PROMOS consult supports its customers comprehensively – with an SAP quality certificate

As the software solutions that PROMOS consult develops especially for the real estate business are based on SAP^® ERP software, it is extremely important that the members of the support team are attuned to the relevant SAP^® components. PROMOS has been an SAP partner for more than twelve years and has thus consistently embedded its service model into the SAP support structures of Enterprise and Standard support models. A three-stage support concept ensures that reports from customers can be processed via PROMOS support up to SAP with no media discontinuities. An Internet support portal, known as the Support Desk, based on SAP^® Solution Manager plays a key role here and provides access to all support functions.  

PROMOS’ certification as an SAP Partner Center of Expertise documents that PROMOS consult customers can rely on top-level, expert support from the support team (PCoE). In 2010, PROMOS was one of the first German VAR partners of SAP to complete the PCoE certification. This was repeated successfully in 2012 and 2014. SAP issues this certification to companies that are responsible for service and support for their customers to certify that these companies have fully implemented all of SAP’s technical and organisational specifications. The correct implementation of relevant specifications right down to the last detail is a key prerequisite, not only for smooth functioning of the SAP^®-based software solutions, but also for efficient support. Before issuing the PCoE certificate, which is valid for two years each time, SAP examined all processes, procedures, policies and methods at PROMOS, as well as the services offered by the service and support organisation, in an extensive audit.

The requirements placed on companies in the scope of the PCoE certification apply to a company’s employees as well as its processes and technical systems. At employee level, for example, role-based training, qualification as a support consultant and certification as an application consultant are required. This ensures that all employees involved in the support process have the necessary qualifications and, above all, the current, application-related expertise that they require to support customers as part of the support team.  

The process-related requirements for PCoEs include strict customer orientation, appropriate event or fault management and a quality assurance process. The system requirements include a fault management system and a connection for remote support, as well as a solution manager if appropriate. A particularly important aspect in all this is the close interaction between PROMOS support and SAP support, which allows customers to be confident of receiving comprehensive support at all times – no matter what part of the software architecture in use gave rise to the questions addressed to the support team. For example, there is a general requirement that the service connection for remote support is always activated and configured between the end customer, SAP and PROMOS. As part of the certification, SAP must demonstrate that the connection works and verify this with the SAP support systems.

Great value is also placed on the consistency and reliability of support processes and on their continuous monitoring so that support in a consistently high quality is guaranteed, regardless of when customers make use of the individual support services and which support employee they come into contact with in this process.  

The certification process and its regular repetition are time-consuming and involve large personnel outlay; however, this pays off fully for PROMOS consult and, above all, for PROMOS’ customers. For PROMOS, the certification is an opportunity to regularly examine the internal processes, the technical systems and the qualifications of support employees and, if required, to adapt to changing requirements. For customers, PROMOS consult’s certification as PCoE provides the certainty that they will receive support based on state-of-the-art technology and expertise not just in the initial implementation phase but for the entire time that the procured IT solution is in use.