Christian Klein, the new co-CEO of SAP has focused his attention on two big areas for this year. Whilst both will be a challenge, it is possible to see progress in both goals. In a discussion with Yahoo Finance at the World Economic Forum, Klein raised the importance of up-skilling technology professionals.

The necessity to retrain technology professionals is believed by many industry experts as an essential move to unlock the full potential of technology over the next few years. Klein believes that training is essential and will have significant future sales and profits at SAP.

Klein refers to the technology at SAP, stating that if workers are unable to utilise SAP’s new productivity tools to their best ability, businesses may reduce their orders. In reality, businesses may receive a lower return on their technology investment.

A new report delivered by Intel states that just over 35% of businesses raised the challenge of ‘technical skill gaps’ and that this was preventing them from completely benefiting from investment in technology. A further 18% of businesses suggest data management and interpretation as top employee challenges.

Klein’s second goal for SAP is to focus on accelerating cloud computing subscriptions, with a target of reaching $35 billion in revenue by 2023. This target follows on from Bill McDermott, the previous CEO of SAP who stated back in 2018 that he planned to triple cloud computing subscriptions. If this is reached, SAP’s market cap could lie in the range of $280 to 340 billion. Klein informed Yahoo Finance that SAP is on target with predictions of over $32 billion in sales this year and a current market cap standing at just over $172 billion.

SaaS is a reputed business model with proven success and has become a popular tool across many industries. The innovative model enables businesses to work directly with customers or quite commonly, use a separate partner. By using a partner, these companies effectively ‘own’ the customer relationship and the attached data, probably the most critical part of any business.

Many SaaS focused businesses are realising the necessity of creating a direct relationship with the customer, providing the business with greater control and further options. The transition from the regular SaaS business model involving a channel partner to a multi-dimensional platform positions the SaaS company at the core of the model and in a more controlling position. Whilst believed to be more effective, the multi-structured approach means SaaS companies need to establish connections with each part of the model and view each as a customer that has requirements, this incorporates the channel partners and the end customers. 

Changing the approach

Generally, small SaaS businesses have developed specific agreements with their customers or suppliers as the business has developed. In nearly most instances, the SaaS business remains hidden to the customer using the service via their channel partners.

To deliver a successful service, SaaS businesses need to consider their business from a B2B and B2C perspective. Industry analysts believe the reshaping of these relationships represents the biggest challenge for the SaaS marketplace, involving meeting the needs of all members of the network.

Each section of the chain is looking to expand and the SaaS business needs to capture the areas where they can deliver and support each business in reaching that goal. To remain successful, SaaS businesses need to be adaptive and capable of transforming their existing models. Making the transition to a modern business model is likely a step that many companies need to make to remain competitive in an environment dominated by core technology.

Leading connected planning business Anaplan recently wrote a piece for Forbes on the focus for this year. Looking back at 2019, there were a number of uncertainties relating to various challenges including Brexit and Tariffs. Businesses battled to maintain prosperity during a transition in consumer demands and a continued rise in competition.  

This year is anticipated to be another period of uncertainty, with elections influences market stability and signs of continued changes in global trading trends. Anaplan believes that those businesses likely to experience success and further development will be the ones that are capable of adapting to change and transform periods of uncertainty into a competitive advantage. Yet, in reality, many companies continue to use long-range planning systems, resulting in significantly slower response time to potential changes in the marketplace.

Real-Time Planning – a necessity?

Traditional long-term plans observed a market over several years and leaders would use a combination of current market trends and historical information to make predictions about the future. Many of these findings are used for large periods of time, not recognising the continuous market changes. As a result, the data generated is not accurate and more importantly, the information generated and used to make decisions is not necessarily correct. 

Evolving market conditions and periods of uncertainty are effectively eliminating the benefits of implementing a long term plan. This was proven last year with many businesses that showed signs of agility creating higher levels of success over their competitors. 

Businesses today need to be far more flexible than ever and responsive to change. For this year, business leaders should avoid long term planning tools and implement accurate, short term planning systems to target growth. This is exactly where connected planning systems can really support businesses in achieving this.

Connected Planning Systems

Connected Planning can support operations in a business, boosting productivity and transforming decision-making processes. Business leaders require a strategy that incorporates our ever-changing landscape, the benefits of technology and new regulations in our markets.

