Initial SAP QM question to client for Support Project

[Former Member]

Hi Experts,

I have been asked to prepare a SAP QM questions that can be asked to the SAP QM support team (Client) before the actual KT plan starts for a SUPPORT PROJECT. Requesting help in this..

Thankyou very much in advance..

[former_member42743]

Thank you for the folks that responded.

I will be locking this topic based on the feedback I've gotten at he end of today.

The topic is not a bad topic and might make the basis for a good BLOG.  I.e. something along the lines of  "Suggestions for a Sucessful KT" or "KT experiences".

I will add a follow up to Arjit's comment about listening.  I've been involved in several KT's at several clients where we review new functionality implemented by a new project that we turn over to a daily internal team or external helpdesk team who take over day-to-day support.

But in your case it appears you are taking over support.  I.e. going from an in-sourced to out-sourced model.

Please be very sensitive to the fact that those required to provide the data and information may not be overly thrilled about it.  It is entirely possibly they are losig their jobs over this.  Or at the very least having to take on a whole other role in the business that they may not be happy about.  If you are replacing another external support company that is losing a contract, the people on the contract may also be losing their jobs or at the very least, going ot be reassigned to another client or project somewhere.

So don't be upset or overly critical if you find the people are less then eager and maybe, (hopefully not), even very resentful towards you and your group.  They may be less than forthcoming and do a less than stellar job of providing you documentation and good answers to your questions.  Hopefuly they are professionals and understand it's not your fault personally and give you everything you need.  But if they don't, try to be sensitive to this.

Craig

[busyaban7]

Hi Craig,

I have taken your suggestion forward, and published a BLOG shared below -

http://scn.sap.com/community/erp/operations-qm/blog/2015/08/05/suggestions-for-a-sucessful-kt

Please review it and suggest any further points for improvements.

Thanks,

Arijit

[former_member201849]

This message was moderated.

[anand_rao3]

I agree with Craig and at the same time am in a dilemma on how to respond this. To me also it seems that you are in to SAP consulting role. Having said this you must be having some background of SAP QM (like what are the general processes that are covered in QM). When the other team imparts KT, you can very well compare this with the knowledge you have for QM and the gaps if any you find would nothing but the questions that you are expecting from this thread. Isn't it?

I can not tell at the moment what questions one should ask for QM as this is difficult but below are few generic topics that constitute good KT sessions.

I always give utmost importance to the already available documentation. The team who implemented or rolled out the solutions must have done some documentation on the topic. You must be having it already with you before the KT starts so that you can have some idea on it. BBP overview (Like Arijit mentions this serves as input for understanding the system landscape, geographies-how many plants it has etc and organization structure), Processes mapped, Customization done, Any user exit in place or not, Any Z reports developed, any third party interface is involved or not etc.

Is it something you were expecting Or you were having something specific in your mind when you posted the question?

Further discussion depends upon your response to the replies which our experts have put.

Anand

[busyaban7]

Hi,

As Craig correctly suggested, you really need to understand a few basic things before trying to ask an open-ended question like this. This kind of questions are very difficult to answer in short, as someone who are answering you, really may not aware what you're potential client business process is!!

So before taking KT from your clients, you need to do some homework and collect below information -

a) What's your client's major business (Chemical/Automotive/Mining/Manufacturing/Agro-business, etc).

b) Go to the hope page of your client's portal and you will get many inputs on the business process followed, geographies involved, processing centers, labs, methodology followed, certification followed, etc. These are very important inputs which will guide you through major process followed by your potential client. Normally these are readily available before you can ask same questions to client.

c) Search and collect basic inputs on the domain's best practice, like SAP - BP4C (Best practice for chemical  industry), etc. This will explain the major processed followed for any industry which are already mapped in SAP.

d) Prepare a high level process flow or master process list (MPL) for your knowledge. If you do it you will have an upper hand to get more and more inputs during the KT sessions. Else, when you are taking KT, you can also ask for MPL, RICEFW list, Knowledge repository, etc.

Once you have done your homework, you will surely have some idea about what you are expecting in the KT. You can add value by putting your points clearly (derived form your search) and try gather as much inputs possible through professional probing techniques...

One note of caution here. Try to be a good listener while the KT is on, and always remember that someone doing the KT may not have all inputs ready available with him, as he may not be the right recipient for all the questions. Keep the channel of communication open so that he can get back to you later.

Thanks,

Arijit

[former_member42743]

Ok.. let me see if I understand the question.

I get the impression that you are a contracting company, that is planning on taking over QM support from a current in-house QM support team.  Basically outsourcing the IT support.  And you want to know what questions to ask of the current internal support team.

Do I have that correct?

Please don't take it the wrong way, but shouldn't there already be people on your staff who should be fully capable of answering this question?  I mean that if you have sold the client on your services, shouldn't there be someone on staff fully confident in the questions that need to be asked?

It's kind of like me agreeing to be a taxi driver but asking the company to train me how to drive a car before I start. Granted,  I might need to ask where a custom switch or two might be, (anti-theft devices, billing software, GPS hardware or software), but I should know enough to be able to know the questions to ask and get the car from point A to B with little help.

I'm inclined to lock the topc but i'm interested to see what others think on the topic.  To me this isn't that far removed from posting a basic question without reseach.   Or posting a direct copy of a user requirement document and asking us to design a solution, when there is a standard SAP approach available.

I'll see what kind of comments we get from folks, especially the rest of the top 10 key contributors to the forum.  You folks know who you are.  I'm expecting guidance on this one!

Craig

[Martin_H]

I would suggest to lock the thread. We are not here to tell someone how to do his/her job.

If there are detailed, research backed questions concerning SAP topics, then this is the right place to ask them.

This questions here is to be asked to a job coach or an offshoring/outsourcing consultant. But wait, isn't that what the thread author's job is?

MH