SAP SUMMIT` 08
The day started with a talk on "Winning in a Competitive Scenario"
By Anil Kumble. He spoke about the insight of building a winning team, motivation and to be successful.
He added: "You can succeed whatever your strengths are. All you need to do is to create a doubt and be consistent. Even today, after 18 years of test cricket and over 600 test wickets, I am asked at press conferences - when will you spin the ball? I don't mind such questions, as I believe in playing to my strengths."
He said: we need to compete globally. Therefore, we need to ensure that we keep winning over a period of time. Leadership in adversity is something everyone should pay attention to. There are various aspects. We need to look at global players vs. local players. A classic example is Shane Warne, and how he led the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL T20. Next comes listening and decision making, backing your team members, and equanimity in challenging times. For a leader, it is a constant challenge to have players improving on their game all the time.
The talk was very entertaining and enlighting. He related Cricket to corporate and focused on team building aspects.
The Second day event was categorized by different industry specific areas. I am into Engineering Constructions & Operations, so I went for Track - 6 Meant for Engg Constructions and operations.
1st Presentation was given by A.Subba Rao of GMR group. He shared his Experience of SAP implementation at GMR, the hiccups, and Key findings.
He advised all companies who are planning to implement SAP to:
1. Budget sufficient Time for Negotiations, be it with Hardware partner, or network partner. On this I asked about negotiating with SAP for licenses, as they have the monopoly in the market. He replied to this saying, budget sufficient Time lines and to avoid management pressure to implement SAP. Some present there suggested to wait till quarter end for negotiating with SAP, to get the best deals.
2. He also laid emphasis on having a strict Timelines for implementing SAP. Having initial CFO meet with all the financial heads of the companies to understand the need and requirement. He suggested forming a Steering committee of Business process owners of the company having regular meetings on the development of SAP implementation.
The next to deliver the speech was Mr. Satish Pendse of Hindustan Construction Company.
HCC is now offering implementation service to construction industry with there expertise in developing a well knitted SAP for their company. He informed all about the benefits HCC is getting from SAP implementation, with hands on information available to take decisions.
He also informed that by having a system and process in place, they have overcome the attrition problem which some times give rise to putting a business to halt. With the process in place it becomes very easier for new joinees to mould to the process.
He also advised to have No Parallel Run with any other software from the date of Go-Live. His idea was not to revolutionize but Evolutize. He stressed on passing the idea of having an ERP to each and every personal within the company, as they will also understand about the importance of putting correct data in the system coz if they fail... Garbage in = Garbage out.
The Next session I attended was about Connectivity at Sites.
This was an important topic as for most of the infrastructure company the sites are remote locations, and these locations needed to be mapped with SAP to have real time data available.
There are three options available in the current scenario:
1. Using Central instance: Linking your sites to central hub with internet, VSAT, or any other solutions.
2. Interactive forms: This solution is developed with co-ordination with ADOBE solutions, in this kind of solution; data are fed to the forms and stored locally and then can be taken in pen drive to nearest internet parlour and then upload the data via e-mail.
3. Using Mobile infrastructure: Using Blackberry, or any other popular mobile phones to do the talking with SAP, and be able to take decisions on the move.
Now the most Important Session of the DAY, as it was about MARG.
Quintegra Solutions Limited, Our implementation partner presented their story with MARG, and demonstrated their ability to develop and innovate solutions as per business needs.
They have developed a solution called BPFx for REFX, which gives the power of Re sales in REfx without investing in additional hardware and licensing. It also helps in reducing time lines of implementation.
It was a long day attending sessions, I opted to go out, and as soon as I reached my hotel it started Raining. I thought to utilize this time to pen down my experience in SAP summit 08.
