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previous blog in this series explored how SAP Certification helps you train and upskill your team to increase their knowledge and proficiency in SAP products.
Another detailed features of SAP Learning Hub that streamline training and testing.
While continuing education and staying current with new technologies and SAP products is vital to a growing practice, there’s another reason that SAP Certification is important:
winning business.
Vital Information for the Buyer’s Journey
First impressions are important to your prospects, but in the digital age, first impressions are rarely face to face. A Gartner study found that
27 percent of a buying group’s time is spent independently researching providers online with another 18 percent researching independently offline. Decision makers invest this time finding answers to questions, such as whether the provider has the ability to deliver the quality of service and performance their organization demands. SAP Certification quickly communicates that, for your practice, the answer is yes.
When a prospect sees the SAP-certified badge on your website or in your marketing materials, they know that SAP recognizes your consultants’ expertise and skill. Moreover, SAP Certification is highly specialized. There are more than
100 certifications that represent specific expertise and skill levels, covering particular SAP products and services, such as certifications for SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Cloud for Customer. Your competition may
claim to have expertise in solutions and services, but with SAP Certification, you have validation that your consultants are among the best in the business to address that client’s needs. Make sure you highlight this part of your value proposition in your marketing materials, communications, and sales processes.
Additionally, your prospects recognize that technology is advancing at a fast pace. SAP Certification assures them that your business is committed to keeping up with the latest innovations and can provide the maximum benefits when you implement them.
SAP Certification and Customer Retention
You know that you need to do more than acquire customers to create a growing SAP practice. You need to retain them. SAP Certification will not only tip the scales in your favor when businesses are choosing a provider, but it will also ensure your team will help them derive the most value from using SAP products.
A recent IDC white paper, Game Changer: The Transformative Impact of Training
1, sponsored by SAP, reports that SAP-certified consultants decrease implementation times by up to 15 percent compared with their non-certified peers and their projects require less rework.
SAP-certified consultants are also better positioned to work with high-value clients to ensure they see high rates of user adoption, use SAP products to their fullest potential, and see a healthy return on investment. They’ll view your consultants more as business partners that can help them achieve business goals than merely outsourced IT. The benefits to your practice include future sales from a company with confidence in your team as you help them continue to expand their IT ecosystem.
It’s Never Been More Important to Position Your Business Competitively
Supporting your consultants as they work toward SAP Certification, promoting their achievements to elevate your brand in your market, and backing it up with proficiency in the field will give your practice a competitive edge in a crowded market.
Evaluate which SAP Certifications your team currently has, and which will advance your business with the expertise – and SAP-backed validation – you need to win business. You can also explore
SAP Learning Hub resources and customize a program that meets your practice’s and your consultants’ needs.
Then, once your team has achieved certifications, spread the word. Given a choice between your practice with SAP-certified consultants and one without, attractive prospects in your market will make the choice they can count on.
Footnotes:
1 IDC White Paper, sponsored by SAP, Game Changer: The Transformative Impact of Training, October 2020, (IDC Doc #US46891120)