Connected Planning systems remove manual, time-consuming work, exactly the type of jobs you would associate with long-range planning. The system provides a singular platform, incorporating all parts of a business and delivering one channel of information. This translates into clarity, a source of information incorporating an entire company and enabling leaders to understand how their decisions will influence the whole company.

Decision-makers have the ability to define multiple scenarios, blending a range of variables to define what impact future market changes could have on business performance. Businesses can feel secure and more confident in their plans and use this time of uncertainty as an advantage.

A recent report by Forrester into the total economic impact led by Anaplan believes that investing in a connected planning tool can generate a number of improvements for a business. The study concluded that within three years, the Anaplan Connected Planning platform can generate an over 300% increase in return on investment.

Uncertainty is expected to be a common trend this year and consequently, companies that have the capability to plan in real-time will likely stay ahead of unstable times. Removing the long term plan and implementing a connected planning solution provides business leaders with an added level of agility. Integrated in the right way, connected planning provides businesses with a clear, accurate strategy to tackle future market changes and continue to advance during 2020.

AI has expanded in recent years and become widely accepted in businesses today. Implementing new AI tools enables businesses to remain efficient and gain a competitive edge in their selected market. Forbes recently released a number of top trends related to the AI market for 2020:

Predictive Analytics

Predictive analytics utilised a combination of machine learning, historical data and other systems to generate potential scenarios for the future. Using these tools enables businesses to study certain trends and implement these to enhance businesses’ performance across many levels.  Predictive analytics is growing rapidly and is helping businesses become more efficient thanks to several factors:

• Simplistic and affordable options 
• Larger volumes of available data and information from a range of innovative tools
• Rising market saturation encouraging businesses to seek new ways to diversify

The predictive analytics market is expected to rise to nearly $11 billion by 2022 and has recorded over 20% compound growth for the last 3 years.

Rising Anomaly Detection Tools

There are daily occurring problems for businesses that are generally due to human-related errors and although relatively minor, they can collectively incur high costs for a business. Anomaly detection is becoming more popular to determine problems before they occur. This AI-focused system uses existing and historical data to determine certain datasets that really stand out, enabling a business to find certain errors in security, marketing and other parts of a business.

On the flip side, anomaly detection can also be used to discover beneficial gains for a business, such as determining the most efficient PPC strategy or targeted keywords to focus on SEO campaigns.

Machine Learning Cybersecurity Tools

Security continues to be a global concern and the potential of losing data is something that no business wishes to experience. According to Forbes, nearly 70% of small businesses experienced a cyberattack in 2018, hence the need for cybersecurity in machine learning systems. These services utilise AI to continuously monitor how a business operates, detecting any potential threats before they may cause damage. The tools allow a business to run smoothly and remain protected. For example, Microsoft Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) is a great example, deploying cloud AI and machine learning tools to identify threats and potential errors that could cause problems for a business.

Increased user-friendly AI platforms

For many businesses, AI can seem complicated and new technology can be more complex and slower to be integrated for many. This, however, is changing with Gartner suggesting that nearly 40% of businesses have implemented AI in their business, as this figure is rising. This is largely down to the rising release of user-friendly AI technology being released, enabling simplistic integration and data production. Users don’t necessarily need to be experts to use these tools and can successfully generate valuable information for their business.

AI for productivity and work balance

AI is generally regarded in terms of data and machines, but there is an increase in AI technology being applied to enhance the human side of a business. As described, AI can be utilised for anomaly detection and cybersecurity trends, allowing computer technology to do what it does best, whilst the people managing the business can focus on applying their expertise. PwC predicts AI will generate over $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030. They predict that most of this revenue will come from driving consumer behvaiour, boosting products and enhancing productivity. For example, the business VMware integrated AI-driven solutions to manage content and editing as it looked to scale further. The saved time enabled their writers to focus on training, onboarding new personnel and generating new and efficient systems.

Leading connected planning business Anaplan has confirmed the release of a new AI-powered system for Predictive Sales Planning, supporting companies in managing their overall design and execution of sales and revenue strategies. The goal is to enable businesses to grow revenue at a quicker rate and create a competitive edge within their selected market.
As we move into 2020, sales professionals are facing a rising level of urgency to deliver quicker and more efficient rates of revenue growth in the circumstance of a reduced buying rate.

