Turning data into value is more complicated than ever

Software AG simplifies the integration of transactional, device, and process data to power the data foundation at the core of your business.

What are the core business and activities of your organization?

At Software AG, we simplify the connected world and deliver the modern experiences that employees, partners, and customers expect. Our technology creates the digital backbone that integrates applications, devices, data, and clouds; empowers streamlined processes; and connects “things” like sensors, devices, and machines via our industry-leading suite across integration & API management, IoT & analytics, and business transformation.

As a vendor, what is the challenge that you see a channel partner faces when it comes to the transformation of organizations across large and medium-sized businesses?

Today’s logistics and distribution world continues to struggle, facing supply chain execution challenges in maintaining shorter fulfillment requirements, decreased cost, and on-time deliveries. Businesses hence need to identify the targeted need for digitalization to develop relevant and crucial use cases for today’s application in the industry.

Therefore, in 2023 vendors, and channel partners are playing a vital role in enabling organizations to develop focused digital transformation initiatives that immediately impact operations.

Speaking of use cases, where there is a process in business, mining can help. Some of the most crucial process mining use cases to improve business operations include: l Customer experience: Identify any customer process that takes longer to resolve than others and ensure the right information to the customer is provided at the right time. l Supply chain management: Analyse logistical operations to identify the weak links in the supply chain and become more resilient and less vulnerable to disruptions. l IoT process improvement: Identify happy paths in your productions to increase efficiency and lower cost. l Procure to pay: Optimize procurement by eliminating payment term discrepancies and maverick buying. l Order to cash: Maximize touchless orders, reduce order-to-delivery cycle time, and ultimately speed up payment collection.

How do you see end-to-end supply chain visibility, and why is it important for businesses to achieve it?

Modern manufacturing is an intricate web of supply chains and one disruption can leave businesses vulnerable. It is undoubtedly vital to maintaining a lean structure for businesses to insulate themselves from unseen risk.

The solution lies in implementing a digital supply chain that provides end-to-end visibility, allows right-time respon- siveness, and ensures maximum resilience.

Software AG’s Process mining stated above enables organizations to optimize the supply chain network to achieve resilience and therefore economies of scale.

Not paying attention to meeting customer needs more reliably and remaining ahead of the curve when supply chain issues occur, end-to-end visibility can provide insight into all of the upstream and downstream links in an organization’s supply chain.

The critical aspects of a supply chain visibility solution include:

1. Enables every supply chain participant to connect to the network easily and cost-effectively

2. Takes a format-agnostic approach to partner communications

3. Ensures flexibility in prioritizing responses to issues, customers, and suppliers

Discuss the role of supply chain automation in promoting sustainability and how you empower your customers to achieve it.

Sustainability is only possible with optimized processes in place.

It is imperative to integrate sustainability into the process management of the business itself. Mitigating climate risks, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, and maintaining a brand reputation to stay ahead of the curve are all in line with achieving organizational goals.

What impact does digital transformation have on operations and overall innovation?

Strategically delivered digital transformation implemented in line with an organization’s business goals delivers true innovation.

At Software AG, we empower our customers to build sustainable future ready simplified connected enterprises. We thereby enable fourth-generation cities, modernize government processes, empower and deliver efficient and personalized citizen-centric experiences, accelerate business transformation, and build powerful-data-driven IoT and Integration ecosystems.

In general, what do your customers see as key advantages and disadvantages of technology adoption and the overall current and future technological landscapes?

Digital transformation has clear advantages that customers see and that include improved efficiency, enhanced customer experience, increased innovation, greater agility, and improved data-decision making and disadvantages of implementation challenges, resistance to change, the potential for job losses, etc. However, in today’s times, it is most important for, businesses to be able to deliver an immediate impact on the end customer/ end user with digitalization initiatives. Technology adoption today has become very specific and the use case is driven vs. generic largescale implementations earlier. This is a significant benefit from the customer’s point of view when it comes to technology adoption vs. not witnessing the immediate desired impact on the end user.

What are your current expectations from channel partners and the larger ecosystem?

Mutual and synergized goals remain a vital part of the combined vendor-partner strategy as it combines resources and expertise to garner optimum value for the customer and results in creating a profitable and fruitful ecosystem for everyone involved. Moreover, it is less a transactional perspective and more a longterm vision that brings success to life. ë