Finding and Selecting SAP S/4HANA Project Partners
When an organization decides to embrace SAP S/4HANA, business and technology leaders often consider whether they need partner expertise and whether that could be beneficial. There are many factors to consider, sometimes even before a final decision. Because you’re exploring this component, you’re likely interested in the search for and selection of a partner that will help you save time and money, solve problems, supplement expertise, accelerate outcomes, and gain valuable experience and outside-in perspectives. While you’ll receive much more in the material that follows, here’s a brief introduction to Finding and Selecting Partners.
When to Start Looking
In short, start a partner search as early as possible, accounting for the area(s) of focus, scope, and the envisioned stage(s) for partner collaboration. Set a search-and-selection timetable. Gaining recommendations on best-fit partners based on the scope of work and timetable is just as important as finding partner(s) aligned with your organization’s values and culture. “Chemistry is essential to the journey,” noted Kimberley Reid, VP, U.S. SAP Solutions, Hitachi Vantara. “It helps when the tough conversations surface to have good relationships at the start based on trust.”
With multi-partner SAP S/4HANA projects, a prime partner—like a prime contractor in homebuilding—can help to coordinate and establish an overarching methodology and structure for customer success.
What Partners Can Do
With an SAP S/4HANA project, you seek to reduce risk, to optimize investment, and to deliver improved technology, processes, and business results—efficiently and effectively. A partner can help make that happen, with observations, recommendations, and expertise applied from the start of planning to the finish of implementation, or in specific areas (i.e., business planning, technology selection, business function/departments, etc.). Partners can take on roles to help reduce the burden on business and IT; they can increase stakeholder engagement and aid in executive leadership alignment.
Qualified partners receive training and insights through the SAP PartnerEdge® network to best advise customers on SAP S/4HANA. Partners add expertise and experience. They can add a competitive edge to your core-solution architecture planning, project planning, process design/redesign, configuration, integration, data migration strategies, training, communications, change management, cutover planning, go-live, debrief analyses, and more.
Partners can become more deeply involved as licensing analysis specialists, in developing automated and performance testing, and in focused automated code remediation or selective data migration, in the case of upgrades, among other tasks.
Search and Selection
There are several ways to research and achieve a short list of potential partners. SAP provides partner referrals in certain industries and project types. SAP digital resources and communications highlight partner projects and experience. ASUG customer stories, case studies, events, and partner points of view can surface potential collaborators. SAP certifies RISE with SAP partners. And, through a search of general and specialized partner sites and industry/market competitors, you’ll start building a list of who’s who and who did what.
In addition to traditional RFI and RFQ activities, pre-selection activities could include: contacting ASUG peers for information and opinions; in-depth reference checks; customer testimonials; webcast attendance; insights from SAP regarding strengths, skills, and project compatibility and expectations; and initial relationship development through pre-project discovery. Become comfortable with potential partners’ resources, reputation, and proven track records.
Successful Partnerships
There’s much more to learn and absorb about finding and selecting partners in the stories and experiences that follow. At minimum, be sure you select a partner that has:
- Business skills: Understands your business, industry, priorities, risks, budget, timetable, and goals
- Technology skills: SAP S/4HANA depth and breadth; other SAP or third-party system expertise
- Soft skills: Accountability, adaptability, flexibility, change management, collaboration, communications, listening, and diplomacy