Businesses can make a tremendous leap by swapping their old business system for the new generation of ERP solutions from SAP S/4HANA. Compare it to your old Nokia and a brand-new smartphone. Yes, you can still make calls with such an old phone. At the same time, you’re standing still while the rest of the world benefits from the boundless convenience that smartphones offer. The same applies to your business system.
Fifteen years ago, Apple introduced the iPhone. That launch completely changed the concept of a ‘phone’. What used to be a device for making calls, occasionally sending SMS, and playing Snake, became a gateway to a new world of convenience, productivity, and entertainment. Where the Nokia 6610 was commonplace on June 28, 2007, that same device was completely outdated after Steve Jobs’ unforgettable keynote at the MacWorld Conference & Expo the next day. Can you imagine a world without smartphones now?
In the business world, something similar happened when SAP introduced a new generation of ERP solutions under the name S/4HANA. I regularly speak with businesses owners who have already made the transition to this new system. They confirm that the difference between our next-gen ERP system and their old business system is as significant as the difference between their old mobile phone and a smartphone. Think about it… Didn’t you think you didn’t need a smartphone? Until you got that new smartphone… Two weeks later, you never wanted to be without it.
In 2023, we will host a series where you can see SAP S/4HANA live in action! These SAP Discovery Days offer actionable insights and hands-on experiences.
R/3 and ECC are over twenty years old
It’s somewhat understandable that businesses prefer to stick with their old, trusted ERP solutions. SAP has been a leader in the field of business software since the 1970s. SAP ECC, also used by many small and medium-sized businesses, was introduced at the beginning of this century. That system is based on SAP R/3, which dates back to the 1990s. ECC is now fully developed and forms the backbone of hundreds of customers in the Dutch mid-market segment. Yes, ECC does exactly what it’s supposed to do, just like your classic Nokia 6610. But innovation is difficult. New business models, innovations, smart integrations, cloud, speed, optimal user experience; it’s all getting increasingly complex. And that’s quite challenging in times when changes occur faster than light, and both customers and employees expect a seamless, modern experience. Times when new names can wipe out competition in the blink of an eye. Standing still is going backward, even when it comes to our own ERP solutions, no matter how proud we may be of them.
Five reasons to switch to S/4HANA
Why should small and medium-sized businesses switch to SAP S/4HANA? Simply, you’re short-changing yourself if you don’t. SAP S/4HANA is a brand-new platform that offers so much more. Let me give you a few examples.
1. More convenience than ever
You interact with the software in a completely new way. Software is not transaction-oriented but shows you the exceptions. The shipment that takes too long. The invoice that doesn’t match the quote. The system directs your attention to matters that truly deserve your attention. And that applies not only to you but to every user. Imagine how this would change your work and that of your colleagues.
2. Analyses and insights at your fingertips
SAP S/4HANA provides standard analyses and insights that help you make better-informed decisions. All day long. Not in a separate environment, but in the screens you use daily. Information is directly retrieved, analyzed, and displayed from the system. You tell me: with which insights could you do your work faster and better?
3. AI and Machine Learning, at your service
SAP S/4HANA uses smart, self-learning technology to make your life and that of other users much easier. So the system takes more and more simple, administrative, repetitive tasks out of users’ hands. How much time would you save if you could delegate repetitive tasks to SAP S/4HANA?
4. More possibilities than you can imagine
With SAP S/4HANA, you get a tremendous amount of new features and functions. They come standard, without any extra effort. For example, do you want to quickly introduce a new business model based on subscriptions? No problem. With SAP S/4HANA, it’s easily arranged. How do you want to boost your business?
5. Completely in the cloud with SAP S/4HANA
With S/4HANA, you say goodbye to servers in your office or at your IT partner. Our next-gen ERP solution runs in the cloud, and you can access it on your phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop, whichever you prefer. All you need is an internet connection to run your business anywhere, anytime. So tell me: how do you want to work?
Switching to SAP S/4HANA is easy
Switching to a next-gen ERP solution is actually a no-brainer. After all, you don’t use that old Nokia anymore. By now, we have migrated countless small and medium-sized businesses worldwide to SAP S/4HANA. What we see in these companies is that IT has become a real driver of innovation. And you don’t even have to do much for that. We have developed a method to bring small and medium-sized businesses to S/4 at the right pace, safely and controlled. We call it RISE with SAP – Business Transformation as a Service. This way, we help you and your colleagues transition from your old system to the smartphone of ERP systems without too much effort and hassle.
