Digital Transformation with SAP S/4 HANA Platform

03-Aug-2021
 

Digital Transformation with SAP S/4 HANA Platform

Digital transformation is the call of the hour for every significant enterprise. As people get used to modern technologies and intelligent automation techniques, business processes implement innovative management software SAP S/4 HANA becomes the best choice for a world-class digitized experience.

In this digitally driven society, businesses that are either starting or have already been present for a long time face customer acquisitions. Reaching out to customers personally and solving their problems is the new way of providing service, and digitization makes this possible. Customers are more connected to their service providers now more than ever, and this has been done with the help of intelligent ERP platforms like SAP S/4 HANA.

There are a few challenges that might occur for companies that are undergoing this transformation. In this article, we will be discussing those challenges and how one can overcome those. Besides this, we will also discuss the benefit of digitization using SAP S/4 HANA and how an enterprise can use those tools to get ahead of the competition.

Challenges faced by Manufacturers during Digital Transformation

Using SAP S/4 HANA is not the easiest thing to do as manufacturers face many simultaneous difficulties during this digital transformation. Many critical decisions have to be taken during this change which complicates and slows down the process. Following is a list of some of the predominant challenges:

  • Integrating Legacy with New Technologies – Many big enterprises that have been doing business for a long time have certain legacies or practices that they do not want to change overnight concerning their founders or past employees.

But from a business point of view, these changes are essential in making the best use of the SAP S/4 HANA system as it will help reduce the cost and effort required for task completion. The only way to overcome this challenge is to make certain changes that will keep the legacy elements intact while making the most of these innovative technologies.

  • Potential Risks – Complicated software and technologies tend to increase the risk associated with a particular process. This needs to be solved by conducting a proper analysis of the potential risks and getting an idea of the complexity of the digitization process. This analysis will also help future companies to understand and assess the level of success that they can estimate from the operations.
  • Complacency – Humans are against changes; they like operating under a structure and make things a habit. When some changes in the system occur, it becomes difficult for them to adopt the changes in the first place. This is a very critical challenge that can hinder the development of the company.

The only way of overcoming this is by preparing the employees about the changes by providing proper training before implementing complete digitization. The employees need to understand the benefit of the digitization process and should motivate everyone to accept these changes.

  • Complex Applications – Advancements in technology lead to an increase in complexity. SAP S/4 HANA related tasks like migration can be very problematic if not done correctly. Complete digitization consists of all these tasks, and carrying them out perfectly requires a lot of experience. Businesses are left with no choice as they have to make the best of these advancements to be at par with their competition.

Advantages of using SAP S/4 HANA for your Enterprise

SAP S/4 HANA is an all-encompassing business solution platform that can take care of smart storage methods as well as advanced data analytic techniques. Digitization increases the amount of automation in each process and improves the work efficiency of the company. Following are some of the key advantages of digital transformation using SAP S/4 HANA:

  • Flexible Business Processes – Many processes can be simplified with the help of the SAP S/4 HANA platform, which helps improve the flexibility of the entire platform. A single task can be easily done in multiple ways that improve the ease of business activities. This helps in faster decision-making processes and efficient planning.
  • Greater Customer Valuation – Powerful platforms like SAP S/4 HANA helps in understanding the demands and requirements of each customer and caters to them accordingly. This would’ve not been possible using the generic ERP software. By increasing customer satisfaction through S/4 HANA helps in the improvement of the customer base as well as increasing the value given to the customers.
  • Real-Time Information – One of the most potent tools of SAP S/4 HANA is its cloud computing abilities. Cloud computing solves the problem of costly on-premise data storage solutions and provides real-time access to data. Analytical and monitoring systems can work with data that is getting generated at that exact moment through the cloud without any latency.
  • Agility – SAP S/4 HANA improves the operational speed to a great extent and helps in improving work efficiency. Also, since the digitization process takes all significant tasks to a mobile platform, this makes work more accessible than ever. Employees can monitor and solve issues remotely instead of waiting for someone else.
  • Robust Technological Repository – SAP S/4 HANA consists of all-powerful technological tools that are available now. Starting from the advanced features of cloud computing that help in significantly reducing the price of data storage to innovative analytical features using AI, ML, IoT, and automation are also present.

Conclusion:

SAP S/4 HANA is such a platform that will ensure your enterprise’s complete digital transformation. Starting from SAP S/4 HANA migration to implementing its tools, this is a comprehensive solution that your business will need to survive and thrive in this era of digitization.