How to Choose the Right SAP Vendor For Your Long Term Support

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SAP development applications are the core of every enterprise’s ecosystem. SAP software streamlines business processes and provides greater control and insight over your business, combining core business functions (such as customer relationship management, procurement, sales, logistics, and finance) into one system. But keeping these critical functions operational requires expert support from an SAP vendor.

Choosing the right vendor gives you peace of mind that your systems remain operational—and that you’ll get the support you need should something go wrong. But how do you know you’ve picked the right partner? There are so many mistakes a company could make when evaluating providers; mistakes that, if left to fester, can prove as costly as the product itself.

Why does choosing the right SAP vendor matter? And what should you look for? Let’s explore.

Security is a Priority When Choosing an SAP Vendor

Cybercrime increased by 600% during the COVID-19 pandemic—and every one of those attacks costs a business dearly. Cybersecurity Ventures expects cybercrime costs to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Add to that the damage these attacks cause to a business's reputation, and it’s clear that there's a lot at stake.

When selecting an SAP vendor, look for a vendor who can evaluate vulnerabilities, create and execute security strategies, and safeguard data throughout its lifecycle as part of its SAP managed services. The provider should address security at all levels, including the infrastructure, network, operating system, and database. The vendor should also provide:

• Fraud detection
• Protection against unauthorized access
• Continuous and automated audits
• Data leak detection
• Centralized monitoring

Choose an SAP Vendor with a High Level of Expertise

When selecting an SAP vendor you want a partner who understands your business. It’s easy to focus on just the software—but ignoring business needs leads to frustration, wasted resources, and a solution that doesn’t deliver.

A vendor who takes the time to understand your business and industry becomes a partner and advisor. They can plan ahead to help address challenges before they grow into crises. The company you choose should also have a lengthy history of time in the market, with several SAP implementations in their portfolio such as SAP ECC, SAP HANA, and SAP S/4HANA

The right SAP vendor will have an established and proven methodology for implementing your solution. Following a clearly-established methodology helps you stick to clear markers on your path to implementation.

Client success stories and case studies are the perfect way to evaluate a vendor’s expertise. The vendor should have a bevy of case studies and client success stories to share—ask for studies of companies in the same industry and size as yours. This will give, you a better idea if they understand what it takes to help you succeed.

But the most important factor to consider is whether your vendor is SAP Partner Center of Expertise (PCoE) accredited. Attaining this certification involves a rigorous process to validate that the vendor has the right level of knowledge, expertise, and infrastructure to deliver high-quality SAP support. The certification is mandatory for any company that provides SAP support, and requires examination of a vendor’s:

• Processes: The vendor must provide documents such as support agreements, customer user guides, escalation processes, and incident escalation procedures.
• Infrastructure: The vendor must establish a support hotline.
• People: The vendor must prove they have enough people to ensure seamless delivery.

Flexibility for a Solution More Fit to Your Needs

Every business is unique and will have its own specific customization requirements. How flexible is your potential vendor in customizing their solutions to your business? Ask about the types of services they’ve performed for companies in your industry, and customize metrics to your business. This ensures you get the insight and reporting most valuable to your company. What level of detailed customizations can they offer?

Next, ensure the vendor can continue supporting you after implementation. Ask what level of support they provide, how they provide it, and within what time frames. This information should be outlined in the service-level agreement for the project.

What’s in Your Service-Level Agreement Matters A LOT

A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract between the SAP vendor and the customer that outlines service expectations. The agreement keeps everyone on the same page, in order to eliminate confusion and disputes that might delay the project. The SLA should include the following hallmarks:

• Agreement Summary: Outlines and summarizes the services, parties involved, and success KPIs
• Review Process: Establishes the schedule for check-ins to reassess the SLA
• Point of Contact: Pinpoints who to contact for specific issues
• Cancellation Conditions: A clear cancellation policy lets both parties know their rights and responsibilities for canceling
• Compensation for Unmet Goals: Your SLA is a legally binding contract—be sure the agreement outlines consequences for failing to meet goals
• Indemnification Clause: This specifies that one party is responsible for liability, damages, or losses you experience throughout the project—many providers offer this as a way to guarantee their standards of service

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Success Starts With A Trustworthy SAP Vendor

Finding the right SAP product for your business starts with a great partner—one that will guide you through the process and create a solution specific to your business. Make sure they have a proven track record of excellence in your industry along with the appropriate certifications to back it up.

And when it comes to finding that perfect SAP partner, Approyo could help. At Approyo, their primary focus is making sure that your business’ IT meets industry demands—both those of today and of tomorrow. To that end, they provide full SAP service technology, with extensive capabilities in hosting and managed services, upgrades, and migrations for our customers. they’ve helped thousands make the digital jump already.

Are you ready to level up your IT to meet the modern era? Reach out to learn how Approyo could support your SAP solutions today.

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