NTT DATA Business Solutions
What is SAP Application Management and Why is it Important?
(4 min read)
Companies that need to outsource some or all of their enterprise application support often turn to Application Management Services (AMS). Since managing of applications has traditionally been done by the internal IT department, why would this task now be outsourced to an external service provider? What does it mean for those businesses, and why does it matter?
Digitalization is coming fast, and the complexity and speed of change can make it a challenge to keep up. While keeping daily operations running smoothly and keeping costs low, the IT team is also required to be business strategists and drivers of transformation. Cloud, analytics and mobility technologies will be important for future success, as well as visionary technology such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and augmented reality. The question is, how can a business support all of this while continuing to keep day-to-day operations running smoothly?
The following are some reasons why Application Management Services have become crucial for businesses.
What is Included in AMS?
The core of a good AMS solution is time to value. Application management services can include anything from on-demand SAP support to full application outsourcing and hybrid landscape management – also referred to as managed cloud. It can also include things like application enhancements (upgrades, change requests or rollouts), optimization (advisory services, assessments or roadmaps), incident management, or change management.
Qualified consultants leverage their SAP expertise and business knowledge to deliver end-to-end services that provide maximum value to your business. They help to reduce time to value because of their experience and the expertise of teams across the SAP landscape.
AMS does much more than just “keeping the lights on.” A good AMS provider will become an extension of your organization, which allows your internal team to be more strategic with your SAP solution.
How Does AMS Benefit Your Business?
In this section, we will explore the benefits of partnering with an AMS provider rather than trying to cover everything alone.
We’ll start by taking a look at the tasks that keep an IT department busy day-to-day so that it is harder to focus on strategic, innovation technologies.
With that in mind, let’s get specific about the benefits of AMS:
1. Your IT team can focus on being more strategic and less tactical.
A good AMS partner can help your team to leverage the full potential of your SAP solutions, leaving your team free to focus on more strategic activities.
2. You can tailor your AMS solutions to meet business needs.
Your AMS partner has the ability to adapt as your business needs change. The wide range of AMS solutions allow you to tailor your solution package and skillsets to meet requirements, and you can work together to determine the right-sized and right-shored delivery model that works best.
3. You can get round-the-clock coverage of your applications.
AMS allows your IT department to access on-demand SAP assistance in any functional or technical area; often without the need for travel. Services are easy to work with, easy to access and always available.
Choosing the Right AMS Provider
In order to find your perfect match for an AMS partner, it’s a good idea to take a closer look at a few things.
The right AMS partner brings deep SAP expertise, along with an in-depth understanding of your IT infrastructure and processes. This is key if you want to turn your SAP solution into a strategic tool that will move your business transformation forward. In addition, your AMS partner should add immediate value by providing industry expertise, with an understanding of your company’s specific needs
You should also take a good look at the AMS partner’s delivery model. Look for a partner that offers a value-based contract model that provides deployment flexibility and demand-driven consumption, allowing you to roll over unused capacity options and level monthly billing throughout the term of the contract.
A good AMS provider will also provide value-add services – things like reviewing new releases and enhancement functionality, with recommendations tailored to your specific business needs so that you can keep current on the technology curve.
Outsourced application management services can assist your business with making a big leap toward digital transformation – but not just any AMS provider will do. NTT DATA Business Solutions offers a full set of solutions that you can use to build the perfect solution and set of skills to meet your specific business needs. If you are interested to learn more, please contact us.
Interested in More about AMS?
Want to learn how to optimize IT operations? How to ensure efficient integration of IT systems? How to implement innovative technology? AMS affects various areas in your business. Find out how you can benefit.