PUBLIC

Choosing the Right Partner for Lifelong Success

See How the Competency Framework Puts the Expertise
You Need on Center Stage

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Table of Contents

3 It’s Not Easy Being in Business

Today or Tomorrow

4 The Competency Framework

Is Designed with You in Mind

4 The Basics of Competencies

and Specializations

5 Key Data for Customers on

SAP Partner Finder

6 Tips on Finding the Right Partner

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It’s Not Easy Being in
Business Today or Tomorrow
Leaders face increasing pressures to deliver on their
promises and growth goals while minimizing disruptive
forces from economic strains.

Businesses are turning to technology companies for help

in choosing and implementing cloud solutions and
transformative digital technology to stay ahead. That’s
where SAP, its world-class software, and its powerful partner
ecosystem come into play. A partner is a customer’s lifeline
for deriving the most value from their investments and
exploring new technologies that can propel their business
in new ways.

But in a wide ecosystem with different types of SAP

partners – all with different skills, maturity, and experience
to meet the varied needs of organizations – customers
require guidance in finding the best-fit partner for their
business or industry. To become an intelligent enterprise,
choosing a trusted advisor is critical to building a strong
foundation for growth.

The new Competency Framework helps cut through

the noise, allowing customers to find the expertise they
need – no matter their business challenges, company
size, or location.

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The Competency Framework Is Designed
with You in Mind

Built with insights from customers and partners alike, the Competency Framework
is designed to objectively assess partner performance data to help customers find
the right advisor for their business or industry needs.

In the search for an IT solution and advisor to
address a company’s unique needs, customers
want the confidence to make an informed
decision. The Competency Framework is the
backbone for bolstering that confidence,
providing customers with pertinent, objective
data that makes decision-making clear and easy.
Now in SAP Partner Finder on sap.com, when
searching for a partner in your area, data will
appear that provides more information on the
partner’s performance and achievement,
including the types of competencies and
specializations they have attained. This pool of
information will make it easier for customers to
find the best partner with the right set of skills
to implement their project.
The Basics of Competencies and
Specializations
Competencies and specializations are granted
to partners for meeting or exceeding criteria in
three areas: knowledge, customer success, and
proficiency. As partners earn their competencies
and specializations, the designations will appear
automatically in the partner’s profile card on
SAP Partner Finder.
A competency is tier-based and provides a logo
that visually communicates a partner’s level of
maturity in an SAP solution, line of business,
or industry. Competencies have three tiers –
Essential, Advanced, and Expert – that denote a
partner’s expertise, proficiency, and experience.

Essential: Partners at the essential competency tier have met the

training and delivery requirements to achieve at least one of the SAP
product and/or process specializations. This gives customers the
confidence that the partner has the necessary level of maturity and has
demonstrated customer success through successful project delivery.
Advanced: Partners with an advanced competency tier show the
progression of their SAP practice in the specific competency.
Working with one of these partners means access to more certified
consultants, platform integration capabilities, and a higher number
of successfully delivered projects demonstrating a deeper level of
proven customer success.
Expert: Partners who achieve this highest tier have demonstrated
exceptional customer success in the competency. These partners can
assist customers with end-to-end transformation projects with their
proven experience working across the competency product portfolio
and having developed unique solution capabilities in the specific area.

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 A specialization does not have tiers and denotes a partner’s
accomplishment in an SAP product or process. Specializations
recognize a partner’s commitment and specialty, acting as the
building blocks for earning competencies.

For instance, the specialization Database and Data Management

is one of several specializations contributing to the SAP Business
Technology Platform competency.

Key Data for Customers on SAP Partner Finder

With the introduction of the Competency Framework, customers can click on
a partner’s services card in SAP Partner Finder to see data such as:

• Attained competencies and specializations

• The number of delivered projects
• Locations where projects have been delivered

If a partner meets the required number of certified consultants for an offering,

a check mark will also appear on their profile.

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Tips on Finding the
Right Partner
SAP has a vibrant and dedicated partner ecosystem that
is focused on delivering customer success because
when you succeed, we all succeed.

When looking for an SAP partner on SAP Partner Finder,

customers should seek out those who have experience in
delivering projects for the SAP solutions, industries, and
lines of business that best fit their needs. A partner who
has delivered numerous projects in the country of the
customer will have a better understanding of the
localization requirements, practices, and regulations
important to the area.

In addition, having certified consultants provides

assurances that the partner has a high level of knowledge Get Started Today!
around the technologies a customer has chosen to adopt.
Visit SAP Partner Finder
With the new data provided in SAP Partner Finder,
customers can quickly see if a partner has the required to begin your search.
number of certified consultants to be considered
competent in a solution or offering.

And – perhaps most important of all – before making

their final decision, customers should have a frank
discussion with the partner to see if they share the same
business values and have a commitment to open
communication in order to build a lasting and fruitful
relationship for many years to come.

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