Digital transformation is the relentless pursuit of converting the physical entities into an environment which is supported by technology-driven processes made stronger and more yielding with the help of software support, analytics support and information represented and made available to the process enablers in the form of data expressed in bits and bytes.
SAP is at the helm of the affairs related to digital transformation. It rolls out numerous digital process supporters and enabler solutions time to time. The company has identified the changes happening and the road map ahead and all its solutions talk about Big Data use and processing, digital transformation and machine learning and its implementation and so on.
SAP has done a lot of work in developing big data platforms, for example, to provide the much-needed solutions for data storage and extraction. Taking the cue from the developments and sharpening of processes happening in the direction of digital transformation, let’s try to understand how SAP is doing its part in helping the enterprises become a digitally transformed entity.
How does SAP fit in Digital Transformation?
SAP specialist believes that the biggest challenge that comes in the way of digital transformation is that of deciding what to do with the old infrastructure and process systems. Starting afresh right from the scratch cannot be a feasible solution as infrastructure installations and deployments do come with a cost. So, there is a need to find a way between balancing the core company values and aligning the digital transformation activities with those.
SAP has a bevy of digital transformation solutions to offer. In the wake of adopting digital transformation path, SAP S/4 HANA and SAP HANA from SAP platforms should be included in the purchase or implementation plan. SAP Ariba, SAP Cloud, SAP SuccessFactors, etc. are some of the solutions that can be looked upon as the forerunners of digital transformation process. Many SAP users are realizing the importance of using these solutions and find these to be very effective in solving various crucial business problems.
SAP users do believe that all these data storage and extraction solutions like HANA are still in their nascent stage. These products are still under development or improvement to become a sure-fire solution for the plausible challenges prevailing in the existing spheres of working. Having said that, the companies cannot ignore these solutions completely as it may lead to their repenting later about the decision to adopt a technology too late.
Community working is certainly a good solution for digital transformation
According to SAP users, digital transformation is still a road under construction. The users will find many potholes in the path and there will be a rampant need to find newer and better ways of reaching upon the solutions. So, to adopt the digital transformation in its entirety, the community working will be an important solution.
Many companies are likely to face the problems and difficulties of the same nature. Thus, setting -up discussion forums, making open source solutions and use of open forums for tweaking in changes, or for arriving upon the better models of the existing solution will be a welcomed idea.
Digital transformation is the answer to disrupters of industry
Before jumping upon the bandwagon of companies undergoing digital transformation, the very first question to appear in mind is that of its need and utility. The companies face challenges like competition and that of time-relevance. Normally, the disrupters are those who have identified the gap in the industry’s offerings and have successfully filled with the innovative ideas. Thus, to find the solutions that keep the businesses stay ahead of the disrupters one has to pay attention to:
- Where competitive edge is lacking
- How technology will be helpful and the role of analytics
- How new ways of generating revenue will be accepted
- Investment plan to adopt technology keeping the cost constant
- How people are to be trained to adopt technologies
- Protection of intellectual property and data secrecy
Thus, digital transformation is needed not only to stay abreast of the requirements of time, but also to arrive upon the solutions that companies can afford and implement and make their end users, too, comfortable with it.