At least, that’s what we were told at the start of the #SAPinsider 2022 conference in Las Vegas last week.
And why on earth would anyone want to keep this magnificent event a secret in the first place? Any SAP client should put it on their “must do” list of things at some point in the year, whether it’s in the scorching Mojave Desert summer or later in the year in a considerably colder Vienna in the Autumn (well, Fall for my US friends). Regardless of the event you select, the discussions and material at SAPinsider will be hot regardless of the temperature outside, as I have already indicated.
And so it was in Las Vegas, July 18–21, where participants delighted in the event’s comeback after a hiatus of more than two years. What lessons did this event teach us, and did it live up to our hopes after such a lengthy break?
Here’s my three-point review:
1.It’s good to be back!
Not a technology statement, but rather a comment on the event as a whole, there was a palpable sense of relief and a genuine buzz around the Bellagio conference centre. Many attendees expressed to my #SAP colleagues and I how nice it was to be back and speak with others in a face-to-face environment once more. It was clear that we all missed one another, as well as the chance to interact and grow. And I think the majority of attendees made the most of the chance to do just that—network, pay attention, and learn as much as they could throughout the course of the event’s three (or four, if you count the preconference) days. Attendance rates would certainly increase if every event generated such excitement!
2.Discussions all the way from Strategy through to Process
The main stage and breakout rooms offered attendees a wealth of content that concentrated on the best ways to achieve this, while building in agility, responsiveness, and resilience—things I’ve written about before. The highlight topics were big and bold; Sustainability; RISE; Supply Chain and the Cloud. Of course, strategically, this is necessary to develop the competencies needed to safeguard businesses and enable their survival and, in some cases, thriving during the next major crisis. But what was intriguing was how soon discussions shifted to more practical issues, with firms wishing, among other things, to monitor cash flow, complete projects for more precise budgeting and projections, or enhance data management.It was quite energising to hear that the audience not only understood the strategic imperatives that they all face, but that they also wanted to handle matters in the here-and-now, addressing immediate concerns relating to efficiency or optimization of their current business processes. These topics are more in line with a “usual” SAPinsider topic. Does this mean that everything is back to normal now? Probably not yet, but it could be an indication that it wants to grow and recover by taking care of its immediate problems while also making plans for the future.
3.People matter
Given that I had heard similar remarks at another live event I had attended just a few short months before in London, I wasn’t particularly startled by this statement, but it was intriguing to see that at this technology conference, people actually do count. The hiring of individuals of the right calibre, the development of educational initiatives to foster skill development and teamwork, the promotion of collaboration and teamwork, or the better and more thoughtful management of the cultural effects of software change are all thought to present opportunities for advancement.Of course, the emergence of specialised positions and new skill sets, such as those for citizen coders or data analysts, also presents opportunity for people and the businesses they work for to stand out in fresh and more nimble ways. Given how crucially vital people are to every company system, it is only reasonable that the People component be given careful thought and nurture. Regards, SAP Insider. Thank you for the reminder!
And what of SAP BTP?
Of course, it would be remiss of me to neglect to add my own motivation for attending the SAPinsider 2022 conference in Las Vegas: to assist in answering attendees’ queries about the SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) at the SAP booth on the exhibition floor. I’m happy to report that SAP BTP was a hot topic of discussion, and it was wonderful to hear that there were so many clients interested in finding out more about this cloud platform. And to make things even better, you might remember that in my previous blog I encouraged SAP customers to share peer ratings of their interactions with the company’s software.I’m happy to report that SAP BTP received a lot of reviews while we were there, and on behalf of all of our SAP solution areas, I’d want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to all of our wonderful clients who took the time to do so. And for those who might have missed the chance, don’t worry, you still have a chance to write a review; simply visit our SAP Product Review page and submit a product review for SAP BTP or another SAP solution.
Heading to Vienna? Look us Up!
I must take this time to congratulate the SAPinsider team and all of the Partner Sponsors for putting on a fantastic show in Las Vegas before turning my attention to the upcoming SAPinsider event, which will take place in Vienna later this year. And of course to the numerous SAP customers who came to the occasion. It was wonderful to see you all! Hopefully I’ll get to see you all again, possibly later this year when we travel to Vienna for what is sure to be another big event.
THANK YOU