Anaplan’s Predictive Sales Planning technology provides sales professionals with the potential to measure accounts via AI-focused information, including company growth trends, business partnerships, hiring trends and buyer intent. All of these predictive tools support companies in enhancing their sales performance and the opportunity to select specific accounts with the best ability to buy.

Jason Loh, the Global Head of Sales Solutions at Anaplan explains that in a complex selling market, revenue leaders tend to find it difficult to select the best areas to focus on to deliver their commercial goals. The Predictive Sales Planning capabilities enhance the power of AI and ML to support sales professionals with the intelligence that improves overall growth and development. The Anaplan platform will allow sales professionals to make quick and efficient decisions about new markets, opportunities to invest and the ability to streamline revenue operations.

The predictive sales planning technology is available in four sections:

Predictive Account Segmentation and Scoring – combining internal data with predictive tools related to profile and buyer intend to define certain accounts with a better opportunity to buy.

Predictive Territory Planning – defines certain sales areas across selected factors such as industry, geography and product. It enables users to create a territory plan based on a combination of historical details and predictive insights.

Predictive Sales Capacity Planning – enhances coverage models along with sales factors and buyer insights with the aim of delivering revenue targets.

Predictive Quota Planning – enables allow sales leaders to create fair and realistic targets, goals and quotas by implementing predictive insights, buyer signals and intent-related information.

Robert Munoz, the research director of sales operations strategies at Forrester explains that sales leaders anticipate a potential slowdown in buying, spurring the need to drive revenue growth further. Munoz believes that sales professionals who focus on their sales intelligence capabilities, combining predictive AI solutions will deliver a higher level of productivity and sales.

The Predictive Sales Planning potential is now available on the Anaplan platform.

SaaS is continuing to expand as businesses of all sizes integrate the software-as-a-service model to meet their application requirements. Studies suggest that the use of SaaS within business increased by 68% between 2017 and 2018. Innovative companies are implementing the benefits of SaaS, offering subscription pricing options to their customers and enabling software to be used as a service, reducing overall management, maintenance, and cost. The benefits are clear but there is also an important area that needs to be considered with the rise of SaaS in business and this relates to the storage of data and protecting this information for the future.

Recent reports indicate that nearly 50% of businesses are depending on their selected SaaS system to protect their data, and a further 25% have no protection plan in place at all for their SaaS data. Whilst most SaaS vendors are investing significantly in data protection, their focus is placed on major data disruption rather than accidental removal of certain fails. Nearly all SaaS licenses available today require the customer to share the responsibility of data protection. What this means is the provider will take ownership of certain parts of the data, but the customer also has responsibility in other areas. This tends to mean that the vendor provides a secure platform and service but the data involved in the process belongs to the customer and so is their responsibility to keep safe.

Potential Issues with SaaS and Data Protection

Let’s take the scenario where certain files at your business are accidentally deleted and are left for a period of time resulting in being permanently deleted from your system, with no precautionary measure to back up the files. Many SaaS clients make the assumption that vendors are creating backups of your data, and generally, they do. However, this backup is nearly always a complete backup of the entire platform, enabling a full recovering in the case of a significant security breach or in a scenario where all your data is destroyed. What this means is data is protected at a service level but specific granular information cannot be recovered. For example, the system won’t be capable of recovering a particular email or a critical sales file sheet required for a report. Whilst this may be an extreme example, if any situations like this develop, it is prudent that a business has taken precautions and used an external backup system.

Maintaining the security of SaaS data

With large data volumes, it is good to manage and prioritise your information and create a backup plan. This enables a business to classify the most important data sources and ensure you remain compliant with current regulations. If your business intends to apply a SaaS model then it makes sense to deliver a SaaS solution service to protect it. Implementing the SaaS approach doesn’t mean you have to let your data protection focus slide. With the number of options available today, there should be no reason why a business should leave their data open to potential risks. Organisations should acknowledge that SaaS data requires a similar level of protection as applied to other major data sources.

Big data business QlikTech International has relaunched its cloud-based service offering with a new Qlik Sense Business platform.

Qlik is a business intelligence software specialist providing businesses the capabilities to visualize data in graphical forms and generate metrics to deliver useful insights.

The main technology includes a big-data analysis system that utilizes an open application program interface enabling access to an extensive number of software architecture, platforms, and languages. Qlik is capable of measuring data from up to 40 varied sources and generating automated results via artificial intelligence in a visual representation.

