SAP Expands Max Success Plan Across Partner Channels to Close AI Value Gap

Organizations across the global marketplace continue to commit substantial budgets to artificial intelligence and cloud transformations, yet many struggle to extract measurable returns from their deployments. Industry findings highlight this persistent disconnect, noting that a significant majority of enterprise AI projects fail to deliver intended business outcomes. Research from institutions such as the RAND Corporation, S&P Global Market Intelligence, and MIT underscores that technology infrastructure alone rarely determines success. Instead, guided execution and experienced external partnership serve as the primary differentiators between stalled initiatives and transformative business value.

Bridging the Enterprise Value Gap Through Structured Guidance

To address these systemic challenges, SAP SE has expanded the availability of its highest tier of strategic engagement. As announced by the organization, the Max Success Plan is now accessible to every cloud customer, regardless of whether they engage with SAP directly or through established partner channels. Previously available exclusively through direct engagements since February 2026, the top-tier guidance model is now accessible via Cloud Choice and Resell pathways, with managed service provider options currently running in pilot phases.

Thomas Saueressig, Chief Customer Officer and Member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, emphasized that customer engagement methods should not dictate the level of support available. By opening the Max Success Plan to partner ecosystems, the company aims to provide consistent, strategic advisory services as enterprises navigate complex digital landscapes and scale artificial intelligence projects.

Tiered Success Plans and Documented Returns

SAP structures its cloud engagement portfolio around three distinct tiers designed to match organizational complexity and transformation ambitions. The foundational tier is included in every cloud subscription from day one, while the advanced tier has historically been available across the broader customer base. Research commissioned through IDC indicates tangible financial and operational returns associated with each level of engagement:

• Organizations utilizing the Foundational Success Plan achieved notable annual benefits, alongside reduced incident management time and fewer impactful security breaches.
• Advanced Success Plan customers demonstrated significant three-year return on investment metrics alongside accelerated time to market for new enterprise features.
• Max Success Plan participants reported substantial end-user productivity gains and improvements in core business processes.

Key Capabilities of Top-Tier Engagement

Designed specifically for organizations navigating large-scale transformations and implementing SAP Business AI, the Max Success Plan delivers proactive advisory and technical support. Key operational capabilities built into the offering include:

A designated success plan manager coordinating the end-to-end customer journey with deep landscape familiarity.
Cross-solution process improvement advisory connecting corporate strategy directly to execution.
Tailored artificial intelligence use case adoption, including prototype development to validate concepts and de-risk investments.

Karl Fahrbach, Chief Partner Officer at SAP, noted that extending the offering into Cloud Choice and Resell models empowers partners to deliver the same high-level strategic service directly to their clients. As enterprises look toward autonomous enterprise models where artificial intelligence supports execution while human teams provide governance and strategic direction, structured guidance layers remain critical to ensuring lasting enterprise value.