Author: Kathryn Butterfuss, Director of Global Delivery at Echelon Solutions Group
January 4, 2017
As the customer at one of the large Automotive OEM, it was my goal to find the right combination of quality and price when determining which system integrator to use. It was a true challenge, probably one of the most complicated decisions we’ve ever made as a company, and one I never thought I would have to consider. In the age of digital transformation and cost-cutting in the technology space, it is important to truly understand what you are getting for your money.
I have worked with the best of the best at SAP America, and I have been involved with many prior implementations. I realized it was important to get the most value for the dollars spent; however, I know how important quality is—especially with systems integration and the myriad variables involved—and I know how much it can cost you in the long run when you don’t put quality as a top priority.
With that in mind, I focused on quality and let the others focused on cost. It came down to choosing the developer to implement its newest software, SAP S4 HANA. The desire to use SAP America as our consulting partner was purely for its track record of quality—but the cost always ends up being the downfall. We determined that a smart way to use the best of the best while limiting the cost was to utilize some of the great client partners in the SAP Premier Partner Program to augment the SAP consultants. This offered a lower cost with the same measure of quality as the SAP consultants, as most of the premier partners formerly worked for SAP. What an amazing idea!
This is where Echelon Solutions Group stepped in. Although my “customer’s eye” was skeptical, Echelon proved to be exactly what it promised—a team of consultants who were experienced, efficient, and possessing an incredibly robust level of expertise. I was so impressed with Echelon, in fact, that after the implementation, I decided to join their team!