Top 10 Questions to Ask When Buying NetSuite

NetSuite has the power to automate workflows, streamline internal processes, and help you improve your bottom line. However, not all NetSuite providers are equal.

Here are 10 questions to ask when buying NetSuite (and how to spot red flags).

1. What Is Your Experience?

Agencies might pretend they’re experts when they only have surface-level knowledge. 

Ask them: 

• How long have you been working with NetSuite? 
• Do you specialize in certain industries?  
• What does your typical client look like? For example, if they’ve only worked with small businesses and you’re an enterprise company, they might not be the best fit. 
• How many NetSuite implementations have you completed?  

This should give you a good basis for how experienced they are with NetSuite. If any of their answers don’t seem legitimate, or they don’t typically work with a client of your size or industry, it’s best to move on to someone that does. 

2. Do You Have Any Case Studies? 

Even if an agency says they have a lot of experience with NetSuite, case studies are a solid way to back up their claims. 

Ask if the company has any NetSuite case studies they can share with you. Ideally, they’ll be able to share multiple case studies implementing NetSuite for a business similar to yours. Bonus points if they have case studies that match similar pain points you’re trying to solve with NetSuite! 

3. Are You a NetSuite Solution Provider? 

NetSuite recognizes top NetSuite firms with the “NetSuite Solution Provider” title. 

Earning this title requires a demonstrated skill in successful NetSuite implementations, a specialization in advanced technology, and the ability to meet strict business planning requirements. 

In exchange for their expertise, NetSuite gives official solution providers: 

• Exclusive training on the latest NetSuite technologies. 
• Proven sales and marketing resources. 
• Advanced partner support. 

Make sure whoever you work with is an official NetSuite solution provider. They will have the best staff and resources to make NetSuite work for you.

4. How Can You Help Us Plan Out Exactly What We Need? 

When you work with a NetSuite partner, you shouldn’t have to do the heavy lifting. It’s up to them to determine what your NetSuite installation should include. 

While you will have to map out your company’s workflows, approval processes, and types of business data, a good NetSuite partner can help you with this as much as possible. 

Then, it’s up to your NetSuite provider to determine if you need: 

• Add-ons. 
• Custom development. 
• Integrations for other tools you use. 
• Training for specific teams. 

Ideally, you provide all of your company’s information and your NetSuite partner takes that and runs with it. They should be able to deliver a full-scale plan for what it will take to go-live with NetSuite. 

5. Can You Handle the Full NetSuite Implementation? 

You want to make sure the provider you choose can handle everything from start to finish, especially implementation.

Ask the NetSuite provider what their NetSuite implementation workflow is. Ideally, they will be able to outline their entire process, sharing the criteria they evaluate the project with every step of the way. 

They need to be able to handle: 

• Planning.
• Designing. 
• Development. 
• Implementation. 
• Customizations. 
• Data migration. 
• Ongoing NetSuite training and support.

6. Can You Integrate Existing Data with NetSuite? How? 

Most companies have existing software and programs with data that need to be integrated with NetSuite. 

Ask if they can integrate your company’s existing data with NetSuite and exactly how they would plan to do so. For example, would you need to pay for additional customizations? Add-ons? Or integration tools? 

Whether all of your data is in the cloud, on-premise, or a mix of the two, you need to be 100% certain the company you choose can successfully integrate data from your legacy ERP system. NetSuite provides the tools necessary to perform seamless data migration, but the partner you choose needs to know exactly how to utilize it.   

An experienced NetSuite provider should also be able to help you determine if NetSuite will be able to replace everything you currently use, or if you’ll need to keep certain software. 

7. How Can You Customize NetSuite to Fit Your Needs? 

NetSuite’s capabilities are endless, as long as someone knows how to use them. NetSuite is an open development platform, which means developers can access the code and create any customizations your business might need. 

Some NetSuite providers are more plug-and-play than others. By this, we mean some companies prefer to implement NetSuite the way it comes and might not have the development resources for advanced customizations. 

Ask how they can customize NetSuite to meet the needs of your business. You’ll want to know if they can: 

• Provide custom development work. 
• Use NetSuite add-ons (bonus points if they developed these in-house). 
• Install NetSuite integrations (again, more bonus points if they created their own integrations).

8. Do You Offer NetSuite Training for Staff? 

While NetSuite has a support community and resource center dedicated to helping people navigate NetSuite — called SuiteAnswers — it’s not always enough. What happens if your NetSuite software was highly customized and you need help from the team who created it?

Ask what their ongoing training includes. If they’re just going to redirect you back to NetSuite’s resources, you should choose a partner who provides personalized training services. 

9. Do You Provide NetSuite Support Services? 

One of the worst-case scenarios with a NetSuite implementation is you get everything set live and don’t ever hear from the company who set it up again. 

What if something goes wrong? What if you need help? What if you realized you have a few things missing? What if you need to update NetSuite and don’t have resources to do it in-house?  

Ask the NetSuite partner if they provide support services after NetSuite goes live. If they don’t, move on to the next one. If they do, ask for exactly what this entails.  

10. How Long Do You Typically Work With Your Clients? 

NetSuite is a long-term solution. This means you need to find a company that’s also in it for the long haul.  

Ask how long they usually work with clients to get an idea of whether they build genuine relationships or simply set NetSuite live and call it a day.  

You want to know if you can count on them in six months to run another training for a batch of new hires or make adjustments if your company workflows change. 

For expert support in your NetSuite implementation journey, contact CrossCountry Consulting.