The partner matters more than the software. A good NetSuite implementation on a middling partner is rare. A bad implementation on a strong platform is common. Here is what to look for.
Questions to ask
Who will actually do the work? Ask to meet the people who will be in your account, not just the salesperson. Ask whether the work stays with them or gets handed to a junior after the contract is signed.
Have you done this for a business like ours? A partner who knows product businesses — inventory, multi-channel orders, fulfillment — will make fewer wrong assumptions than one who mostly does services firms.
How do you scope and price? Look for a written scope with what is in and out, and a price attached to it. Be wary of quotes that are vague on scope and precise on price.
How do you handle changes? Requirements change during a project. Ask how changes are raised, priced, and approved.
What happens after go-live? Ask what support looks like in the weeks after launch, and what ongoing help costs.
What do you do on the integration side? For a product business, the store, 3PL, and payment integrations are as important as the ERP itself. Ask who builds them and who owns them when they break.
Warning signs
- A quote before they have looked at your processes.
- “We do everything” with no examples of your kind of business.
- No clear answer on who does the work day to day.
- Pressure to add modules or customizations you did not ask for.
- No plan for data migration until late in the project.
What a good engagement looks like
Clear scope. Named people. Short, reviewed stages so you see progress early. Honest advice about what to customize and what to leave standard. Support after launch from the same people who built it.
How we work
We are a small, hands-on team. The people you talk to are the people who do the work. We scope and price up front, build in stages, and stay on after go-live on a retainer or hourly basis.
Book a call to see if we are the right fit
