Extended SAS support: More than support – a true technological partnership
Any organization that chooses to rely on SAS solutions does so with the aim of unlocking data from data, improving business decisions and optimizing processes. However, even in the best -designed applications with well -trained users, a critical moment can arise: when the production system comes down. In these moments that the difference between reactive support and proactive support becomes really important.
Standard technical support, included with the SAS license, is definitely high quality: 94% of customers evaluate it positively. However, by its nature, it is a reactive service – created to get inside only after an issue has occurred.
Imagine an organization that has just completed a complicated SAS Viya implementation: Analytical models are in operation, business users are trained and investment return has begun to take shape. Or consider a company that has decided to modernize its long SAS 9 architecture to embrace the flexibility and scaling of technologies of the cloud. In both cases, these are ordinary scenarios among our clients.
However, during these critical stages, an unexpected technical issue can endanger the production system. The standard support provided by SAS – included with the license – is certainly efficient but, as mentioned, is a reactive service. With the evolution of technology and the introduction of more complex environments like Sas Viya, many organizations find themselves acting in contexts where even short unproductive time can have significant business impacts.
For these scenarios, SAS offers a Expanded support Service – a set of bids of levels that range from Personalized BY Premium support – designed not only to resolve issues, but to prevent them.
At the heart of extended support lies the continued relationship between the client and a dedicated expert: the technical support account manager (TSAM). This role goes beyond a traditional help desk. TSAM is a client -designated professional, acting as a sustainable contact point, which deeply understands the client’s environment, software architecture, processes and business goals. They not only coordinate support activities, but also serve as a true technology partner – predicting risks and recommending improvements with a proactive approach to platform management. In practice, TSAM operates as a conductor between the client and the SAS team, able to speed up the answers, but, most importantly, to prevent repetition of issues.
This operational proximity helps minimize loss time, allows for accurate maintenance planning and enhances the overall experience with SAS software. Moreover, the client benefits from personalized dashboard to monitor the status of requirements, regular strategic extension meetings and adapted workshops designed to build internal expertise and promote increasing self-sufficiency.
SAS improved support has proven to be an essential element in the operational context of Aria (Regional Agency for Innovation and Procurement), characterized by complex, heterogeneous systems with significant personalizations.
“The ability to predict, manage and proactively address issues that inevitably arise in such complex environments has proven to be invaluable. Thanks to this preventative and target approach, we have not only been able to avoid large interruptions, but also optimize our platforms – by significantly improving the general experience of user,” says the general experience, “he says Andrea SalvagniniHead of Data Engineering and Technology Management Area within the Digital Information Center (DIH) Division in Aria. “For us, it was not just a supporting service, it was a real strategic partner that contributed significantly to the stability, efficiency and quality of our operations. We are extremely satisfied with the results achieved and deeply appreciate the engagement and professionalism of the team.”
One of the most estimated aspects was the introduction of weekly structured meetings, which enabled the continuous monitoring of the SAS environment and the rapid identification of critical issues. As a result, corrective actions were in time and effective, contributing significantly to overall operational stability and efficiency.
Another emblematic example comes from the Financial Toyota Services Italy, who chose to adopt expanded SAS support as part of an ambitious digital project. The goal was to fully update the customer relations management system, making it more integrated and intelligent.
“Cooperation with Enhanced SAS support team has allowed us to grow together, address the initial challenges and find new opportunities to expand the use of SAS platform in other business areas. Toyota Financial Services.
“What appears is a vision of support as an enabling element, rather than just an emergency response. If I had to describe the advanced SAS support team with three keywords, I would solve: 1) availability, because the SAS team has always been willing to answer our needs and questions, regardless of the complexity of the issue or urgency. Advanced SAS support team, because we managed to overcome the biggest challenges, going beyond a simple client–urging relationship and creating a real team spirit in achieving measurable results, “Sanarica says. The full story of Toyota and Sanarica is available to read.
In the world of analytics and data management, the time limit is often what distinguishes effective management from an operating crisis. Extended SAS support does not only respond to issues; It builds a trust relationship, offers a strategic overview, and guides the client through a path of sustainable and informed technological evolution.
For organizations facing complex challenges, architectural transitions, or simply seeking to increase the resistance of their production environments, it is time to radically rethink the concept of support. And ask yourself: what impact can proactive management of technological issues have on my business?
