The Challenge
A global technology leader with operations in the CEE region faced persistent challenges with its offshore SAP support model. Although providers in Asia offered lower rates, service quality issues caused disproportionately high problem-resolution costs, ultimately exceeding expectations.
The primary problems stemmed from a lack of connection between service providers and the customer’s business. Providers often showed little willingness to understand the customer’s specific needs or handle complex tasks. Even basic implementations were hindered by miscommunication, and the situation was exacerbated by geographic distance, language and cultural barriers, and time zone differences. High turnover rates, insufficient capacity, and slow response times further hampered service quality.
Local HR, legal, and regulatory changes were neglected, contributing to long-term dissatisfaction among key business users. The pandemic highlighted these weaknesses, exposing the limitations of offshoring and its inability to adapt to rapidly evolving needs.
The Solution
To address these challenges, the customer shifted to a local provider for SAP support and development. Ness Czech was selected for its strong local presence across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. The company’s ability to provide stable, agile, and proactive local teams with expertise in addressing regional needs made it an ideal choice.
Ness consultants operated in local languages and shared the same cultural background, eliminating communication and time zone barriers. Their deep understanding of local HR and legislative requirements ensured compliance and responsiveness to regional regulations.
At the start of the partnership, Ness focused on stabilizing processes, reducing a backlog of nearly 600 unresolved requests from the previous provider, and addressing local requirements specific to HR, legislation, and production plant operations. With the teams located in the same regions as the customer, the collaboration became significantly more effective.
The Results
Ness not only resolved immediate challenges but also provided additional development capacity to support the customer’s SAP internal team. This included enhancements to SAP Fiori for project management in manufacturing, ensuring the system aligned with the customer’s evolving needs.
The transition to Ness brought substantial improvements in service quality, streamlined processes, and increased satisfaction among business users. By addressing local and complex needs efficiently, Ness helped the customer achieve a higher standard of SAP support and development across its CEE operations.
Interested in Learning More?
Contact us at nesscz@ness.com to explore how Ness can support and develop your SAP solutions.