Business software provider SAP has urged Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) specializing in Information Technology (IT), innovations, science and technology in Africa to reinvent themselves, so that they can emerge stronger and better positioned from the current economic recession.
Addressing over 350 SMEs business leaders at a SAP World Tour 2009 in Bryaston, Johannesburg, South Africa, SAP Executive Vice President, SMEs Sales and Channels, Eric Duffault, said that the company’s strong position in the SME market was one of the industry’s best-kept secrets.
Says Duffault: “The challenge for many companies lies in recovering their income fast enough so that they can continue to grow, or even simply to stay in the game. By implementing a debtors module, companies can gain immediate transparency and a view across the organization that will help them identify bottlenecks and introduce appropriate interventions,”
“Most importantly in the current business climate, companies are looking to reinvent themselves so they can emerge stronger and better positioned, and this can be achieved by realising business process improvements resulting from implementing SAP.”
Speaking at the same event, SAP SMEs Director for Africa, Derek Kudsee, said: “Despite 7 percent of our business being generated in the SME space, there is a lingering perception that our solutions are aimed only at large enterprises or companies with seemingly limitless financial resources. Nothing could be further from the truth and the event was all about dispelling that myth.”
Kudsee also demonstrated the value that SAP could bring to the SME market explaining that the financial crisis has led companies to concentrate on their cashflow and debtors’ books more closely as access to finance from traditional sources have dried up.
SAP Africa Managing Director Pfungwa Serima is upbeat about the opportunities in the SME market across the continent and sees continued strong growth.
“I believe that 80% of our opportunities lie in this market, and is therefore critical to us. I think Africa is now ready as we are seeing opportunities like never before.”
— Savious Kwinika
Are there many SMA’s converting to SAP in some way or another? Reason I ask is I want to do a SAP course and get into the market for SME’s, but I am not sure if there will be work ut there for SME consultants. In that case I should just do a course that cover’s SME and Corporates. Can anyone advise which is the best way of getting into the SAP consultancy market?
Thanks
D