Last Modified: July 26th, 2023
4 min read
Organizations will need a higher level and amount of support after going live with NetSuite. NetSuite support becomes essential as the organization tries to adapt and get used to its new finance, accounting, or operations management system. There is a heavier allocation of support in the first 6–12 months of going live to allow organizations to successfully transition to the NetSuite environment. However, this high demand for NetSuite support decreases over time as the organization becomes established on its new ERP platform.
There are three (3) options for where and how a NetSuite client will get support services:
- Oracle NetSuite Support Services
- Independent Consultant/ Part-time freelancers
- Official NetSuite Solution Provider Partners like Excelym
1. Oracle NetSuite Support Services
NetSuite’s own “Support Services” is an obvious option, but not the most cost-effective one for small-mid-sized companies, in our opinion. The hourly rate is steeper than working with an independent consultant or a NetSuite Solution Provider Partner like Excelym.
The Support Services team will be able to answer most questions related to how the software works and can help with some process improvement recommendations, but most of them are not experts in your specific industry or processes.
In addition, they will not be able to help with data migration (which is a huge project when moving to NetSuite) or customizations/development (unless you are on the latest version and it’s something that can be done with SuiteScript or SuiteFlow).
2. Independent Consultant/ Full-time or Part-time Freelancers
An Independent Consultant or a Full-time/Part-time freelancer is an easy option for very budget-sensitive small businesses. This works well if you find that elusive, responsible, and accountable part-time NetSuite consultant. The drawback is that a NetSuite consultant usually has constraints with delivering what was in scope and expected, on time and on budget, and retains responsibility and “warranty” support for any configurations and customizations he/ she has implemented in your NetSuite instance. In addition, they might not be experts in NetSuite or your specific industry/processes.
3. Official NetSuite Solution Provider Partners like Excelym
A NetSuite Solution Provider Partner is by far the most prevalent option adopted by small to mid-sized organizations. It is more personal and dedicated, allowing for a continuous build-up of extensive knowledge of your business and your unique preferences on how you want to run your business on NetSuite. It is also less costly than NetSuite’s Support Services, and could even be significantly less costly if you partner with the right partner, like Excelym.
The Solution Provider Partner will configure, test, and train your employees on the use of NetSuite. They also provide ongoing support services to ensure that you are getting the most out of your NetSuite investment and help you grow your business.
Many solution providers offer a flat monthly fee that includes everything from the initial implementation to ongoing support, which gives you peace of mind and a predictable budget.
Some solution providers also offer à la carte services at an hourly rate for those who want more control over their spending or need specific expertise for ad-hoc projects.
The benefits of working with a NetSuite Solution Provider Partner like Excelym are:
- A dedicated team of NetSuite experts with years of experience in your industry
- Proven track record of successful deployments
- Flexible engagement models that fit your budget
- Ongoing support & maintenance to ensure optimal performance
Find out more: Excelym NetSuite Support Options
The Excelym Advantage: Bigger, Stronger, Better NetSuite Support
Excelym NetSuite Support Engagement Model
We operate on an onshore-offshore model, where the bulk of the Support staff is in their Philippines Ops Center. We translate such a cost-effective model into lower rates for our customers.
Excelym NetSuite Support Pricing
Our NetSuite Support has a standard rate (US$/billable hour, please contact us to get specific pricing and to learn more), with increasing discounts if you sign up for more months and more minimum hours/month, upfront and prepaid.
For example, for a service contract for 6 months at 40 hours minimum per month, this will have a 5% discount and a 10% month-to-month carryover allowable. Anything in excess of 40 hours per month is billed at the standard, non-discounted rate.
Most of our NetSuite implementation clients opt for the “6-month – 40-hour plan,” then slowly decrease after that to 3-month increments at 20 hours a month, as systems and processes stabilize and no further customization and integration activities are on the roadmap.
Download Excelym NetSuite Support Options Table
Excelym is a Full Spectrum NetSuite Professional Services Provider
Excelym is one of the few full-spectrum and dedicated NetSuite Professional Services firms. We can partner with you from the onset or at any point in the life-cycle spectrum of adopting NetSuite for your organization:
Advisory —> Implementation —> Customization & Integration —> Support —> BPO/ Business Process Outsourcing
Note that NetSuite adoption costs decrease over time in the spectrum, as your own organization’s “NetSuite maturity” increases.
Our NetSuite Support service offering is more system-centric in operational help to your organization, once this matures and stabilizes, some of our customers further leverage us and garner more cost savings by onboarding onto our BPO/ Business Process Outsourcing services.
Explore our NetSuite Professional Services Pages:
Excelym NetSuite Outsourced Administration & Accounting and Business Process Outsourcing Services
We offer a more business process-centric vs system-centric (i.e. NS Support service offering). We use and manage your NetSuite for you to perform your recurring and ad-hoc, mundane/time-consuming, non-core business processes, such as:
NetSuite Outsourced Administration Services:
- Administration Services.
- User Role Administration.
- Reporting and Business Intelligence.
- Business Process Optimization.
- Security Management.
- NetSuite Management.
NetSuite Business Process Outsourcing Services:
- General NetSuite Administration
- Sales Order Management (Creation, Scheduling, Tracking, etc.)
- Billing/ Invoicing Management
- Debt Collection
- Collections Management
- Purchasing
- Payments Management
- Any Periodic Business Activities/ Tasks (e.g. Month-end closing of books, Quarterly Adjustment of Inventory during Stock Counts, etc.)
To learn more about NetSuite’s total cost of ownership click the link: NetSuite Total Cost of Ownership
To learn more about NetSuite’s total cost of ownership click the link: NetSuite Total Cost of Ownership
Parting Thoughts
To conclude, the costs of support services post go-live should be considered when making the decision to move to NetSuite. The level of support you need will drop over time, but you should factor in the costs of support for at least the first 6 to 12 months post-implementation. There are three main options for support services: NetSuite’s own Support Services, working with an Independent Consultant or a Part-time freelancer, or a NetSuite Solution Provider Partner like Excelym.
The most important factors to consider are: the size of your company, the level of expertise you need, the amount of customization/configuration required, your budget, and whether you need ongoing support post-implementation. If you’re not sure which option is right for you, feel free to reach out to us and we’ll be happy to help!
