Why Annual Software Maintenance Is Critical For Your Business - Part #4 – “The SAP User Community At Large”

About one month ago, at the 2013 Americas’ SAP User Group’s (ASUG) SAP Business One Summit there was an interesting conversation overheard between a SAP Business One Reseller and small group of their customers.  They were seated at a round table having lunch in the middle of the large room which also served as the Show Room Floor for approximately 40 Software Solutions Providers offering Addons for SAP Business One.  One of the customers remarked, “I had no idea that so many other companies ran their businesses on SAP Business One.”  Another attendee at the same table commented, “It’s amazing how many different solutions there are that might help us.”

The truth is these were Vision33 customers.  With all our growth, with everything we try to do to make our customers aware of everything there is in the wide, wide world of SAP Business One, many are still under informed and at times less than impressed with SAP Business One – until they discover the ASUG SAP Business One Summit.  The Summit will open your eyes, encourage action, and validate your decisions – all related to SAP Business One.

The 2013 ASUG SAP Business One Summit was held in Anaheim California this year.  It was the fourth time this event has been held.  Every year the event grows in attendance, and 2013 was no exception.  There were 535 people who registered for the event.  It’s the one and only best event to put on your calendar every year.  In the past four years the Summit has been attended by over 1,000 different individuals, about of third of which attend year after year.  This year…

• 535 People attended
• 140 Customer Organizations were represented
• 81 SAP Partner Organizations attended
• 31 SAP Business One Staff members attended from around the world
• 300 + individuals attended 8 FREE training classes
• 35 Solution Providers demonstrated their solutions in workshops
  and 5 more joined them on the Show Room Floor (40 Sponsors)
• 2 Customers led workshops of their own
• SAP help 10 workshops to introduce new features and functions in version 9.0
• REO Speedwagon entertained us all
• Special Meeting were held for SAP Teams as well as Partners and Associated Advisory Groups
• Countless semi-private meetings between resellers and their customers
• SAP Executives held private meetings with 40 SAP Partners +
• Everyone experienced value

ASUG has a mission to help users interface with other users, as well as influence SAP and SAP professionals in order to make their businesses run better on SAP software.  The connection of user to user is a very powerful engine to drive change and innovation.  Adoption of new business processes is easier when those changes have been undergone and experienced by someone else who is open to sharing their experience – good, bad or indifferent.

Vision33 encourages every customer to join ASUG.  It’s only $500.00 per year for your entire company and ASUG delivers Real Advantage and Real Experience.  It’s not all about the Summit. The year-round experiences are extremely valuable as well.

• Year-Round Activities (18 webinars are already scheduled with more on the way).
• User Forum
• User Surveys
• SAP Business One HOW TO Document Library
• Addons Solution Brochures and Demonstration Videos
• FREE Registration for the annual ASUG SAP Business One Summit (for your entire company)

ASUG is an organization led by volunteers.  You can even become and ASUG volunteer and have direct impact on the experience of other users.

It’s our privilege at Vision33 to take a leading role in making this grand event occur each and every year. We do so because we are convinced that our customers appreciate everything the event delivers.  We hope to see you there next year. 

To see what the 2013 SAP Business One Summit was like – you can visit a couple of links:

2013 ASUG Photos

Hillel Sackstien - Virtual Graffiti - Customer Interview 

Carl Lewis - Vision33 - Reseller Interview 

Paul Killingsworth - SAP Interview 

Tom Costa - zedSuite - SSP Interview