SAP’s target markets get more granular

SAP is not only moving more of its applications suite to run on the HANA platform, but it is also using them to start building an array of more granular, business focused services optimised for specific functions. It started this trend last year with a foray into finance and CRM, and promised that more would follow, which is the case. Amongst the latest are Demand Signal Management Application for Manufacturers and SAP Cloud for Travel.

The new Demand Signal Managementapplication is intended to allow companies to meet the need to become more demand-driven in order to be more responsive to their customers’ needs. To do so, manufacturers need visibility and access to downstream demand data that give signals as to what customers will be seeking.

Like just about all other new SAP applications the Signal Management system runs on HANA, which it uses to capture large volumes of downstream demand signals, such as a retailer’s point-of-sale data, along with market research data and consumer sentiment information.

This is first in a series of big data-enabled applications SAP intends to release before the end of 2013, including the SAP Fraud Management analytic application, and the SAP Customer Engagement Intelligence solution, which includes the Audience Discovery and Targeting, SAP Customer Value Intelligence, SAP Social Contact Intelligence and SAP Account Intelligence analytic applications.

By deploying big data-enabled applications, enterprises can get to repeatable, measurable results much faster by building day-to-day operations on the insights big data analytics can provide as to what they are seeking.

SAP Demand Signal Management can combine externally captured data with internal business data to provide a holistic view of how customer demand and sales are materialising in real time. State-of-the-art analytics shall help users to visualise and analyse this data at any level of granularity, as well as integrate the results with SAP Business Suite applications.

Cloud for Travel solution is a good example of how the cloud can be used to target more granular operations such as the needs of a specific business cost centre. It has been designed to manage travel and expenses.

It offers a new, open booking capability through integration with Traxo, a web based travel management provider, as well as out-of-the-box support for 20 countries. With these updates, in addition to recently added analytic and mobile capabilities, the package is designed to allow financial officers and business travelers to handle the end-to-end process of travel and expense management faster and with lower cost, while staying in compliance with corporate policies.

Through integration with Traxo, Cloud for Travel provides business travellers with the choice to manage booking their way while still giving companies the visibility and control needed to help ensure compliance.

When travel transactions happen outside a corporate travel system, it is difficult for financial teams to match up expense reports and credit card data. In partnership with Traxo, SAP Cloud for Travel now aggregates travel data from all relevant channels and seamlessly and securely sends this information back into a company’s financial and travel system.

Traxo also captures reservations of flights and hotels that are booked anywhere online. It then combines the reservations into digital itineraries available on the service.

As well as providing out-of-the-box support for 20 countries it also offers integration with leading online booking tools, which help customers configure the solution to fit their company’s travel policy and ensure compliance. The 20 countries currently supported by the solution include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and U.S.