How to maximize success with SAP software: The secret to achieving higher performance and better outcomes.
For more than 20 years thousands of major organizations around the world have been implementing SAP to transform their businesses. And to run it better, as a result.
The cycle continues today with the release of SAP S/4HANA.?
However, despite the millions spent, we still see reports of SAP user frustration and varying degrees of implementation success.
Why is it happening and what are the solutions??
Let’s dive into the key areas you must get right to massively increase your chance of success with SAP S/4HANA.
Strong project management
Too many companies treat SAP programs as IT projects. This is a mistake. It is vital to consider your SAP investment as a long-term journey rather than a rush to go live.
A mature SAP program manager is a business-side person or an experienced independent who can drive the program as a business transformation and not simply an IT implementation.
This is a person focused on successful implementation, business case, and long-term deployment simultaneously.
Embedded business case
Keep in mind: the ultimate measure of SAP success is achieving the business case.?
Too many SAP programs lose sight of their business case and the measurable process improvements that drive success.
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You shall create a robust business case for your SAP programs with clear assumptions, and metrics with a stated level of baseline performance. And keep it visible through the program and beyond.
Connected strategy?
Another strategically important point. You shall connect your SAP programs and ongoing SAP roadmap with your strategy and everybody’s effort.
The further down the chain people are, the less likely they are to join the dots between their role and your business strategy.
Solution standardization
SAP is essentially a box of time-tested, refined by the best German engineers' practice business processes.
If you think that your home-spun processes are better because you’ve always done things this way, SAP might not be the best choice.
Some processes are important to your competitive advantage or operational effectiveness. But most are pretty stock in reality. Standardize commodity processes and customize for the critical ones that matter.
High adoption focus
All things being equal, if you’re looking to achieve real business results from your SAP system, adoption is the only thing that matters.
If business people don’t fall in love with the tools they use to do their jobs, how can you expect them to work in a new way that drives fundamental business change??