Syntax Systems and SAP OPC – Success Story

Some of the most common questions of IT service providers are how to increase visibility, how to enable new market opportunities, and internally how to identify opportunities to improve processes and practices to get benefits on the operational level.

The following testimony from Syntax will give us a complete vision of how the Outsourcing Partner Certifications (OPC), part of Partner Innovation Lifecycle Services (PLS) group at SAP support you on your certification journey:

Please first tell us about your company and the key services you provide

Syntax is a global IT service and cloud provider with 1,500 employees. In Europe it supports medium-sized industrial companies in their various IT challenges.

In addition to Cloud Computing, Application Management Services, Digital Manufacturing and Modern Workplace, an important focus is on a wide range of services related to SAP: Syntax offers a comprehensive range of services, from consulting and planning to implementation and operation of regional and globally distributed SAP landscapes. Syntax shows its customers the way to SAP S/4HANA, helps them with the digital transformation by SAP in Industrial IoT and provides consulting on the operation of SAP in the cloud, whether private, public or hybrid.

Syntax brings many years of experience in SAP services to the table. Until 2019, the company operated in Europe, the USA and China under the name Freudenberg IT. Last year, the company was acquired by the Canadian IT service provider Syntax.

Syntax supports the digitalization of its customers from “Top Floor to Shop Floor” in an increasingly complex world of new technologies. Regardless of whether it is Cloud, SAP HANA, data analysis, mobility, IoT, or the next “Big Thing”: Syntax customers can count on their IT service provider to help them find out what they really need, when they need it, and most importantly, how they can get the most out of their IT investments today and tomorrow.

 What has been your experience with SAP so far?

• We already have a very long partnership with SAP. We can really say that it is a very close and co-operative partnership. There is a regular exchange with our contacts at SAP to discuss new topics and trends.
• We can emphasize the very co-operative collaboration with the contact persons in this environment. We have very good contacts with the product owners and the developers. If there is a problem, we have always been ensured helped.
• We currently run ~550 SAP HANA databases.
• The first SAP project was Freudenberg itself, with SAP ECC (R/2) running its own operations.
• The first external SAP hosting customer was (and still is) Fuchs Petrolub from Mannheim. that was in 1997.
• Our SAP offer has been continuously expanded:
• First mainframe SAP ECC (R/2).
• Hosting from SAP ECC (R/3). on AIX
• Introduction of SAP on Linux
• Introduction of cloud solutions from SAP (on-premise / private cloud, public cloud, hybrid)
• FIT/Syntax was not only able to cover the basic operation, but also offer application consulting, development, and support.
• Basically, we offer a quite wide range of SAP products (usually including consulting services)
• Recently we had a remarkable success owing to one of the first implementations of SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud for execution worldwide. Here the words from Syntax CEO Europe, Ralf Sürken more info

Why did you apply for the certification program to become an SAP outsourcing operations partner?

Managed services and outsourcing have always been part of Syntax’s core business. Since the 1970s, we have operated our own data centers in North America and in Germany (in Germany still as an internal IT department of the Freudenberg Group) and hosted and managed business-critical applications. Today, this takes place in the private and increasingly in the public cloud. SAP has always been one of the key applications – and so we are certainly one of the most experienced application management services providers for SAP. The partnership between Syntax and SAP has always been very close, even before the “official” partnership.

We are known for all this in our markets. But it also makes sense to have this experience confirmed by a neutral party – which is why we decided to participate in the certification program. With the power of SAP at our side, this will of course give us even more visibility and help us to attract the attention of new customers. Especially, since the program has a global impact and thus supports our locations around the world.

Another factor that should not be underestimated is that a program like this also brings critical feedback to light – in other words, we wanted to have our performance tested externally to identify potential for optimization.

How has the certification helped you with service improvement?

During the audit, many areas are analyzed. The result of the audit is a detailed report, in which the strengths and weaknesses are listed.

The report also contains a priority list for possible improvements which gives a great overview of the company’s performance and enables future service improvements in a targeted manner

How has your journey been through the process of receiving your outsourcing operations certification? Describe the evolution of your certifications, how many years you’ve been certified, and so on.

We have been participating in the OPC program since 2002 (Germany since 2002, USA since 2005, China and thus globally since 2006). Over the years, we have continually expanded the scope and added further certifications e.g. SAP cloud and infrastructure operations, SAP HANA operations, SAP hosting operations and also SAP Business Suite solutions operations, SAP S/4HANA solutions operations,

 Jesus Martinez, VP Operations, Syntax Systems:

“We’ve been working with SAP for a very long time. Since our early days, we developed a very close and co-operative partnership with SAP – benefitting both companies. Due to our regular exchange with our contacts at SAP we’re among the first to know and discuss innovations and upcoming trends. That, of course, is a huge benefit for our customers. Syntax offers a comprehensive range of services, from consulting and planning to implementation and operation of regional and globally distributed SAP landscapes. Being a certified SAP outsourcing operations partner is very important to us; it is one of several proof points to customers, that we are one of the elite, best-in-class service providers offering comprehensive SAP services, and demonstrating our knowhow in regards to the cloud and SAP. This certification also reassures our customers that their SAP system is in good hands at Syntax.”

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