Executive Summary
On April 10th 2018, SAP announced its new licensing model for indirect access. This announcement followed numerous workshops between SUGEN, ASUG, DSAG and SAP, due to concerns from customers globally, after a number of well-publicised legal cases. At that time we, along with other
SAP user groups, welcomed the new model and believed it would make it easier and more transparent for new ERP customers to pay for SAP licenses. However, we also noted that SAP needed to provide further reassurances to existing ERP customers that they wouldn’t be asked to pay more for use cases and implementations that were undertaken in good faith. Without such reassurances, customers could find themselves in a state of paralysis. Ultimately, only time would tell whether customers embraced the new model.
On April 10th 2018, SAP announced its new licensing model for indirect access. This announcement followed numerous workshops between SUGEN, ASUG, DSAG and SAP, due to concerns from customers globally, after a number of well-publicised legal cases. At that time we, along with other SAP user groups, welcomed the new model and believed it would make it easier and more transparent for new ERP customers to pay for SAP licenses. However, we also noted that SAP needed to provide further reassurances to existing ERP customers that they wouldn’t be asked to pay more for use cases and implementations that were undertaken in good faith. Without such reassurances, customers could find themselves in a state of paralysis. Ultimately, only time would tell whether customers embraced the new model.
Five months on from the new licensing model announcement, we surveyed a select group of members from a number of user groups across the world. The results show that the issue of indirect access is still front and centre of customers’ minds. Moreover, it is having a business impact on both customers and SAP, with numerous organisations reporting that they are delaying projects and re- evaluating their future usage of SAP as a result of indirect access licensing concerns.
The survey findings indicate that SAP needs to improve communication to, and education of, its customers (and staff) regarding the new licensing model. Various executives from SAP have talked about having more customer empathy, yet the survey respondents still indicate there are issues
around trust. We believe SAP needs to show existing ERP customers how its empathy is being translated into real life commercial situations. How has it dealt with customers that have not changed their use cases of SAP for two or three years, never had a flag from SAP regarding compliance, but suddenly find themselves concerned they are non-compliant due to the new
indirect access model? Has SAP agreed that the customer acted in good faith and therefore would not have to pay more? It’s this type of detail that will build trust, rather than just statements about empathy. SAP should not be hiding behind commercial agreements – SAP needs to be much clearer
and more specific. For example, it should state that customers who use EDI will receive a license conversion for free to cover their current usage. As SUGEN we know that indirect access is a difficult issue and we are here to help our members and SAP customers in general. Our organisations have
invested heavily in SAP and we want to continue to be successful.
The results of this survey are concerning. However, they do point to actions SAP should take that will enable the company and the user groups to solve this controversial issue. If SAP can break down the walls of commercial agreements and share anonymous examples of customers who have positively moved to the new model, then we as user groups can provide the channel to reassure customers.
Words and changes in behaviour can go some way, and already have, but ultimately it will be the evidence and examples that rebuild customer trust.
Descargar el documento completo: International Indirect Access Member Survey Report v6 en PDF