
	Home > Ask the SAP software/management Experts > SAP Careers and certification Questions & Answers > Switching to CRM

Ask The SAP Expert: Questions & Answers

EMAIL THIS

Switching to CRM

EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Jon Reed, Years 2002-2008

		Pose a Question

		Other SAP Categories

		Meet all SAP Experts
		Become an Expert for this site

Digg This!

StumbleUpon

Del.icio.us

QUESTION POSED ON: 09 December 2004
I want to change my career to the CRM side. I am about to complete my MBA degree from California State University, San Jose. I also have Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Computer Science from India. I have over six years of software development experience in the telecom industry.
However, I don't have CRM or eBusiness experience. I feel that MBA and IT expertise will be good combination for eBusiness or CRM. I want to go more to the consulting side by understanding the business requirement and recommending solutions.

I am planning to take a CRM course. I am more inclined to do either Siebel or SAP CRM course/certification. Do you have any preference of one course over the other? Do you think that will help me with changing my career? What is your recommendation to help change my career?

There's a lot of interest in SAP CRM this month - I've answered a couple other questions on the same topic you'll want to check out. In terms of SAP versus Siebel, I'm obviously biased, but I think it's a relatively easy choice. Siebel was once the market leading CRM package, but SAP now claims that prize - according to SAP at any rate. Siebel is in a tough situation, in that it's been the subject of merger and acquisition rumors. If you break into Siebel now, there's no guarantee that two years from now Siebel will resemble the company it is today. My most compelling evidence in favor of SAP is the "executive talent drain." In the 1999-2000 era, Siebel attracted a number of top executives to Siebel away from SAP, partially due to their superior stock option program. This established a bitter rivalry between the two firms. Four years later, SAP must have been gleeful to return the favor and recruit the top executives from Siebel. What does this mean? That SAP is paying better than Siebel now? No. What it means is that SAP has recaptured the "mind share" in the ERP/CRM space. SAP is perceived by executives as having a brighter and more lucrative future that Siebel. That is good enough for me, and it should be good enough for you as well. As for the specific tactics related to breaking into SAP CRM, check my other answers this month for more details on that.

Digg This!

StumbleUpon

Del.icio.us

RELATED CONTENT

	SAP Careers and certification
	How to build an SAP functional resume: SAP consulting advice from Jon Reed
	How to get into SAP Basis
	Job prospects in SAP security
	Moving to SAP SCM
	Breaking into an SAP career: Climb the ladder
	What is the MDM market like right now?
	How big is demand for SAP CRM consultants?
	Holding experience in ABAP, do I go SAP XI or BI?
	Breaking into SAP with an IT background
	Breaking into SAP HR

SAP training and certification strategy

SAP needs to do more with centers of excellence, analyst says

SAP forms closer link with LinkedIn

SAP job market: What are the hot SAP skills and what's cooled off

SAP job market: Building a future in an SAP career

Recruiting programs, economy have lessened SAP skills shortage, SAP says

How to maintain SAP consulting success in a market downturn

Why SAP skills pay keeps climbing, and what skills will augment your resume

SAP debuts BPX certification: A closer look at SAP's business process focus

TechEd:SAP offers new business process management certification

The SAP job quiz 2008: How well do you know the job market?

SAP training and certification strategy Research

RELATED RESOURCES

2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems

Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts

Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary

Search and Browse the Expert Answer Center
Search and browse more than 25,000 question and answer pairs from more than 250 TechTarget industry experts.

Browse our Expert Advice
Operating Systems IT Management Networking Database	Security Servers and Storage Applications and Development Career Center

SAP White Paper Topics

SEARCH

TechTarget provides technology professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective purchase decisions and managing their organizations' technology projects - with its network of technology-specific websites, events and online magazines.


TechTarget Corporate Web Site \| Media Kits \| Site Map All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2000 - 2009, TechTarget \| Read our Privacy Policy SearchSAP.com is a search service provided by TechTarget and is completely independent of and not affiliated with SAP AG.