What kids with marshmallows can teach you about IT Budgets
You’ve begged. You’ve pleaded. You’ve made flowcharts and even drawn stick figures on your boss’s office window, showing him how desperately you need more money.
Then the unexpected happens. You finally get your dough. To your delight, you get more than you need. What to do? Do you swing from the rafters and spend that money like it’s going out of style? Or do you pause and carefully weigh all of your options?
The answer lies in how much you love marshmallows.
The Stanford Marshmallow Experiment was a series of studies in the early 1970s on delayed gratification. A child was offered a choice between one small reward—a single marshmallow—provided immediately, or two small rewards if he waited 15 minutes.
So you see, you probably don’t want to make a rash decision. You never know what potential prize (or just the opposite) may lie around the corner…
Which area in your department would most benefit from the extra cash?
When the unthinkable happens, and you receive additional IT budget dollars out of the clear blue yonder, expanding SAP support is probably your smartest move—especially if your department is already strapped for time and manpower. But how do you go about this?
Is one new hire (one marshmallow) the answer?
If your organization has fewer support requirements, it’s possible that the addition of a single SAP consultant could adequately provide the extra level of expertise your team needs. In this case, hiring one full-time SAP team member with a broad knowledge of the SAP modules implemented by your company would be ideal.
But what if you want to go a step further?
Maybe contracting (two marshmallows) is the best option?
Two marshmallows are always better than one, if you can afford to pack on the extra pounds. If your support requirements are broader, and your newfound budget allows, you can consider hiring two SAP contractors. These contractors would operate on a retainer basis, and would be managed by your in-house SAP team.
But what if there is a big gap between your support requirements and your in-house team’s skills? What if you need support round the clock, over weekends, over Thanksgiving, over Christmas…?
Should you go for the big shebang and partner with an SAP support service?
Go big or go home. You’ve waited patiently, and now you want the whole stinking bag of marshmallows. This is the perfect opportunity to take a leap of faith and seriously consider partnering with an SAP support service company.
This is your chance to hire SAP support service that can provide a team of consultants for every single SAP module your company has ever implemented. Your team can then work with these consultants to coordinate and resolve any SAP issues that arise.
Holy smokes. How amazing would that be?
How do I know outsourcing my SAP services is a risk worth taking?
You don’t. But you will never know until you try. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone and decide that the reward is worth the risk. If you do your homework and are strategic about choosing the right SAP service partner, this won’t be an issue.
Don’t let your windfall burn a hole in your pocket
Coming into the dream budget isn’t worth a darn if you waste it. Stop and think before you spend. What is in the best interest of your entire IT department?
Maybe you bring on a new permanent addition to your team. Maybe you contract additional help from two individuals as needed. Or maybe you seriously consider partnering with an SAP support service. Take the time to weigh all of your options carefully, and you are sure to make a wise decision.
Next Step
If you’d like some help putting these steps into practice, give us a call (or fill the form below and send to us). We’re happy to meet and discuss your situation.
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