| |
|
|
MARKET LEADERSHIP
|
2003 was another difficult year for the software industry, yet SAP continued to
strengthen its global market leadership position. Translated into U.S. dollars, the reporting
currency of our main competitors, we increased software license revenue 12% while the rest of
the market saw another decrease (3%). SAP’s worldwide share of the market against its four
largest competitors was 59% at the end of the fourth quarter of 2003, compared with 51% at the
end of the fourth quarter of 2002. In the United States, we became the market leader through
a 2003 increase in market share of 14%.
We also achieved market leadership in our major product lines. In particular,
we accomplished our goal of becoming the number one customer relationship management
vendor globally by offering the market a superior solution. With mySAP Customer Relationship
Management (mySAP CRM), our customers enjoy the benefits of best-of-breed software while
also benefiting from the lower total cost of ownership (TCO) offered by an integrated suite of
solutions.
Our clear message delivered to customers at our annual SAPPHIRE conferences
was a call to invest in innovation. We demonstrated that smart IT contributes to a company’s
bottom line, providing ROI while reducing total cost of ownership, specifically in times
of economic uncertainty. This message has resonated well in the market and has helped to put
SAP back into the number one position.
SAP’s corporate culture and our highly motivated employees were essential
to our excellent performance. Our 30.000 employees worldwide are known for their flexibility,
idealism, and innovative thinking. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them, our
partners, and our customers for their contribution and dedication.
|
|
