A popular proverb states that “Knowledge is power” and, whilst true, knowledge can become obsolete if one is not able to adapt to changes in technology, industry or consumer trends. Perhaps the former business theorist Arie de Geus said it better, back in 1988 and still holding true today, with “The ability to learn faster than your competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage.” Never has this been more apparent than in the rapidly changing world that we now live.
The pace at which today’s rapid innovations are being continuously deployed, through a shift toward cloud and the frequent release cycles, means that up-to-date skills that were once a “nice to have” are now essential in delivering valued business outcomes to customers. Now more than ever, companies are looking to new technologies for business process improvement and to enable entirely new business models, and the skills and competencies of the workforce are key success factors for a successful transformation.
A recent IDC Study forecasts that the SAP partner opportunity will expand to $260 billion by 2024. This growth is underpinned and driven by SAP Cloud growth. Through these new market opportunities, over 280,000 new consultant jobs will be created from 2020-2024. These opportunities also present challenges in ensuring workforces have the latest skills and knowledge of SAP’s cloud offerings, meaning the time is now for acquiring crucial knowledge and the certification to back it up.
Software certifications build your organization’s credibility and increase customer confidence in successful business outcomes with highly trained staff, proven to meet high professional standards, as well as providing tangible proof of your commitment to excellence.
The partner Rizing has also seen this correlation “There’s a direct correlation between professional certified consultants on a project and satisfied clients. Projects with professional certified consultants are more likely to be successful, resulting in happy and referenceable customers and the certifications are a quantifiable indicator for our SuccessFactors expertise. Being SAP experts is not just a claim we make, but we have the data to prove it”.
SAP Certifications not only heighten your organization’s reputation with a staff of trustworthy, knowledgeable experts with proven SAP capabilities, but also differentiate your organization – with existing and prospective customers, partners, and employees – with the high-quality expertise of your staff.
GP Strategies confirmed that SAP Certifications allow them to provide piece of mind to their customers that they are making the right choice with their implementation capabilities “We always staff our implementations with a professionally certified lead consultant for each SF module. This makes us stand out from the crowd and position us as the experienced and safe partner choice”.
Through differentiating with SAP Certifications, SAP Partners are also able to set themselves apart from the competition during the sales cycle. Rizing can credit recent deal closings to their certifications “Two recent sales wins with net new customers specifically called out our consultant certifications and the depth of knowledge we have in our organization as reasons for choosing us as vendor of choice. This follows a pattern of historical acknowledgement in many cycles that certification is a key differentiator.”
Certifications are not only a way to stay ahead of the competition, IT certifications also bring several benefits to attract top talent and motivate employees. Software certifications are proven to boost worker confidence, productivity, and job satisfaction as certified employees are better prepared to get the most out of software technologies, work more efficiently, and improve the business outcomes of their projects, meaning certifications are a great way to motivate your workforce to succeed by demonstrating your commitment to people and excellence.
Abeam has seen how SAP Certifications help them become first choice for their customers and in motivating and developing employees “In our experience at ABeam, the more certified consultants you employ, the more likely you will be the first choice for clients who for example want to improve their current CX solutions or start using SAP in general. Of course, ABeam in general proactively encourages us to further develop our skills and knowledge, SAP certifications can act as motivation as well as proof for that.”
One key tool SAP uses to supports its partners in preparing for an SAP Global Certification is via the SAP Learning Hub. SAP Learning Hub supports learners to build and maintain SAP solution skills with online, collaborative, hands-on, and expert-led training. Learners can start their learning experience with Learning Journeys interactive guides, with recommended paths to full solution competency, specific for the learner’s roles and goals.
SAP Learning Hub also promotes continuous learning to ensure skills stay current, which is imperative in addressing the frequent innovation releases in SAP Cloud technologies, to ensure consultants are best equipped to reach new customers and drive successful business outcomes.
With more and more people understanding the value of upskilling and certifying, learners need to stay ahead of the curve to not be left behind. Prime your organization to lead in the digital economy with a skilled and confident workforce and trusted certifications by SAP.
