In the ever-changing, dynamic realm of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Systems, Applications, and Products, or SAP, stand apart from everyone else. It is the undisputed best for driving efficiency and enacting positive growth and change in businesses across the spectrum, regardless of industry or business size.
There is, however, a big difference between having a robust SAP setup in your business and utilizing it to its maximum capabilities. Not to mention that with how varying SAP can be. There can be hundreds, if not thousands, of variations and niches in SAP implementation. Entrepreneurs will likely end up stumped trying to figure out how to get their business running with SAP. And should they make it that far, after spending a great deal to get everything spick and span, the next challenge is to achieve optimal efficiency with that shiny new system.
After all, if you invest, why not go all the way and ensure you get the maximum benefit from SAP?
This is where the roadblock comes in. Even if you manage to successfully implement SAP, which is no small feat, the next hurdle of making full use of that system is sure to stop you in your tracks. Or not. This may have been true in the past, but it’s almost 2024, and we live in an era where anything is possible.
This is where the subject of today’s discussion is: SAP staff augmentation. Whether businesses are struggling to find the right pair of hands to implement SAP in their business or cannot draw out the full potential of their SAP investment, SAP staff augmentation is the piece they have been missing to complete the picture.
Maybe you’re an entrepreneur who’s only ever heard the name SAP thrown around and wants to learn more. Or you’re looking for ways to enhance your SAP performance. Whatever the case may be, Expertise Accelerated is here to help answer those questions. So, feel free to contact us on any of our platforms. You can also book a free consultation with our CEO, Haroon Jafree, to get your staff augmentation-related questions answered.
Table of Contents
What is SAP and SAP Staff Augmentation?
SAP
The idea behind SAP is simple: a centralized data storage and management system for a business. Before ERP systems became popular, business functions such as accounting, supply chain, marketing, etc., operated independently and stored their data locally. This made it so that the various functions did not have full access to the business’ accumulated dataset. It also heightened the chances of data duplication and data error. Not to mention forcing the business to pay for more data storage.
SAP solves this issue by introducing fully customizable ERP software that can be tailored to your business’ operational needs and act as a centralized data bank and a business management platform. Entrepreneurs can give the appropriate access to every employee. Thus allowing them to have all the relevant data for their job. Plus, using advanced AI and algorithms, SAP can leverage all that centralized data to generate incredibly detailed and accurate forecasts, helping in decision-making.
SAP Staff Augmentation
SAP staff augmentation is what we would call the optimal way to implement and operate SAP in your business. As per ERP research, SAP implementation is typically an arduous business project spanning 6-12 months. During this implementation, businesses are heavily advised to enlist the aid of an SAP implementation specialist. Plus, they should have a full-time SAP expert onboard to continuously improve and adapt the systems to the business’s changing needs.
SAP staff augmentation, put, is a process in which a business enlists the aid of offshore, remote SAP experts on a temporary, short-term contractual basis to help with an implementation project or to update the system to new requirements. Typically, SAP staff augmentation services are rendered through a staff augmentation services provider like EA. These staff augmentation services providers are responsible for connecting businesses to professionals.
You might think that this is no different from hiring an in-house SAP expert or SAP team. However, there is a world of difference that every entrepreneur should be informed about before spending their hard-earned money.
Unlocking the Full Potential of SAP with SAP Staff Augmentation
SAP Staff Augmentation is Cost and Time Efficient
Staff augmentation significantly lowers the costs of SAP implementation and upkeep by being an off-shore, remote hiring process. According to Glassdoor, a simple in-house SAP implementation specialist in the US costs businesses $98,000 annually, with senior and lead specialists costing up to double that.
Most businesses cannot afford this cost and are forced to shelve leveraging SAP in their operations. But, with staff augmentation, this barrier goes from impossible to worth considering. Staff augmentation services can lessen the blow on your wallet by up to 60%, with the more reputable firms guaranteeing some savings.
On top of that, SAP staff augmentation saves the business a ton of time and energy that can be spent on business growth. This is because staff augmentation entirely subverts the traditional hiring process. Businesses can simply list their SAP staff requirements. The staff augmentation services provider will handle the hiring process, with veteran SAP experts vetting candidates for them. What would normally take over a month and cost a substantial amount of money is doable in a matter of days at a fraction of the cost, all thanks to SAP staff augmentation services.
SAP Staff Augmentation is Highly Flexible and Scalable
SAP implementation and optimization are continuous; continuous development is necessary to keep up with market competition. Businesses leveraging SAP systems need experts to implement changes and update the business. Configure and update the SAP systems if the business needs to upscale or downsize to meet demands.
Hosting such a staff in-house is simply not efficient. These professionals cost a lot, and the nature of SAP is such that no one expert knows it all. Everyone has a specialty and experience with certain modules, industry verticals, and emerging technology. A business could need a niche specialist at any moment. With your SAP team comprising augmented SAP professional staff, these woes vanish.
Staff augmentation services providers are highly flexible, allowing access to any niche expertise as soon as possible. On top of that, augmented teams can be strategically downsized or upscaled at a moment’s notice. Thus allowing for more dynamic movement through the business landscape and giving entrepreneurs far more options when making strategic decisions.
Knowledge Transfer and Skill Enhancement
Beyond project delivery, SAP Staff Augmentation offers a unique opportunity for knowledge transfer. Internal teams can learn from experienced SAP consultants. They can acquire new skills and insights. This also contributes to the overall professional development is teams. Thus enhancing the organization’s overall competence.
Conclusion
We hope we have impressed upon our readers the opportunities SAP staff augmentation services open up for SMEs. SAP need not be something for the chosen few corporations. Businesses must realize this now and start leveraging SAP staff augmentation. The business that adapts first laughs last in this race, so don’t get left behind. Start with SAP today!