The right SI team is essential for the move to SAP S/4HANA

Selecting the right systems integrator (SI) team for the move to S/4HANA is one of the most consequential decisions for the programme. The right SI team brings technical expertise and provides project governance, plays a role in change management, and brings process reengineering capabilities. However, finding and managing the right team can be tricky. Project One are often engaged to select, onboard and manage the SI, and in this article, we share experience of the challenges and approaches for ensuring a successful partnership.

Why the Right SI Team Matters

Moving to S/4HANA is not a typical upgrade. It often involves rethinking core business processes, integrating technologies like AI and analytics, managing massive data transitions, and navigating significant organisational change. A capable SI partner plays an important role in all these areas.

The SI team should provide more than just SAP expertise. Ideally they will understand your industry, bring proven methodologies, fit with your culture, and most importantly have the track record and experience of successful delivery.

The challenges in selecting an SI Team

The SI landscape is crowded with global consulting firms, regional specialists, and boutique SAP-focused providers. Each claims similar competencies, making it difficult to distinguish real capabilities.

Most SI firms do not have the A team on the bench waiting for a project, even if you get A players in the pitch presentation. The selection process must go beyond the firm to the individuals who will work with you on the programme.

It can be tempting to rely on the reputation or size of an SI rather than conducting a deep evaluation of their actual experience. It’s essential to test credentials and relevant experience.

Most SIs will bring standardised implementation methodologies. Test alignment with your maturity level and ways of working.

A common pain point post-implementation is poor knowledge transfer, leaving internal teams under-skilled and dependent.

In our view the business owns responsibility for change management but the SI has an important role to play. Finding the right balance is important. SIs vary in their approach to change management with some viewing it solely as a client-side responsibility and others claiming to take full accountability for change management.

Selecting the SI

Before reaching out to vendors, define a clear scope, goals, and success criteria, including technical and business KPIs. Use a structured RFP to evaluate pricing, methodology, industry experience, team quality, and cultural fit. Beyond capabilities, assess whether the SI can work collaboratively and align with your internal culture. Ask vendors to demonstrate how they would address real-world challenges to assess their practical problem-solving. Ensure shared risk and reward with performance-based payments, SLAs, and flexible exit clauses.

And most importantly, insist on interviewing the proposed SI team members so that you get the right team for your programme!

Managing the SI Relationship

A successful S/4HANA programme meets the business objectives of all parties including the SI. Set a win-win tone in the relationship with the SI from the outset to foster a relationship that will find a way through the inevitable challenges of the programme.

Build on strong relationship foundations with effective programme controls: set up a joint steering committee with defined responsibilities, escalation procedures, and governance checkpoints; ensure internal teams are actively involved to promote knowledge retention and reduce dependency; deploy change management as a joint responsibility that is client led, with dedicated resources, training, and communication planning; establish formal knowledge transfer and mentoring from the SI to your internal teams, and track progress with objective KPIs and adjust the partnership as needed to maintain performance and alignment.

In conclusion, selecting and managing the right SI team for the move to S/4HANA can ultimately define the success or failure the programme. By taking a thoughtful, structured approach to partner selection and governance, companies can mitigate these risks and foster a productive, value-driven relationship. This is a core skill of Project One, something we have navigated for our customers time and again.

If you’re shaping your S/4HANA Transformation programme, midway through or facing a recovery, and would like a sounding board, please get in touch, we’d love to talk.