NEWS SAP customers are the least likely to evaluate alternatives or switch products after three years, according to a study of customer loyalty among the top 10 enterprise IT vendors.
PeopleSoft followed close behind, along with EMC and Oracle, while HP, Computer Associates and Dell all propped up the bottom of the table.
Almost 1,200 users of the top 10 vendors' products took part in the study, carried out by US consultancy InterUnity Group.
Less than 29 per cent of SAP customers said they will evaluate replacements during the next three years, compared to 46 per cent for the lowest scoring vendor, CA. The research also looked at the loyalty of long-term customers, where SAP again scores well. But for CA, the lowest-ranked vendor in the top 10, 19 per cent of long-term customers are evaluating replacements in 2004 alone.
Other vendors ranked in the study included IBM, Microsoft, and Sun.
Richard Sneider, partner at InterUnity Group, said SAP has the most loyal customers even though they might not be the most satisfied.
"The cost of change is one issue. And more sophisticated users tend to be less satisfied than unsophisticated users."
CA score low across the board, and Sneider attributed this to several factors.
"There are management issues, product reliability and customer-service issues," he said.
Sneider said none of the ranked vendors have questioned the results but instead wanted to know why users are thinking of changing supplier.
Comments
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1. anonymous
Loyal or Locked-in?
Most SAP customers are lucky to have completed the full implementation after three years. That combined with the cost to implement, not 'loyalty' keeps them on the platform.
2. Nick Smith
The move to SAP is so horrendous for most that I suspect they are simply scared to have to go through it all again
3. Cynical Cyril
I love these "consultants" surveys, amazing, they spent all this money in doing a survey out of the goodness of their hearts. Totally independently, with no payment, no commission by anyone, what fine chaps! Of course, if they didn't, well, I guess there are lies, damned lies and statistics aren't there? It is like a lot of opinion polls isn't it, have YOU ever been asked in any of these wonderful accurate polls? I haven't - ever! Anyone see the football yesterday? Carry out a poll in Lisbon about the disallowed goal, now do the same poll in Fulham. hmmmmmmmmm perhaps if these "studies" detailed the criteria used we may believe the results more, tell us more Andy Cue!
4. Peter Bennett
This is just a SAP advert. Comparing a software product like this, which ties in to a business, with a box shifter like Dell is stupid.
5. Chris Read
SAP customers are the least likely to evaluate alternatives or switch products after three years, because either the implementation date has moved to past three years or the company concerned can't afford to move to an alternative because the have gone so over budget and over time with their SAP implementation!
6. scotth
If one of the main factors for wanting to change are support issues, is it not true that those in the lower end of the results list have their call centre's in India. e.g. CA, Dell etc ?
7. anonymous
The numbers do show it , Top 500 Fortune companies have SAP implementation .
The products take care of most processes and the are stable enuff to sustain volumes.
Overall i would say SAP products are really good.
8. Phillip Motsinger
CA competes in MANY different software markets: Security, Storage, Enterprise Mgmt, Data and Life Cycle Mgmt, Portal Intelligence, etc...
Very nicely integrated products, very easy to manage. CA has come a long way in the past few years, and now offer monthly, quarterly, annual licensing options - which allow for clients to consider alternatives sooner.
No software vendor is more rounded or has a better portfolio of management software.
9. anonymous
While CA may have products that they simply aquired, the Micro-Management of CA employees trickles down to the customers. How? Poor Customer Service. Forcing Employees to sustain a metrics (based on old data) by keeping them under a microscope is counter productive. And it's becoming apparent based on the latest revenue forecasts and negative publicity CA seems to be getting. The turnover at CA is rediculous. Another good reason why the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.