If you’re like majority of NetSuite customers, you aren’t thrilled with your current NetSuite support strategy, but you’re not overly disappointed either. News flash―simply “getting by” with your NetSuite support is not a strategy that will drive digital transformation or help you gain a competitive advantage (which were probably a couple of the reasons you decided to implement NetSuite as an ERP in the first place).
The days of “just O.K.” NetSuite support are over!
The reality is that in order for your organization to get the full value out of your NetSuite investment you need a strong support strategy in place. For many organizations, choosing a consulting firm for the support of deadline-driven NetSuite projects (i.e. system integrations) is not uncommon. And it makes sense why―typically these businesses that use a consulting firm for support rely on the same organization that initially implemented their NetSuite system. However, (as with any support option) there are pros and cons to using this approach as a means of NetSuite ERP support.
We understand that researching the best support option available for your NetSuite ERP can be extremely time-consuming, so we’ve outlined two of the most common support paths of NetSuite users below and described the use cases of when we think each option will be the most successful.
NetSuite Professional Services or SuiteConsulting
NetSuite Professional Services (also referred to as SuiteConsulting) is NetSuite’s internal consulting organization. Under this support option, implementation is a hands-on project that is jointly managed by a NetSuite Consulting Team and by your organization.
We find that businesses with an existing knowledge of NetSuite and an understanding of which modules they would like to implement and which applications they need integrated would find the most success with this option. It’s also best to have solid internal project management expertise to assure the project is kept on track.
However, this option tends to lead customers to the broadest features and functionality of NetSuite, and first-time NetSuite users may not know right-off-the-bat which advanced modules make the most sense or what business processes need customized. And, depending on how specialized an organization plans to tailor their NetSuite solution, this option can be fairly expensive. Organizations that also need specialized post-implementation support might also want to consider another option.
Independent Consulting Firm
Similar to SuiteConsulting, the Independent Consulting Firm specializes in specific deadline-driven NetSuite projects (for example, system integrations), but this support option is independent from NetSuite―providing an objective perspective to NetSuite obstacles.
We find that this support option is best for organizations that need support with specific deadline-driven projects and guidance in developing an optimization strategy, as long as no ongoing support of the deployment is needed. Organizations with strong internal project management experience can also do well under this model.
The downside to this option is that it can be expensive depending on the specific firm and project, and that this option often includes one singular resource (which means you’re solely reliant on the knowledge of whomever’s assigned to you).
Check out our eBook titled, The Definitive Guide to Supporting NetSuite: A comprehensive review of the five most common support paths in order to help you thrive with your NetSuite instance, for more information on how you can leverage a strong support strategy in order to gain a competitive advantage.
Ready to speak with one of our NetSuite experts? Schedule a quick 15-minute consultation with the experienced ManageForce team and start taking advantage of all NetSuite has to offer today.
