Record fever vs. pioneering spirit

Analogies to the car are as old in IT as IT itself is. Time and again, the everyday object "automobile" has had to be used to illustrate complex issues in computer technology. SAP CEO Christian Klein chose the example of a sales process at car manufacturer Porsche to illustrate the topic of digital transformation.

SAP's software offers excellent opportunities to redesign processes and make them more efficient. And it gets even better! What is still the future for the layman already exists in rudiments at SAP. Christian Klein demonstrated this transformation using a fictitious car order, the production and delivery of the car.

His presentation was also very vivid and instructive because Christian Klein focused on the process itself and the wishes of a fictitious car buyer. By its very nature, the new sales experience will only be a real success with SAP software.

Although the SAP CEO mentioned this fact, he did not overstrain the nerves of the audience by continuously mentioning product names and IT terminology. Thus, it was a stringent, generally understandable lecture that shows SAP's pioneering spirit and less the gimmicky record fever - see illustration.

All's well that ends well? Unfortunately not, because Christian Klein did not give his talk in the soccer arena in Hoffenheim, where soon thousands of fans will not only be rejoicing over the next goal, but some may be thinking about the next car. He gave his talk in front of a virtual audience, which consisted mainly of existing SAP customers.

Each of these successful existing SAP customers knows exactly how a sales process works, how it could work, and which adjusting screws need to be turned to make the digital transformation work. Virtual and real examples exist, and the vast majority of existing SAP customers are aware of their shortcomings and options.

Very few users need tutoring in their own field. Car salespeople know their options, and a sales process in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries is very different. But all SAP existing customers together need a stable ERP platform, an S/4 roadmap and reliable tools - Christian Klein spoke of these only to a small extent.

The best presentation will not be a success if it does not hit the target audience in the heart. The fastest car to go around a mountain doesn't help if the user wants to climb the mountain. Selling is an art, but very few existing SAP customers want to learn this process from Christian Klein.

They want the tools to multiply their own skills and knowledge. SAP's existing customers want to become more efficient and successful with IT; they already have the core competence of their branch.