Single System Software and The SuiteApp – A Story

?

One of the hardest parts of selling software is effectively communicating your message. I wrote this blog because I wondered if I could better explain, a difficult-to-understand matter, about the nature of NetSuite and Native SuiteApps.

?

But first, let’s explore one of NetSuite’s greatest features and one of the main reasons companies include NetSuite in their shortlist of ERP software: the single system.

?

Single System

?

I really believe, that for today’s businesses, a single system software is the dream approach to tech. Those who don’t yet have a single system approach are either on their journey towards it, or have too great a need for a?point solution?(usually to fulfil one key part of their business) to endorse the single system methodology.

?

NetSuite ERP offers a?true?single system approach. Being an enterprising, sales focussed, American leviathan of a software business, it built its solution with customisation in mind. Letting people like CloudTamers at its code to extend the software functionality into areas which is otherwise not “normal” NetSuite, removes barriers to sale. It gives NetSuite and their partner community, the opportunity to sell NetSuite into a huge variety of businesses and sectors.

?

As such, we are often invited to tender as part of a consortium, where a CloudTamers SuiteApp fulfils one, or more, of the prospect’s system requirements. I am usually invited to tender by another NetSuite partner and often in a country where CloudTamers isn’t authorized to sell NetSuite software but has free reign to sell?our?intellectual property in the form of said SuiteApps.

?

That makes us one of (often) several vendors in the pitching room.

?

Does it Integrate with NetSuite?

?

I wish I had a sale (truly) for every person who has asked me, “and does it integrate with NetSuite?” during the pitching process. Often my typical response, “it IS NetSuite”, is met with confused looks.

?

Now, if everyone I presented my SuiteApp to were familiar with the NetSuite user interface, it should be as simple as logging into the demo environment and saying, “see? NetSuite…..” but for those who have never experienced the Oracle NetSuite environment before, well, they could be looking at any software really. One new software system is as unfamiliar to them as another.

?

And even then, on more than one occasion, I have demonstrated my software to a seasoned NetSuite user to met with the surprise response:

?

“Oh! It looks?just like?NetSuite!”

?

It is a difficult concept to get your head around. If?SuiteApp software?is contracted through a third party, how can it be the same software?

?

I have practiced and practiced my explanation to this, but even my well-rehearsed line “we build our software inside your NetSuite environment so you’re only contracting to use our intellectual property” still feels insufficient.

?

The Pain of Rejection

?

Last month I received the?dreaded rejection?email from a prospect I’d worked hard to convince. The feedback was, “we loved the idea of a single system approach, but we felt there were too many third party vendors involved for it to be well integrated”. To compound matters, the prospect has gone down the multi-software vendor route because each of the system vendors were able to demonstrate prebuilt integrations into their multitude of point solutions.

?

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with selecting multiple solutions which integrate. However, if it’s a single system you are after, prebuilt integrations does not a single system approach make. For a start, there are just as many contracting vendors, not to mention the various points of data entry on each of the platforms.

?

Companies will make decisions for a variety of reasons so it may not be the only reason I lost that prospect, but there’s also a possibility that I have failed to communicate the nature of the software.

?

To reject a single software system in favour of multiple software platforms, simply because there are third party vendors in the room is to conflate the nature of the software with the nature of the engagement.

?

So, for those of you who are considering moving to NetSuite, and for those of you who want a?truly?single system approach, think of us your subject matter experts.

?

CloudTamers will be your HR software professionals, or your property estate management experts as part of your software implementation team.

?

As for the software??One system.

?

Single System Software and the SuiteApp – The Moral of the Story

?

A native SuiteApp might require you to sign a contract with a third-party vendor (such as CloudTamers), but?all?the functionality – that of your NetSuite ERP and that of your native SuiteApps – will be the same software platform.

?

Single security

Single sign on

Single data entry point

Single version of the truth

Single system

?

Written by Emma Stewart (in an attempt to better convey the single system message of a SuiteApp ) – and….Sales & Marketing Director at CloudTamers Ltd

?

To talk to someone about how you can use CloudTamers SuiteApps with NetSuite for a single system approach – please?get in touch

?

No prospects were harmed in the making of this blog.