October 7, 2022
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When it comes to enterprise software support, many businesses continue to depend on their original vendor for maintenance services. However, how beneficial are these agreements to business innovation and return on investment? Do they really offer you the support your enterprise needs? With the costs of maintenance contracts and software upgrades quickly escalating, many companies are now seeking SAP support from third-party vendors.
Independent service providers offer expert support at more affordable rates than the software vendors themselves. What’s more, third-party providers give companies greater control over their own technology and strategic roadmap. Working with an independent partner is critical for cutting expenses, getting top-notch support, and planning for future modernization and growth.
Support agreements entitle businesses to receive operational assistance, fixes, patches, and minor updates when needed. But how do you avoid spending more than really necessary, or even cut down on what you currently pay your software vendor?
First, think about how often you need SAP support for your locally installed apps. Then consider how reliable that service is, and whether it justifies what you’re paying every year for licensing.
Software support licenses are automatically renewed on an annual basis. However, five years is typically the maximum. When this time is up, software users may opt for an extension of that support—typically limited to a couple of years. Thereafter, you’ll need to upgrade to qualify for vendor assistance.
SAP recently announced a 3.3% rate increase for support agreements. For some companies, the input they receive doesn’t warrant the costs. Further, upgrading can be disruptive as well as expensive. However, simply opting out leaves you with no help for updates, patches, or support for custom code. As a result, many businesses are switching to independent providers to manage their existing software needs.
Third-party SAP support allows businesses to continue using their legacy platforms without compromising efficiency and productivity. Providers can also contribute toward managing IT infrastructure—the backbone of your SAP solution—by ensuring maximum uptime and availability. By making full use of independent service providers, IT concerns are minimized and internal staff can focus on higher-priority strategic items. In addition, your annual software support budget will be dramatically reduced.
Third-party SAP support helps IT departments handle the constant demands of innovation and digital transformation. As many of these developments happen outside the central SAP infrastructure, the spotlight is currently on independent providers to supply solutions and manage complex tasks that are beyond the standard scope of the SAP support agreement.
Technology and Business Support
Independent software support vendors offer around-the-clock security services. This includes threat detection and response, endpoint security of network devices, patching vulnerabilities, and predictive analytics to catch problems before they arise.
Disasters such as floods, fires, technological failures, power outages, or cyberattacks disrupt normal business operations. The impact of interrupted service can have a devastating impact on revenue—not to mention reputational damage. As such, the support of an experienced independent vendor is essential.
Third-party software support ensures the correct infrastructure is in place to safeguard against disasters and minimize downtime. As more companies move to the cloud, it is becoming increasingly important to have a partner that can support these migrations. A best-in-class provider has experience in creating cloud strategies for SAP implementation. In addition, they’re able to offer application hosting on popular cloud platforms such as Azure or AWS.
Navigating software migration is a complex process for any business. Support vendors have procedures and best practices in place to guide these requirements. Third-party vendors can also help in managing the constantly evolving regulatory and compliance environment.
IT executives are under pressure to innovate and prioritize digital transformation through cloud migrations. However, aligning your company’s business plan with these goals requires a detailed plan of action.
When you’re focused on developing a long-term strategy, it’s unlikely that the software vendors’ roadmap will sync with your business roadmap. In addition, adopting their strategic plan is rarely a good idea for most companies. Why? Because their SAP support plan involves upgrades, new modules, or even a complete software overhaul—all of which could disrupt your company’s operations. Given these outcomes, many businesses feel pressured to follow the vendor’s roadmap or risk losing support.
Independent support providers can relieve this pressure by helping to bridge the gap between the software vendor’s roadmap and your business goals. With third-party support, it’s possible to develop a business plan that gives companies greater control over their IT strategy while also considering their future SAP needs.
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Key metrics from 2021 indicate that companies spend up to 90% of their IT budgets on ongoing operational expenditures and enhancements. This leaves a mere 10% to invest in innovation. Working with third-party software support allows companies to reduce those costs, releasing funds to be reinvested into the business.
With an independent provider on your team, you’ll get more comprehensive software services support than you would from your original SAP provider. And not only that. A third-party support vendor also helps in formulating a strategy that balances your company’s objectives with technological requirements focused on you and not the SW.
When looking for SAP support, it’s important to choose a provider like Approyo, with extensive experience and notable expertise in the field. Approyo operates certified SAP environments, has scalable and reliable systems, and deploys a team of global experts to handle all your SAP support needs.
Research shows Approyo provides full SAP service technology with extensive capabilities in hosting and managed services, upgrades, and migrations for customers, running any SAP-supported core functionality. Look into how they can help optimize your software support environment. Contact one of their SAP support experts today.
