If you’re looking for a NetSuite integration partner, there are quite a few factors to consider. For one thing, you should get a firm like Entartes that offers years of experience; after all, your team’s relative lack of experience is why you’re searching for an integration partner in the first place. For another thing, you want someone who brings a sense of collaboration to the integration process. Since your team and theirs will be working closely for weeks to months as the system is integrated, you don’t want to work with a firm that’ll create friction.
Between one thing and another, it’s crucial to find the right candidate for your NetSuite partnership – so how can you make sure you end up with the best one? Below you’ll find some considerations to keep in mind.
Do They Commit to a Specific Time Frame?
An integration partner with both experience and professionalism will be able to assess your company’s needs and give you a rough estimate of how long the integration process will take. It’s possible that unforeseen circumstances will cause delays, but if the project does go past the estimated date of completion, it won’t be due to inefficiency or procrastination on their part.
Do They Offer Continuing Training or Support?
When integrating a system as comprehensive as NetSuite, the end goal of the whole process will obviously be deploying the platform. Even so, the project shouldn’t stop there. A top-tier integration partner will also be there after deployment to provide ongoing training, hear feedback, troubleshoot issues, and even customize the software further if needed. Even with the most careful forethought, it may happen that additional capabilities get added to the original plan.
It’s true that the end users will (hopefully) have already been trained by the time that NetSuite is deployed, but most of them won’t have been able to put that training to use. Once they’re adjusting to completely new workflows, they’ll probably have quite a few questions, and maybe even need some expert help in completing certain processes. If this is the case, it would definitely be better for them to have guidance from the integration team, rather than having to figure it out on their own.
Do They Provide Data Cleaning or Migration Services?
This may not be a step that absolutely has to be done by the integration partner, but it does make sense for them to do it, perhaps with some help from your team. If you’re switching your data over to a new system, it’s the perfect opportunity to clean up that data rather than simply migrate everything as-is. You can get rid of outdated information, and (more importantly) avoid compromising data integrity by accidentally migrating duplicate data sets.
This particular task can be completed by your own team, but it’s also a valuable service that some integration partners offer. If you can find one that provides data cleaning and migration as part of their services, it indicates that they’re thorough and detail-oriented.
Is There Any Conflict in Scope?
It happens with some companies that hire an integration partner, only to find out that a previously hired party is already doing part of what the integration partner intended to do. The NetSuite space is home to many different vendors, all of whom have their own offerings. Some of them are third-party app developers, while others are freelance consultants. There are Certified NetSuite Partners, and Oracle NetSuite itself. Before hiring a NetSuite integration partner, it would be wise to double-check whether or not you’ve already hired another party that might offer overlapping services.
If you find out that this is actually the case, don’t worry – there’s an easy solution. Simply talk it over with both parties, and reach a clear agreement with each one regarding the scope of their responsibilities.
Do They Have NetSuite-Specific Experience?
This may seem like a question that doesn’t need asking, but it may actually save you a headache later on. There are integration partners who will offer their services for a NetSuite integration project, even though they don’t actually have any experience integrating NetSuite.
Even if they’ve successfully integrated many other technologies, NetSuite has enough nuance and complexity for you to require specific experience with the system from any potential integration partner. The fact is that if you hire a firm without this experience, you’re likely setting yourself up for disappointment. Their plans probably won’t have the necessary level of insight, the training they provide won’t be very in-depth, and their support services may be occupied with fixing their own mistakes. Not that they wouldn’t try their best; it’s just that your company deserves better.
Do They Have Experience Working with Integrations in your Industry?
NetSuite is versatile enough to integrate with a huge array of industries, which means that any given NetSuite integration partner may not have integrated the system with a company in your specific industry. Why is this important? Because a retail clothing business will have many different needs than a software company. If an integration partner hasn’t worked within your industry before, they may not be able to provide the kind of insights that are needed for success.
Do They Have a Solid Reputation?
Any NetSuite integration partner can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? To answer this question, you can look online at client reviews, competitor comparison articles, or evaluations by industry experts. You’ll be able to find out how they measure up not only against other integration partners but also against their own guarantees. It could turn out that your top candidate doesn’t work well with other teams, or that they never stick to their own projected deadlines. You could even start by reading online reviews to find the firms that clients consistently recommend.
The Take-Away
A good NetSuite integration partner has many different characteristics, but at the end of the day, your company decides which ones are a priority. With a combination of research and planning, you’ll be able to find the perfect integration partner for your company’s needs.