Join Hands with Partners to Serve Small and Midsize Businesses
Beijing — SAP today presented “SAP Business One Sales and Service Partner’s Certificate” to its partners in the Chinese SMB market, at the product launch event of SAP Business One Chinese version themed “Illuminating a New World of SMB Informatization” held today.
Technical cooperation partners on the SAP Business One Chinese version include Intel and Microsoft, which are also SAP global strategic partners. These partners have been devoted for some time now to the establishment of an integrated business concept, combining technology and business to provide a complete solution platform for enterprise users. The platform aims to assist enterprises in understanding and realizing maximum return on investment.
Initial sales and service partners for the SAP Business One Chinese version include Sparkice Inc., Youngsoft and Tsinghua Unisplendour Corporation Limited, they are also the general distributors of SAP Business One Chinese version in China and serve as the bridge between SAP and end users. In addition to these partners, SAP will develop partnerships at two other levels – namely solution centers and independent software vendors. It is SAP’s hope that via these three partnership programs, it will establish a complete distribution and service system for its Chinese version software.
Following the debut of SMBs’ strategy in July 2002, SAP announced mySAP All-in-One Smart Business Solutions via the Internet on May 26, 2003. The greatest feature of mySAP All-in-One is that SAP does not directly launch related products, rather its experienced Chinese partners and Chinese consulting companies launch the products and deliver value-added development. Therefore traditional, behind-the-screen management consulting companies will come to the fore and make use of their rich industry and management experience. As a result, SAP’s technology platform will be more capable of implementing value-added development can develop an industry-specific application solution for SMBs.
The existing partners of mySAP All-in-One include Covics Business Solution Ltd. (auto parts, pharmaceuticals, distribution, etc.), Digital China (distribution, etc.)、EA Consulting (education industry, etc.), Hand Enterprise Solutions Company Ltd. (machine building, engineering, etc.), Hartung Consult (pharmaceuticals, etc.), Union Trust-Meida (service industry, high-tech, etc.), Neusoft Group (electronic, machine building, etc.), NovaSoft (retailing, etc.), PreVision (electronics, etc.), Atos Origin China (pharmaceuticals, etc) and Rentong Technology (manufacturing of consumer goods, etc.).
SAP employs channel partners to distribute products in the SMBs market for two reasons: the first being that SAP prefers to focus time and energy on product R&D and services, entrusting sales service to its partners by providing methods and instruments only; the second being that channel partners are specialized and can utilize their extensive experience in certain industries. SAP’s channel strategy is not hampered by the limitations of industry and specialty, and channel distributors are more capable of providing solutions to SMBs problems.
According to SAP’s channel strategy for the SMBs market, users need to purchase solutions from SAP channel partners. Firstly, SMBs find the suitable SAP channel partner in the industry they are engaged in. The channel partner then takes into consideration the needs of the enterprise then delivers the “the best business practices” options available from SAP solutions. The enterprise then makes its choice. The process is that simple.
SAP adheres to a strict selection process for Smart Business Solutions channel partners. Firstly, the partners must develop products, undergoing a process of re-packaging and pre-packaging the products. During this stage it is crucial that the product is tested by a genuine enterprise user, in order to prove the feasibility of the solution. Next, the partners must establish their own implementation systems as they are responsible for first-line services provided to users. SAP is responsible for second-line services. Finally, the partners must establish a marketing framework.
