April 17, 2012
Tech skills not enough with SAP implementation partners, expert says
Software implementation projects are just as likely to fail when there's no cultural fit between the client and the SAP implementation provider as they are when the provider doesn't have the right technical expertise, according to one industry observer.
"For all the talk of assets and methodologies and frameworks, in the end, it's a people business," said Susan Tan, an analyst with Gartner Inc., based in Stamford, Conn.
Once a business has gone through a formal selection process and narrowed its choices down to a few providers, largely on the basis of technical know-how, it typically considers the providers equal when it comes to implementing the software.
But the business is never sure which of the finalists will better be able to work with its organization to ensure a smooth program delivery, according to Tan. She has developed eight criteria companies can use to evaluate providers on those "soft issues," such as customers service, work style and communication issues, among others.
Those skills are especially important when dealing with larger deployments, such as those involving SAP applications, she said.
"SAP projects are typically fairly long, very complex and have a lot of stakeholders involved," Tan added. "So having that chemistry with a provider that can work with the internal team is a very important factor."
"For all the talk of assets and methodologies and frameworks, in the end, it's a people business," said Susan Tan, an analyst with Gartner Inc., based in Stamford, Conn.
Once a business has gone through a formal selection process and narrowed its choices down to a few providers, largely on the basis of technical know-how, it typically considers the providers equal when it comes to implementing the software.
But the business is never sure which of the finalists will better be able to work with its organization to ensure a smooth program delivery, according to Tan. She has developed eight criteria companies can use to evaluate providers on those "soft issues," such as customers service, work style and communication issues, among others.
Those skills are especially important when dealing with larger deployments, such as those involving SAP applications, she said.
"SAP projects are typically fairly long, very complex and have a lot of stakeholders involved," Tan added. "So having that chemistry with a provider that can work with the internal team is a very important factor."