 "SAP Enterprise Support Task Force To Aggregate Customer Feedback")
In an effort to deliver SAP enterprise support in closer alignment with customer expectations, SAP and the SAP User Group Executive Network (SUGEN), a global federation of twelve SAP user groups, have established a collaborative effort to represent the collective view of members’ strategic issues. SUGEN has also announced the progress of the SAP Enterprise Support task force, established to aggregate member feedback on SAP Enterprise Support that the company announced in June, 2008.
The charter for the SUGEN-led task force is to communicate collective member feedback and to ensure the value delivery of SAP Enterprise Support. At the SUGEN bi-annual meeting held this week at SAP labs in Palo Alto, the task force shared with SAP the feedback from a SUGEN member survey designed to measure customer perceptions of the business value of SAP Enterprise Support. Survey feedback indicated that 90% of respondents have not yet realised the full extent of the SAP Enterprise Support offering, its value and cost justification. Matthias Herzog, SUGEN vice-chair and executive sponsor for the task force said, “We need a joint effort to overcome the differences between SAP and its customer base to ensure value is delivered for the increased maintenance fees.”
“In addition to the commitment to the value of enterprise support, the members of SUGEN are also very pleased that SAP has agreed to extend standard support of SAP ERP 6.0,” said Per Hogberg, SUGEN vice-chair.
Leo Apotheker, co-CEO and executive board member of SAP AG, said, “SUGEN and its member user groups serve as a vital sounding board to help SAP validate its new initiatives. From the open feedback received, we offer our commitment to SUGEN and our customers to help them realise the value of SAP Enterprise Support. We stand by our latest support offering, and we look forward to continuing our dialog with SUGEN and its members.”
SUGEN chairman, Mike Stoko from ASUG said, “We believe the results of our ongoing dialog with SAP will offer positive outcomes for SAP customers on a global basis as they move to SAP Enterprise Support. SAP has demonstrated a strong statement in its assurance to deliver to SUGEN, the user group community, and the larger SAP customer-base, a programme that demonstrates value.”