Oliver Bussmann, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, SAP AG 

Category
  • Consmerization of IT & The New C-Suite
The Project

SAP internally deployed an enterprise wide mobile solution for employees. Leveraging the SAP/Sybase Unwired Platform and Afaria product, SAP gave employees the ability to use their preferred wireless device on a secure network. The comprehensive approach to mobile device management and application management allowed their mobilized workforce to benefit from the flexibility, access to information, and ease-of-use of a device agnostic mobile strategy. 

The Technology

SAP Afaria

Metrics Matter

Prior to the deployment of a mobile strategy, CRM processes were only available via web-based solution embedded in the SAP company internal portal. Sales colleagues needed to be in the vicinity of an SAP Corporate Wifi or dial in via VPN to update data critical data capable of impacting business in real-time. 

SAP Sales People can now directly after a customer meeting on the way back on the airport open CRM on the smartphones or iPads and make the necessary, potentially forecast relevant changes in the opportunity. They also can check on the current solutions maintained in an opportunity and validate the prices with the corporate pricelists, all directly from their iPads anywhere in the world.

Overall, the CRM@SAP Sales application is now available to more than 10,000 people, essentially the entire SAP sales workforce plus management up to the executives.

Disruptive Factor 

This was the first large scale deployment of iPads featuring the CRM@SAP Sales app, combined with the mobile devices to connect to the solution. The combination of mobile devices and Sybase Unwired Platform (SUP) coupled with the implementation of mobile device management solution Afaria enabled a comprehensive and controlled mobile strategy encompassing 28,000+ iOS devices. By embracing their own mobile technology, SAP showcased the ROI potential of mobility within the enterprise for both business and the end-user. 

Shining Moment

SAP’s field executives created a vision regarding SAP Sales people. The goal was to bring flexibility to those in the frontline of the business, by allowing laptop use to become optional. To achieve their vision, SAP’s executives evaluated the alternative devices available, which would facilitate a smoother work style for their sales people.

The initial phase of mobile deployments began in October 2010. SAP began by deploying approximately 6000 iPads during a 4 week period. Following the first phase of distribution, a few additional iPads and smartphones were purchased and added to the list of SAP devices, based on user preferences. All iOS devices were and are managed with SAP Afaria. In January 2012, SAP also began to deploy Android devices to their workers, becoming the first corporation to support Samsung Android devices professionally.

 

ABOUT SAP

As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 190,000 customers (includes customers from the acquisition of SuccessFactors) to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com