In Part One of our Syntax Deep Dive series on AI-First Application Managed Services (AMS), Alain Dupont, Global Senior Vice President, AMS at Syntax, discussed why traditional support models are falling short in today’s complex SAP environments and how Syntax is redefining SAP application support for the AI era.
As a quick refresher, organizations today need far more than reactive ticket resolution. They need intelligent, scalable support models that improve visibility, increase operational efficiency, and free internal teams to focus on higher-value priorities. Syntax AI-First AMS combines AI-driven automation with deep SAP expertise to help organizations meet these evolving demands while unlocking greater value from their SAP investments.
In Part Two, Alain explores what separates a modern SAP AMS support partner from a traditional SAP managed services provider as well as what organizations should prioritize when looking for a partner that can support both operational excellence and continuous innovation.
Case-in-Point
Increasing Efficiency, Lowering Costs
An office supply company aimed to elevate the efficiency of its SAP support operations.
The existing SAP AMS model demanded significant time and resources for routine incident management. The company partnered with Syntax to deploy its AI-First AMS.
The company achieved a 47% efficiency improvement and an 82% cost reduction compared to baseline SAP AMS performance during the initial phase. The AMS AI agent resolved two-thirds of all SAP tickets autonomously and reduced the average effort per ticket from 7.5 hours to 4 hours.
Six Key Capabilities That Move SAP AMS Beyond Traditional Support
Organizations should expect more from their SAP managed services provider than they did five years ago. SAP environments are more complex, business expectations are higher, and AI is changing what’s possible in support operations.
Traditional AMS models were designed around ticket volumes and SLA attainment. Those metrics still have a role to play, but many organizations are starting to measure success differently. The expectation today is not just to keep systems running, but to simplify complexity, strengthen resilience, support transformation, and create more capacity for innovation.
That’s why we’re seeing leading organizations adopt a more proactive approach to SAP support. The focus is shifting toward preventing issues, automating routine work, improving visibility, and aligning IT operations more closely with business priorities. Ultimately, the conversation is becoming less about resolving incidents and more about eliminating avoidable work while creating greater value for the business.
As a result, six key capabilities now stand out as essential:
1. A clear roadmap from stability to innovation
A strong SAP AMS partner should have a structured approach to helping organizations evolve over time. At Syntax, we think about that as Run, Grow, and Innovate. First establish stability, then optimize, and finally create the foundation for transformation and innovation.
2. Agentic AI capabilities with human oversight
AI should be able to handle known patterns and repetitive activities end-to-end while operating within clearly defined guardrails. Human oversight remains critical wherever business judgment is required.
3. Dedicated ownership with global scale
Organizations should look for named teams that understand their business and SAP landscape, supported by a global delivery model that provides the scale and coverage needed to support operations 24×7.
4. A unified operating model across the SAP landscape
Many organizations are managing a mix of ECC, S/4HANA, cloud environments, line-of-business applications, basis services, and infrastructure. Support becomes much more effective when all of those areas operate under a consistent model with shared processes, governance, and visibility.
Case-in-Point
Modernizing Operations
A grocery store chain sought to modernize its SAP operations.
Their SAP AMS model required substantial operational effort to manage day-to-day incidents and service requests. The company turned to Syntax’s AI-First Application Managed Services (AMS).
The company achieved a 35% overall cost efficiency gain, saving nearly 150 hours of manual effort. The AMS AI agent improved consultant efficiency by 29% and reduced the average effort per ticket from over 4 hours to 3 hours.
5. Strong governance and traceability
Organizations should ask how AI actions are tracked, what controls are in place, how security is managed, and how operational knowledge is maintained. Transparency and accountability should be built into the model from the beginning.
6. Outcome-aligned economics
This will become increasingly important over the next few years. Organizations should benefit from the productivity gains AI creates. The commercial model should align provider incentives with business outcomes, not simply labor consumption. That’s one of the key principles behind our approach at Syntax: helping customers reduce the amount they spend on day-to-day Run activities and giving them the flexibility to reinvest that budget into higher-value initiatives such as enhancements, optimization, and transformation projects.
Ultimately, the best SAP AMS partner isn’t the one that closes tickets the fastest. It’s the one that helps reduce operational dependency, improve visibility, strengthen resilience, and create the capacity for the business to move faster.
That’s really what modern AMS should be about.
Syntax Launches AI-First Application Managed Services for SAP Solutions
Strengthen Your SAP Environment with Syntax AI-First AMS
 As SAP environments continue to grow in complexity, organizations need a support model that does more than maintain operations. They need an SAP managed services provider that can improve efficiency, strengthen resilience, and help unlock greater strategic value from their SAP investments.
Syntax AI-First AMS is designed to meet that need. By combining AI-driven automation with deep SAP expertise, Syntax helps organizations spend less time on repetitive operational work and more time focused on business priorities.
In the AI era, application support should do more than keep systems running. It should help organizations move forward.
Ready to get started? Contact our team today.
A New Era of SAP Operations: AI-First AMS
Meet the Featured Expert
Alain Dupont
Global Senior Vice President, AMS, Syntax​
Alain Dupont serves as Global Senior Vice President, AMS at Syntax, where he leads the company’s global SAP Application Management Services strategy. Focused on helping clients minimize RUN spend and maximize GROW delivery, he advances Syntax’s AI-First AMS approach and FlexCore Extended Team framework to deliver flexibility, innovation, and value at scale. Alain leads a global team operating across eight countries and available 24/7, supported by Syntax’s Centers of Excellence, to turn application management into a true strategic advantage for clients.