As UK and Ireland user survey suggests awareness of 4-year-old S/4HANA finally on the up
German giant SAP has slurped up « experience management » biz Qualtrics for a cool €8bn cash after reportedly persuading the firm not to IPO.
The acquisition comes as the US-based biz was out on its roadshow with would-be investors ahead of an expected IPO that could have seen it valued at $4.8bn.
The move is part of SAP’s recent push to boost its customer-facing business, having historically been known for its back-office functions.
Speaking at the UK and Ireland SAP User Group conference in Birmingham today, executive board member and global customer operations lead Adaire Fox-Martin said that the buyout was a « step in the reimagination of customer experience ».
Qualtrics sells market research and survey software, sucking up what is known as « experience data » on customers, employees, products and services, and brings with it some 9,000 customers.
Fox-Martin said the aim was to « win in the customer experience battlefield » by allowing customers to mix this data with the operational data that is SAP’s bread and butter, slapping the cheesy badge « XO » (experience plus ops, rather than kisses and hugs) on the division that will house their combined efforts.