The latest offering from Qlik Sense includes an improvement to their Cloud Business product and intends to offer a more in-depth analytic experience than the previous version. One new function in the updated service includes a natural language processing feature, allowing users to query data via voice control.

Qlik explains that users can use the service to enter search criteria via natural language. The Qlike Cognitive Engine analyses the search string to understands the user’s intent and generate data and insights from this search process. Chief Technology Officer Mike Potter highlights that Qlik is creating a new generation of business intelligence systems with a cloud-focused SaaS analytics platform. Qlik Sense Business will support businesses significantly improve data processes and data-focused decision making via a system that expands their business analytical capabilities.

Qlik Sense Business is now available and the company is offering a free trial to businesses looking to test the new platform.

The Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) software market is expected to experience a surge due to rising demand for enhanced strategic plans in businesses.

Cloud-based EPM software provides additional benefits related to conventional EPM software, creating a more efficient and faster tool to implement, an increasing rate of innovation in businesses, reducing operational costs and supporting closer collaboration between team members.

EPM software supports the automation of manual tasks and improves the implementation rate of focus finance processes. EPM software is created in a way to support the implementation of key strategic plans and goals that have been created for an entire business chain. At present, the global EPM software market is expected to reach a value of $3,600 million by the year 2022 and continue to increase at a steady rate during this period.

Global Forecast for the EPM Software Market

Industry analysts suggest the services product sector reach a value of nearly $800 million by the year 2022. This equates to a steady and solid CAGR growth from now until 2022. The services product sector is predicted to account for over 20% of the revenue share of the product type and is due to gain market share further by 2022.

Forecasts suggest that the IT and Telecommunication end-user industry will reach a value of approximately $550 million and is due to gain further market share by 2022. The cloud industry is expected to reach a value of nearly $970 million by 2022 and continue to expand its market share within this period.

The biggest contributing share in the cloud market is found within North America, with a forecast compound annual growth rate of around 5% from now until 2022.

UK enterprise performance management business, Copperman Consulting will combine with the Decision Inc. brand in a move to enhance its intelligent solutions offering supporting customers across the entire value chain.

The recent announcement focuses on the wider plans to solidify the partnership between Decision Inc. and Copperman Consulting. The strategic integration has enabled the businesses to maintain customer relationships more efficiently than a quicker transition.

Nick Bell, the CEO of Decision explains they have now started a new phase in their partnership with Copperman Consulting and are looking forward to the new opportunities that will develop from the integration. The combination will enable Decision to enhance their existing service offering including data management, business intelligence and analytics, leveraging the value proposition available for customers and staff.

Stephen Garbett, the MD of Copperman believes the synergy between the two companies will prove to create an appealing offering for clients. Collaborating with Decision Inc. has enabled Copperman to expand their offering and complete skill set.

Decision inc. has historical success in generating considerable value from the acquisition. The business has successfully generated numerous implementations to UK based customers combining the SAP capabilities of Copperman with the business intelligence skill sets of Decision Inc. Bell explains that this highlights its wider strategy of becoming a world leader in information-driven transformation. Bell believes the integration process has enabled them to complement their existing capabilities and develop further sustainable growth within a connected market.

Oracle Financial Services Global Business Unit along with the RPA vendor, Blue Prism have confirmed a collaborative project to tackle fraud by creating a compliance platform to automate compliance tasks for financial teams.

Fraud detection has always been a challenge for finance teams and traditionally involved financial institutions hiring more professionals to tackle the issue. However, as criminal methods have become more sophisticated, businesses are finding it hard to use efficient methods to manage to investigate new cases.

In response to increasing concerns, Oracle and Blue Prism have announced a partnership to enhance the workflow of financial crime investigations. A representative from Blue Prism recently explained that their automation platform will enable Oracle’ financial crimes software to provide more accurate and detailed research and analysis in a more timely, efficient and cost-effective manner.

Jon Walden, the CTO for Blue Prism Americas explains that industries continue to be challenged on many aspects, highlighting the success of their platform in many areas of business challenges including profit concerns, retaining workers and impact of competition. Walden points to the capabilities of their services enabling a ‘unified workforce’ for both humans and digital workers to get the job done. Walden highlights the success they have gained in the finance industry and regards this to the detailed audit and resilience incorporated within their platforms.