If you think that enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions are just for the big guys, think again.
The idea of using ERP software to improve efficiency and productivity to operate more competitively still seems out of reach for some small or midsize businesses (SMBs). But ERP has come a long way and SAP and its partners have an answer in providing fixed-scope and fixed-price solutions for SMBs with SAP-qualified partner-packaged solutions.
What is an SAP-qualified partner-packaged solution? It is an SAP ERP solution that is developed by an SAP partner with its intellectual property (IP) and industry expertise that is evaluated and tested for optimized integration with SAP technologies. These solutions offer a high level of transparency, and implementation is often done in weeks rather than months.
The benefit of choosing an SAP-qualified partner-packaged solution is the ability to take advantage of SAP partner expertise. All over the world, SAP partners are helping their customers overcome challenges, optimize processes, deliver better customer experiences, and improve the bottom line.
SAP partners have developed more than 1,100 SAP-qualified partner-packaged solutions in all sorts of industries, in more than 55 countries, and in 12 languages. An SAP-qualified partner-packaged solution provides a solution that meets business needs today and will continue to meet needs in the future as a business grows.
Four Reasons to Consider These SMB Solutions
1. Industry Tailored
A partner-packaged solution eliminates having to start from scratch. For example, Brazil-based SAP partner Essence IT developed a partner-packaged solution for businesses in the engineering, construction and operations industry. The Essence IT team added its IP to create SAP solutions that address the unique needs of this industry.
“Implementation time and prices have decreased with partner-packaged solutions because it’s not necessary to reinvent the wheel for each new project.”
– Guilherme Joventino, sales director at Essence IT
2. Lower Risk
Partner-packaged solutions lower risk for businesses by providing a solution that can adapt and scale. There is no need to overbuy or overbuild today to be able to anticipate changes that may occur in the future.
Canada-based VistaVu Solutions developed packaged solutions using its FieldVu solution for businesses in industries including life sciences, field services, industrial machinery and components, high-tech manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and food and beverage. VistaVu’s partner-packaged solutions enable companies total project management and monitoring capabilities from contracts to field ticketing, labor, billing, and payroll.
VistaVu CEO Jory Lamb said the functionality the solutions offer, along with the options to adapt or expand in the future, make them more attractive for clients: “Packaged solutions give them a low-risk, simplified way to see value, to make a small investment. As the company grows, the package grows and their product grows.”
3. Full Transparency
With SAP-qualified partner-packaged solutions, companies are purchasing an end-to-end product, allowing prospects to see exactly what their investment will provide and the benefits it can offer their customers.
Javier Esteve, vice president of North America Sales at SAP Partner Dintec Consulting, said partner-packaged solutions have a fixed scope, fixed price, and are easier for customers to understand.
With offices in the U.S. and Mexico, Dintec developed total solutions for omni-commerce, giving its clients a simple and effective way to engage with customers. “It creates a greater sense of ‘this is easy’ for a prospect, which makes them feel good about their decision,” Esteve shared.
4. Faster ROI
Because partner-packaged solutions are more cost-effective and start delivering value more quickly than solutions built from scratch, companies can see return on investment (ROI) faster.
Retailer FitFlop was the first UK customer to launch a partner-packaged solution from SAP partner Tacit Knowledge. “We wanted technology that presented a product in a way that was different for every market,” Denise Fender, FitFlop’s global general manager of Digital, explained. “We also needed to work in a way that was agile… Now we’re able to think in days and weeks rather than months and years.”
With Tacit’s partner-packaged solution, FitFlop saw growth faster than anticipated. “We’re two years ahead of the financial model, and we have lifted the business four times what we thought it would be,” she said.
A Solution for Your Business
To learn more about the advantages that SAP offers, explore SAP-qualified partner-packaged solutions here and find what fits your business needs.
