At its annual SAP Americas customer conference this week, SAP AG announced the launch of its own ASP unit, SAPHosting.
SAPHosting is dedicated to looking after SAP’s ASP partnerships.
The company also announced three new application service provider partners in its push to build a robust organization for delivering mySAP.com software and services over the Internet.
Expanding the U.S. network of SAP-certified ASPs are PricewaterhouseCoopers, FiNetrics and The Hunter Group. This brings the SAP-certified ASPs total to 11, which also includes Corio, Inc, EDS, eOnline, Interpath Communications, HostLogic, IBM, Siemens Business Services and Qwest Cyber.Solutions.
Each of the three new hosting partners, as the existing eight, support designated industries based on their vertical-market expertise. SAP chooses to serve different customer segments with teams that can focus on the industry’s unique business models, processes and best practices.
PricewaterhouseCoopers will concentrate on high tech, automotive, utilities, banking and retail. The Hunter Group strength lies in human resources. FiNetrics will use its ASP model for hosting standardized solutions.
John Charters, president and chief executive officer, Qwest Cyber.Solutions, said, “We have been very successful in delivering rich business functionality to thousands of users in our key industry sectors. Our ongoing relationship with SAP is important as we continue to bring on new customers.”
SAP AG believes the expansion of its network of SAP-certified ASPs represents an important step as it faces growing demand for outsourced e-business applications.
Tom Melchiore, vice president of SAPHosting at SAP America, Inc. pointed out that while hosted solutions offer companies many benefits, there is more to the story.
“Customers have to feel confident that the system will be optimized for their business and run by a team of experts,” he said.
ASPnews.com first announced SAP’s decision to launch the new SAPHosting unit in February (see related ASPNews story, ASP buzz reaches CeBit, Feb. 28th, 2000).
