Casey Watson is the Marketing Communication Specialist for SuiteDynamics. She has a degree in journalism from Murray State University and over 10 years of experience researching and writing about various subjects, including insurance, nonprofit work, and healthcare. She has been covering NetSuite ERP systems for more than two years.
Top NetSuite Consultants: How to Find the ERP Partner You Need
The right NetSuite consulting firm can make or break your implementation. Here's what to look for when choosing one.
A NetSuite Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is a complicated type of software, meaning its implementation can be long and challenging for any company.
In fact, Technology Evaluation Centers reports that nearly 50% of implementations fall short of expectations the first time around when they’re conducted without third-party oversight or planning with an ERP partner. Panorama Consulting Group also says that 32.8% of surveyed businesses experienced over-budget implementation, and 31.3% missed deadlines.
So, how do you ensure your ERP’s success? Hire one of the top NetSuite consultants.
NetSuite consulting firms, like SuiteDynamics, help decide what ERP configuration will work best for your business and implement the system. As a result, they can smooth the way toward functioning, efficient operating processes—but only if you choose the right implementation partner. Our guide below outlines what to look for in ERP assistance.
As an Alliance Partner, SuiteDynamics helps customize and implement NetSuite ERP systems and can ensure your platform goes live with the features you need—when you need them. Schedule a consultation today and experience NetSuite success.
Key Takeaways
- ERP implementations can be tough – Nearly 50% of NetSuite ERP implementations fall short without expert help, with many going over budget or missing deadlines.
- Hire certified, experienced consultants – The best NetSuite consultants have certifications and real-world experience, ensuring they avoid costly mistakes like backward balance entries.
- Choose a consultant who understands your business – Top consultants focus on improving your specific business processes and know the ins and outs of your industry.
- Trust and transparency matter – Look for consultants with strong reviews who prioritize your needs over unnecessary customizations and stay on budget.
- Look for long-term support – Good consultants offer ongoing Managed Services to keep your ERP running smoothly beyond the initial setup.
What to Look for in Top NetSuite Consultants
NetSuite consultants come in all sizes and specialties, but the best have a few common characteristics.
1. Certified
Quality NetSuite consultants are certified NetSuite partners and employ staff who have earned individual designations. These credentials speak to the level of skill and dedication the team possesses. NetSuite certifications include the following.
- Administrator
- ERP Consultant
- Financial User
- SuiteAnalytics User
- SuiteCloud Developer I & II
- SuiteFoundation
- And more
Ask about certifications if a consulting firm doesn’t list them on its website. You want to determine its expertise.
2. Experienced
Top NetSuite consultants know how to implement each ERP module and how its functionalities should work in the real world.
For example, all NetSuite consulting firms can set up financial software, but many don’t understand how those systems should operate on a day-to-day basis. In fact, SuiteDynamics CFO Grace Martin remembered one implementation partner who put in a client’s opening balance entry backward. She said it was one of the worst ERP failures she’s ever seen.
“You’re never going to balance if the opening balance entry is backward,” she laughed.
Consequently, you should always check a consulting firm’s level of real-world knowledge before you hire them. Make sure they understand how your financials function. Otherwise, you might wind up with a backward opening balance entry—or worse.
3. Focused on Business Processes
A NetSuite ERP isn’t just business software. It’s a system that can revolutionize your company’s operations, making you more efficient and effective. Top NetSuite consultants understand this and evaluate your business operations before implementation begins. First, they help identify pain points. They then recommend NetSuite solutions to smooth out those issues.
4. Familiar with Your Industry
No industry is the same. Each has its own hurdles and best practices, and it makes sense that NetSuite consulting firms would specialize in various fields.
Find an implementation partner who understands how your industry works and what your business needs to operate. If you pick the right one, they can recommend functionalities and customizations to tighten your operations and help your company thrive.
5. Trustworthy
Scan Reddit for NetSuite implementer recommendations, and you’ll encounter a lot of horror stories. You may read about implementations that have grown too complicated, running over budget and past deadlines. You might see complaints about consulting firms that have focused too much on selling customizations instead of prioritizing a client’s actual needs. Or you might learn about consultants who will simply refuse to answer emails.
The testimonies can make you second-guess your software choices.
Yet, ERP implementations don’t have to be nightmares. Top NetSuite consultants are efficient, honest, and communicative. Look for reviews and feedback on sites like Reddit, G2Crowd, and Clutch.co to find implementation partners with excellent track records.
6. Mindful of Your Money
A NetSuite ERP is a significant investment, but it can save money in the long run when implemented correctly. A well-configured and customized system increases your business’s efficiency and boosts profits without unnecessary functionalities.
The best NetSuite consultants develop quality ERPs that only include the features you need. They won’t upsell modules you can’t use or saddle you with an overblown system that is too complicated to operate. They won’t profit from wasteful software.
7. Ready for the Long Haul
Your relationship with your chosen NetSuite consulting firm probably won’t end with go-live. After your system is up and running, you’ll still need maintenance, training, integrations, additional customizations, and more. So, choose a company that offers comprehensive Managed Service packages.
Managed Services essentially place NetSuite implementers on retainer. These experts can keep your ERP updated so you’re not constantly worried about glitches and setbacks. Managed Services are an alternative to the inefficient break-fix model for system maintenance.
Essentially, top NetSuite consultants, like SuiteDynamics, are more like partners in your implementation journey than external experts hired to do a job. We care about your company and want to see you succeed. Schedule a consultation with our team to learn more about our business and how we can help you become more productive and efficient with NetSuite.
Experience NetSuite Success
Not all implementation partners are created equal. In fact, SuiteDynamics CEO Jake Kleiner established this company after growing frustrated with the unreliability and poor work quality he experienced with other firms. He wanted to establish a NetSuite partner that clients could trust.
We understand how difficult it is to find implementation agencies who deliver on their promises—on time and under budget. We want companies like yours to avoid Kleiner’s experiences.
SuiteDynamics exists to blend NetSuite expertise with real-world knowledge of business processes and financial operations. Schedule a consultation with our team today and start discovering how far your company can go with a well-executed ERP system.
We pull information from NetSuite material, SuiteDynamics experts, and other reliable sources to compose our blog posts and educational pieces. We ensure they are as accurate as possible at the time of writing. However, software evolves quickly, and although we work to maintain these posts, some details may fall out of date. Contact SuiteDynamics experts for the latest information on NetSuite ERP systems.
Part of this text was generated using GPT-3, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model. After generating the draft language, our team edited, revised, and fact-checked it to ensure readability and accuracy. SuiteDynamics is ultimately responsible for the content of this blog post.
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