The cloud is knocking down barriers all over the world, offering even the smallest companies in remote areas massive computing power and efficiencies of scale. Larger companies now have to react more quickly just to compete with them. Knack Systems has been optimizing sales, service and marketing processes for companies of all sizes since 1998 and is a hybris silver solution provider partner. Recently, they became a value added reseller (VAR) of SAP Cloud for Customer solutions. Carolyn Horiel from the SAP’s Cloud Global Partner Operations team met with Sandeep Arora, Chief Operating Officer of Knack Systems, to discuss how the cloud has changed their business and why their customers are so excited about it.
Understand your company has been with SAP for some time, but now things are a little different. Can you tell me about your decision to become a SAP Cloud VAR?
We have been partnering with SAP for about 10 years implementing on-premise SAP CRM and ERP solutions, and we knew SAP cloud solutions was a natural extension to what we were doing. Our customers were looking for solutions that could be readily deployed, available on mobile devices, integrate seamlessly with on-premise solutions while offering a lower cost of ownership. SAP Cloud for Customer made perfect sense and in late 2013 we decided to become a SAP Cloud VAR.
How are you able to convey to prospects the true value of cloud solutions?
First, we believe in what we sell. We internally manage our sales process using SAP Cloud for Sales solution so our salespeople have all the details about their account, contacts and opportunities whenever. They are able to plan their activities around their goals using mobile devices wherever. So when we are sitting with an organization and discussing the automation of their sales processes, we demonstrate it from our own mobile devices using our own internal sales pipeline and their account information. For us, the cloud has been very important in managing our business successfully.
Secondly, we offer prospects and existing customers the opportunity to speak to one another. It's really the traditional referencibility, but a far more engaged and personal approach - peer to peer interaction. Prospects are able to ask questions and discuss implementation challenges. Working closely with SAP, we facilitate those conversations and that has added great value for everyone in the process.
Can you give me an example of how a cloud solution came together in the real world?
A global small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) electronic manufacturing customer had twelve regional offices across North America, Europe and Asia – all were using a CRM system, but each had their own independent legacy CRM systems. In our initial meetings, we listened to understand their requirements not just how they were doing things currently, but also what they were planning to do in the future. They required a solution to quickly deploy, but didn't want to acquire newer infrastructure. To meet their global demands, we implemented a SAP cloud solution with one central business data repository and configured common processes to support all regional offices. A North America sales person knows how their sales colleagues are engaging with a global customer in other regions of the world. This type of business transformation accelerates the sales process and increases the sale win probability. Reporting is now from a global perspective and can be viewed wherever and whenever instantly. That's a big change and a very positive one for this SME. In this global economy, competing more effectively is critical because the size of your
organization truly does not matter anymore.
Wow, that is a pretty incredible change. So you would say that speed is the main reason that customers are moving into the cloud?
Quick speed to market and minimal initial investment - that sums up what the cloud means to customers. The reality is we are living in a global economy - a SME in a remote part of the world could be a serious competitor to a well-established multi billion dollar company. All organizations, no matter what size, have to be able to react very quickly. To do that, you need to have cloud solutions. If you take a lot of time to implement a new solution, you will have to wait for infrastructure and all the internal approvals to move forward. By the time you react to a change in the marketplace, it's too late. The cloud gets you a solution quickly with low investment and actually helps organizations claim a faster ROI.
Be we close, anything else you want to share with readers?
I’m lucky to be born in a generation that has seen one of the major cultural, economic, social and technological transformations. From my time as a kid living in a socialistic society with no phones and television, and large companies ruling the marketplace, I have seen the change to a world where everyone is connected at all times and a kid in a remote corner of the world is as competitive and innovative as any large organization. It has been an exciting journey and I am looking forward to more challenges and excitement that the world has in store for us.
Thank you for your time today, Sandeep. We are a fortunate generation – cloud technology connects us to the world and opens a global marketplace that was once unattainable for SMEs. With SAP Cloud Partners like Knack Systems lending a hammer to knock down those obstacles, SME organizations can now succeed and thrive in international markets.
To learn more about Knack Systems, visit their website: http://knacksystems.com. Looking to see what SAP Cloud for Customer can do for you and your organization? Knack Systems hosts a weekly solution overview demo – click here to register today!
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