker Support can implement a customized framework to keep projects on track while ensuring an organization’s SAP implementation aligns with their objectives.
Clear communications
Effective communication is often the unsung hero of any successful SAP implementation. Your consulting service provider should be capable of articulating complex technical processes in terms that your internal team can understand. This means regular updates, transparent reporting, and a structured communication hierarchy.
The aim is to ensure that all stakeholders, from top management to operational teams, are on the same page. This harmonizes expectations and allows for informed decision-making.
Advanced monitoring
Lastly, advanced monitoring capabilities are essential. Implementing SAP is not a ‘set and forget’ exercise. It requires ongoing oversight to ensure optimal performance.
A superior SAP consulting service provider should offer comprehensive monitoring services, including real-time analytics, performance metrics, and issue tracking. This ensures that any bottlenecks or issues are identified and resolved promptly to reduce downtime while improving productivity.
Spinnaker Support case studies
The following are some examples of companies that Spinnaker Support has helped become more successful:
Dunn-Edwards
Dunn-Edwards sought to optimize their SAP software support for better value and quality. After evaluating options, the company chose Spinnaker Support due to its customer-centric approach, global reach, and deep SAP expertise.
Spinnaker Support provided Dunn-Edwards with prompt, customized solutions, including break-fixes for standard and custom code, general inquiries, and updates on tax and regulations. The partnership has yielded efficient and consistent responses and a deep mutual understanding of Dunn-Edwards’ unique SAP environment.
The cost savings have allowed Dunn-Edwards to plan a future cloud migration, aligning with their long-term strategic initiatives.
Exela Technologies
Faced with the challenge of reducing SAP support costs while maintaining quality service, Exela Technologies turned to Spinnaker Support as an alternative to traditional SAP support. Spinnaker Support provided a dedicated team of experts who familiarized themselves with Exela’s unique SAP ecosystem, achieving an immediate 60% cost savings for the company.
Support included resolving a wide range of issues, assisting with server migrations, and even offering project consulting services. Exela was impressed by Spinnaker Support’s responsiveness, often receiving a reply within 30 minutes for high-priority concerns.
The partnership has been so successful that Exela plans to continue with Spinnaker Support for their SAP needs indefinitely.
Autodesk
Dissatisfied with SAP’s high-cost and low-value support, Autodesk opted for Spinnaker Support to enhance its SAP application maintenance. Since becoming a Spinnaker customer in late 2016, Autodesk has enjoyed responsive, efficient support, including customized patches for their specific SAP environment.
The switch to Spinnaker has resulted in significant cost savings, which Autodesk has reinvested into the company. This has led to a strong, long-term partnership between the two entities, with Autodesk even considering expanding Spinnaker Support’s role through additional consulting projects.
Both teams have developed a deep mutual understanding of Autodesk’s SAP applications and integration points.
Conclusion
SAP is arguably the most powerful ERP software available today, but many organizations fail to make the most of its potential on their own, and SAP’s first-party support often proves to be too costly, with less than stellar results.
That’s why companies like Spinnaker Support are available to provide SAP consulting services that are both technically effective and cost-efficient. These service providers can provide ongoing support based on their in-depth experience and expertise in SAP products.
Spinnaker Support stands out as the best option for third-party SAP support. We can empower you to make software decisions tailored to your business initiatives.
Start leveraging smarter, simpler, and more secure ERP support and managed services today. Contact Spinnaker Support to speak with an IT business expert.
