Earlier this year SAP Partner Service Delivery (PSD) launched a new services portfolio comprising two levels of support for members of the PartnerEdge program who want to expand their business in alignment with SAP. The first level of support is through contact with a dedicated partner service advisor (PSA), who works with the partner to identify SAP resources, programs, and experts that can help the partner to grow its SAP business.
Interested in learning more about how PSAs assist SAP partners? Then read my latest article in SAP.info: Reaching New Markets for Mobile Apps. If you want an even more detailed look into how PSAs provide direct and personal service to SAP partners, check out The One Thing Millions of Followers Really Want – or, via Twitter, follow PSAs Hy Pailakian (@SAPPSA_Hy) and Francois Lapalme (@SAPPSA_Francois).
Beyond the valuable work that PSAs do, SAP Partner Service Delivery also has specialized resources to deliver this knowledge transfer on a technical level, making sure that partners have the tangible means to execute confidently on their SAP-aligned business strategy. This support, provided by specialists in the PSD Service Portfolio team, is delivered through targeted partner enablement initiatives that can include 1:1 focus sessions, workshops, webinars, and additional materials to enable partners to gain solution and implementation expertise in new SAP-related technologies that complement their own business strategies, such as Mobile or SAP HANA.
In my article for SAP.info, I also go into detail about one of these programs – Mobile Applications Partner Program (MAPP) – that supports partners in creating apps using the SAP Mobile Platform, getting those apps certified, and then placing them in the SAP Store. The article examines how Smartsoft, an SAP partner based in Atlanta, found out about the program through its dedicated PSA, Ryan Casey, and is now using it to raise visibility for its offering in the mobile apps market.
Through researching the article, I spoke with SAP experts who provide partner enablement support for each of SAP’s market categories. In addition to MAPP, there is also a PSD Reseller Readiness Initiative for the mobile market that educates partners about SAP mobile solutions, specifically Sybase Unwired Platform and Afaria. Partners can get familiar with these products, the path for reselling them, and how to get product authorized.
In the category of analytics, PSD offers the Demo Readiness Initiative, meant to help partners install and configure an on-premise Business Intelligence 4.0 demo environment – a real asset for customer presentations. This program is especially useful for SAP All-in-One partners who have recently become BusinessObjects partners. Delivered as a remote or on-site workshop, SAP experts walk partners through the installation and configuration of their in-house BI 4.0 demo environment. The workshop spans two days, for 4 hours each day. On-site workshops have also been held in Korea, China, and India this year with highly positive participant feedback. Ana Ebeling, the global lead for analytics within the PSD Services Portfolio team, reports that the workshops have been a success and that nearly all partners leave with their demo system set up. She says, “This highlights the value of having the demo on your notebook, which you can take with you to visit customers.” To find out more or sign up for the next workshop in your region, contact your PSA.
In the category of database & technology, PSD drives the global SAP HANA Adoption Initiative, which has already involved over 350 partners since it was launched in middle of this year. It creates awareness and transparency in 1:1 sessions about the SAP HANA portfolio, the accompanying enablement resources, and the next steps to qualifying SAP HANA rapid-deployment solutions. “This PSD initiative has already led to over 90 partners participating by having their SAP HANA rapid-deployment solutions qualified for placement and go-to-market in the SAP EcoHub, which we think will demonstrate a significant contribution to revenue in Q4,” says Frank Bunte, Global Head of PSD Service Portfolio, owner of the initiative. Another initiative in the PSD service portfolio is the Sybase Database & Technology Portfolio Enablement program, which helps existing SAP partners to better understand the Sybase product portfolio and gain more expertise to sell Sybase products.
If you are an SAP PartnerEdge member interested in finding out more about any of these programs, contact your PSA, who will gladly get you on your way to expanding your SAP business.
