Maximizing NetSuite: A CFO’s Strategic Roadmap from Implementation to Optimization

Written by: Todd Kimpton

Given the rapid advancements shaping modern businesses, a company’s ability to adapt and optimize technological solutions is requisite for long-term success. For businesses leveraging, this journey is not merely about implementing the software; it's about navigating the distinct phases that follow. Each stage demands unique skills and strategies, making it essential for CFOs and other executives to understand the complexities involved in not just adopting but also optimizing NetSuite for sustained growth.

From Implementation to Optimization: Navigating the Skills Gap

Implementing NetSuite is a complex endeavor that involves setting up transactional processes and ensuring business continuity. However, optimization is a different game altogether, one that focuses on unlocking the system's full potential to drive productivity and growth. This dichotomy often necessitates a shift in personnel or, at the very least, a change in mindset from the "hunter" mentality of implementation to the "farmer" mindset required for optimization.

Change Management

During implementation, change management is about preparing your team for a significant system transition. It's crucial to communicate the benefits clearly and manage resistance effectively. This phase often involves winning over a skeptical user base that is accustomed to legacy systems. However, once implementation is complete, the focus shifts. Change management during optimization requires continuous collaboration with users to identify productivity gaps. Instead of managing resistance, the emphasis moves to enabling and encouraging users to embrace incremental changes that enhance efficiency and productivity. Here, the goal is to ensure that change becomes a seamless part of everyday operations rather than a disruptive force.

User Process Mapping

In the implementation phase, user process mapping involves the delicate task of fitting existing workflows into NetSuite without overwhelming employees. The aim is to ensure that essential business processes continue uninterrupted during the transition, often balancing the need for continuity against the software vendor’s "best practices." In many cases, businesses have to prioritize operational stability over ideal configurations, leading to a compromise that ensures survival through the transition.

As companies move into the optimization phase, the approach to process mapping evolves. Now, the focus shifts to analyzing and refining those initial workflows. Optimization is about identifying inefficiencies and automating processes wherever possible. Incremental changes, rather than sweeping overhauls, are key. This approach requires a thorough understanding of both the system and the end-users, enabling businesses to slowly unlock productivity gains while minimizing disruption.

Data Management and Migration

Data migration during implementation is a meticulous process. It involves extracting, cleaning, mapping, and transferring data from legacy systems into NetSuite. The primary objective is to replicate essential reporting segments and transactions to maintain a window to the past, ensuring continuity and reliability in the new system. Post-implementation, the focus on data intensifies. Optimization requires leveraging NetSuite’s capabilities for advanced data analysis and reporting. At this stage, CFOs must champion the use of data not just for transactional purposes but as a strategic asset. The skills required include a deep understanding of data analytics and the ability to translate insights into actionable business strategies.

Implementation vs. Optimization: Contrasting Approaches for Success

To successfully leverage NetSuite, businesses need to adopt different project management approaches during implementation and optimization. These phases demand varying scopes and methodologies.

Defined Scope for Implementation

Implementation follows a project-oriented approach with a well-defined scope. This structured framework is necessary to keep the project on track amid the significant changes involved. The emphasis is on setting clear objectives, managing resources efficiently, and hitting key milestones. This phase is marked by intense pressure, tight deadlines, and the marshaling of resources that may not be entirely on board with the changes. The goal is clear: "get transactional"—ensure the system is up and running, with key processes like order fulfillment, invoicing, and cash collection operating seamlessly.

Floating Scope for Optimization

Once NetSuite is operational, the game changes. Optimization is not a one-time project but an ongoing journey. Here, a floating scope is essential. The objective is not just to maintain operations but to enhance them continuously. Agility and flexibility are key, as optimization requires constant reassessment and realignment to meet evolving business needs. Unlike the rigid structure of implementation, optimization demands a more analytical and inquisitive approach, focused on making incremental adjustments rather than sweeping changes. The success in this phase is about "squeezing productivity"—maximizing return on investment by driving efficiency, reducing costs, and leveraging NetSuite’s full capabilities to add strategic business value.

Measuring Success: Transactional Stability vs. Productivity GainsGetting Transactional

Success in the implementation phase is primarily measured by the system's operational status. Can the business continue to function effectively? Are orders being shipped, invoices sent, and payments collected? If so, the implementation has achieved its primary goal. However, this phase is often a grueling exercise, fraught with challenges and strained relationships as teams are pushed to their limits to ensure business continuity.

Squeezing Productivity

In contrast, success during optimization is measured by the system's ability to drive ongoing productivity improvements. This phase focuses on stabilizing the user base, automating processes, ensuring data accuracy, and gradually unlocking advanced features and functionalities. The ultimate objective is to enhance the business's strategic information assets, reduce operational costs, and increase efficiency. It’s about moving from merely "keeping the patient alive" to making the business thrive.

Conclusion: A Strategic Roadmap for Long-Term Success with NetSuite

The journey from implementing to optimizing NetSuite requires a nuanced, strategic approach. CFOs and executives must recognize that the skills and methodologies needed for each phase are distinct. During implementation, success hinges on meticulous planning, defined objectives, and a relentless focus on achieving operational continuity. However, the true value of NetSuite emerges during the optimization phase, where continuous improvement becomes the mantra.

By aligning the right mix of skills and strategies for each phase, businesses can ensure that NetSuite serves as more than just a system of record. It becomes a powerful engine for growth, driving efficiency and providing strategic insights that set the stage for long-term success.

At Etter+Ramli (E+R), we specialize in guiding businesses through this journey. Our dedicated team of NetSuite experts is here to help your business not only implement but also optimize NetSuite, ensuring you unlock its full potential for continuous improvement and growth. Embrace the full capabilities of NetSuite, and set a new standard for efficiency and success in your industry.

We pledge to run your NetSuite better than you can run NetSuite for yourselves.

To explore the benefits of retaining Etter+Ramli as your Managed Success Provider, contact Todd Kimpton, Ria Rodriguez Richardson or visit the website for a free consultation today. Subscribe to our Newsletter: SuiteWords of Etter+Ramli to stay up-to-date with the latest trends on NetSuite, tips n’ tricks, productivity solutions, and events.