SAP has revamped its on-premise maintenance and support model, giving customers granular control over support levels, contract terms, and license management [1]. This move, shaped by regulatory engagement and customer feedback, positions SAP as a customer-centric leader at a time when 74% of enterprises are planning or considering switching vendors between 2025 and 2028, according to Futurum Group’s 1H 2026 Enterprise Software Decision Maker Survey (n=830). The changes could reshape competitive dynamics as flexibility, transparency, and support quality become decisive factors in the next wave of enterprise software adoption.
What Is Covered in This Article:
- SAP’s new maintenance and support flexibility and contract options
- The regulatory and market pressures driving SAP’s customer-centric shift
- Competitive implications for Oracle, Microsoft, and other enterprise software vendors
- The rising importance of support, flexibility, and pricing in enterprise software selection
The News: SAP has announced a sweeping set of changes to its on-premise maintenance and support practices, developed in close collaboration with the European Commission and customer advocacy groups [1]. Customers can now tailor support levels across their SAP estate, more easily terminate or reallocate unused licenses, and access simplified contract terms including single-metric pricing. SAP has also lowered the barriers for organizations to return to its support ecosystem, reducing costs and administrative friction for re-engagement. These changes directly address regulatory scrutiny and long-standing enterprise frustrations around inflexible contracts and opaque pricing, aiming to strengthen customer loyalty and position SAP as a proactive, adaptive partner during digital transformation. According to Futurum Group’s 1H 2026 Enterprise Software Decision Maker Survey, 52% of buyers cite support as a key purchase decision criterion (n=446), placing it among the top factors alongside cost (59%) and customization (61%).
SAP’s Flexible Support Overhaul Raises the Stakes for Enterprise Software Loyalty
Analyst Take: SAP’s overhaul is a calculated response to intensifying vendor switching risk and a market now defined by buyer empowerment. By prioritizing flexibility and transparency, SAP is working to lock in customer loyalty at a time when platform consolidation and AI readiness are redrawing the enterprise software map.
SAP’s Flexibility Play Targets a Volatile Buyer Market
SAP’s announcement arrives amid historically high vendor switching intent. According to Futurum Group’s 1H 2026 Enterprise Software Decision Maker Survey (n=830), 74% of enterprises are planning or considering switching vendors between 2025 and 2028,with 18% committed to switching and 44% open to it based on market conditions. The historical stickiness of ERP and core business platforms is eroding as organizations seek not just functional upgrades but more agile commercial relationships. With 52% of buyers ranking support as a top purchase criterion (n=446), SAP’s modular, customer-driven support model is a direct play to retain accounts that might otherwise defect to Oracle, Microsoft, or emerging SaaS-first challengers. The operational test is whether SAP can deliver consistent execution against these new policy commitments, especially in complex, multi-cloud or hybrid deployments.
Support and Pricing Are Now Competitive Weapons
Enterprise software differentiation has migrated from features to experience and economics. When evaluating future software purchases, Futurum Group’s 1H 2026 Enterprise Software Decision Maker Survey (n=806) finds that flexibility (46%), GenAI capabilities (44%), and agentic AI (39%) now lead the criteria list, while support (38%) and cost/TCO (39%) remain essential table-stakes factors. SAP’s introduction of single-metric contracts and simplified license management directly targets competitors still relying on rigid, multi-year commitments. The current purchase data reinforces this: pricing model (52%) and cost (59%) already rank among the most cited selection criteria (n=446). For SAP, the trade-off is clear: more flexible exit and re-entry terms reduce switching friction in both directions, requiring demonstrably superior service to retain customers over the long term.
Regulatory Pressure and Customer Advocacy Are Reshaping the Market
SAP’s collaboration with the European Commission signals a new era of regulatory involvement in enterprise software contract structures [1]. Vendors can no longer treat maintenance and support as captive revenue streams immune to scrutiny. As transparency and customer rights become baseline expectations, laggards risk both regulatory penalties and reputational damage. For buyers, this means greater leverage in negotiations and a higher bar for trust. The competitive field is likely to bifurcate: those who embrace adaptable, customer-first models will capitalize on platform consolidation trends, while inflexible incumbents face a steady erosion of market share.
What to Watch:
- Will Oracle and Microsoft match SAP’s support flexibility, or double down on bundled cloud incentives by 2027?
- Do SAP’s new contract terms actually reduce churn, or will easier exits accelerate competitive switching?
- How quickly will large enterprises shift to single-metric or outcome-based pricing models in renewals?
- Does regulatory scrutiny of software contracts expand beyond Europe, forcing US-based vendors to follow suit?
See the complete announcement on SAP’s website.
Sources
Declaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process: This content has been generated with the support of artificial intelligence technologies. Due to the fast pace of content creation and the continuous evolution of data and information, The Futurum Group and its analysts strive to ensure the accuracy and factual integrity of the information presented. However, the opinions and interpretations expressed in this content reflect those of the individual author/analyst. The Futurum Group makes no guarantees regarding the completeness, accuracy, or reliability of any information contained herein. Readers are encouraged to verify facts independently and consult relevant sources for further clarification.
Disclosure: Futurum is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of Futurum as a whole.
Read the full Futurum Group Disclosure.
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Author Information
Keith Kirkpatrick is VP & Research Director, Enterprise Software & Digital Workflows for The Futurum Group. Keith has over 25 years of experience in research, marketing, and consulting-based fields.
He has authored in-depth reports and market forecast studies covering artificial intelligence, biometrics, data analytics, robotics, high performance computing, and quantum computing, with a specific focus on the use of these technologies within large enterprise organizations and SMBs. He has also established strong working relationships with the international technology vendor community and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events.
In his career as a financial and technology journalist he has written for national and trade publications, including BusinessWeek, CNBC.com, Investment Dealers’ Digest, The Red Herring, The Communications of the ACM, and Mobile Computing & Communications, among others.
He is a member of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP).
Keith holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Magazine Journalism and Sociology from Syracuse University.
