SAP – credit where it is due

As I read SapphireNow updates from fellow bloggers, analysts, journalists, it is clear I am one of the more cynical ones in the bunch. To twist a Frank Scavo quote my attitude is “Just because you talk about the future, you don’t get a pass from your past”

Having said that, in meetings with both SAP  co-CEOs this week, I complimented Mike Prosceno, Stacey Fish and team for how well they have pioneered and matured now for years their “blogger relations” program.

Actually to call us “bloggers” is understating the multiple dimensions we reflect and expect to hear about at events like Sapphire. Jason Busch wants to hear about sourcing, Bob Ferrari about supply chains, Frank Scavo about  topics of interest to SMEs, Brian Sommer about events based computing, Tom Raftery about Sustainability, Maggie Fox about social computing, Jon Reed about topics the SAP Mentors are particularly interested in. Dennis Howlett wants video opportunities, Michael Krigsman wants photo ops to use his masterful camera work. I want innovation fodder for New Florence and for my books. And on and on.

They do their best to accommodate most of our requests on the fly – even as they would rather us focus on the messages their executives would rather us focus on.