Best practices in technology are helping manufacturers of complex products and equipment to move their offerings to market more quickly and more profitably by enabling them to become more cost effective and efficient. Following best practices is the best way to navigate the sea of challenges facing manufacturers of complex equipment.

Rapidly advancing technology, together with strides in management and logistics, bring the threat of commoditization to the doorstep of every manufacturer. At the same time, product life cycles become shorter and shorter. Responsibly managing these challenges is incumbent upon all manufacturers. But for the complex equipment manufacturer, managing these challenges is, well, more complex, because complexity goes beyond the design and function of the product or equipment itself and extends throughout the product life cycle-- from design and planning, through manufacturing, service, and aftermarket sales all the way to obsolescence. As a result, best practices are especially applicable to complex equipment manufacturers.

What best practices should you, as a manufacturer of complex products and equipment, use to address the challenges facing your industry today? What factors determine success? What challenges must you overcome in supporting service and aftermarket sales? What best practices will help you control price and profits? How can you streamline and improve the accuracy and completeness of your compliance process?

This white paper addresses these questions and opportunities from the point of view of the manufacturer of complex products and equipment. Additionally, it demonstrates the value of best practices through the success stories of SAP customers. It provides a brief overview of the SAP solutions used by these manufacturers of complex products and equipment to differentiate themselves from the competition through superior-value products and services against low-cost global providers.