SAP Cloud for Customer (SAP C4C)

What is SAP Cloud for Customer (SAP C4C)?

SAP Cloud for Customer is a software as a service (SaaS) platform for sales and service. The platform is composed of SAP Cloud for Sales and SAP Cloud for Service, which are marketed as separate entities by SAP. SAP Cloud for Customer runs on the SAP HANA Cloud Platform (HCP). It is available on a per user subscription basis.

SAP C4C sales and service functions

SAP said it designed SAP Cloud for Customer with a mobile-first approach to meet the requirements of today's sales and service professionals who need information about customers any time and in any location. The focus is on ease of use and getting more production out of the tool rather than spending time entering information. The user experience was built specifically for SAP Cloud for Customer and is based on Fiori design principles.

For SAP Cloud for Sales, the emphasis is on allowing sales professionals to spend more time selling. In one example, a salesperson in a retail environment can use a cell phone to capture images of stock on a retail shelf, and recognition software can compare this with a template of how the shelf should look. SAP claims the process is less error prone and saves time in restocking inventory.

It includes embedded analytics that can help predict sales success based on historical data, competing products and other factors. For example, if a salesperson adds another product to the mix, the chance of winning the deal may increase because data indicates that the combination has been successful in the past. Users can change assumptions on the fly and come up with new scenarios.

Features of SAP Cloud for Customer

Specific features include account management functions; integration with social media; integration with Microsoft Outlook, Google Gmail, and Lotus Notes; opportunity management; real-time analytics; support for mobile devices, including iPhone, iPad and Android; and integration with SAP ERP, SAP CRM, and SAP JAM.

Cloud for Service includes similar functions that service professionals can use to ensure they have the right parts needed on a service call.

SAP C4C competitors

SAP Cloud for Customer competes with automation platforms from Salesforce, Microsoft, and other vendors.