Why a Static System Costs You More Than You Think

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms are powerful tools that can streamline operations, automate redundant tasks and improve overall organizational efficiency, but they’re not the kind of solutions that you can just “set and forget.” Unfortunately, too many companies fall into the trap of simply picking the low-hanging fruit off the ERP tree and hoping that the system continues to perform and meet expectations.

Over time, a stagnant ERP not only stops paying off, scaling and delivering benefits that drove you to invest in the technology in the first place, but they can also get pretty expensive and time-consuming to maintain and optimize. In the end, the “set it and forget it” technology adopters wind up with a static ERP that does the bare minimum but never really lives up to expectations.

Here's Why You Can’t Let Your ERP Stagnate

Static ERPs are especially problematic for growing companies, whose systems have to adapt as new products and services are rolled out; new customer segments added; and new geographical markets explored. If a company’s core business system can’t flex quickly and adapt to the changes, it’ll have to start adding even more technology to help fill in the gaps.

Then, if those solutions don’t integrate well with one another—or with the core ERP itself—the organization may have to resort to using spreadsheets to share data across them. Other problems companies encounter when they let their ERPs languish include:

• Getting left behind the curve. Static systems struggle won’t be able to rapid changes in market dynamics, regulatory requirements or internal organizational shifts.
• Unable to scale. A static ERP may not scale effectively, resulting in performance bottlenecks and increased operational costs.
• Can’t keep up with new releases. NetSuite releases dozens of new pieces of functionality in its twice-yearly updates. Some of those changes may negatively impact your system or create new inefficiencies.
• Doesn’t support company growth. The ERP may not be able to handle bigger data volumes leading to longer lag times and more errors.
• In-house developers and ERP administrators are expensive. In fact, they can cost your company over $150,000 each per year in salary alone, not to mention benefits and bonuses.
• No way to integrate new applications. A static ERP doesn’t always integrate well with newer technologies or third-party applications.
• More system downtime. System outages and slow performance can disrupt business operations and quickly drive up operational costs.

These are just some of the reasons why companies should be proactively monitoring and optimizing their ERP systems to mitigate risks, improve decision-making and drive sustainable growth. The problem is that if your internal IT team is already overburdened and focused on new projects, who has the time and resources to keep tabs on your ERP and ensure that it’s always running optimally?

That’s where reliable, experienced managed services providers are worth their weight in gold. NetSuite users can significantly benefit from partnering with a provider like GSI, Inc., whose dedicated SuiteCare solution takes daily ERP administration and support off your plate, allowing you to focus on what you do best: running and growing your business.

The “Big Picture” View

SuiteCare is a comprehensive support solution ensures that NetSuite updates, user enablement, and system optimizations are continuously managed, reducing downtime and improving overall efficiency. The goal is to prevent problems before they occur, offering peace of mind and allowing businesses to focus on their core activities.

With SuiteCare in your corner, you can save a substantial amount of money on NetSuite projects. With their vast experience implementing, using and optimizing the ERP, SuiteCare’s tech gurus always take a “big picture” view of projects versus working on them in a vacuum. This reduces or even eliminates the time and materials once spent working on isolated projects, which can easily scale over budget when handled individually and in-house.

When developing its SuiteCare managed service offering, GSI adapted its long-term status as a NetSuite consulting partner into an option that includes (but isn’t limited to):

• Post-go-live support. SuiteCare keeps your NetSuite environment operating effectively while you concentrate on achieving your business objectives.
• Continual upgrades and testing. Get proactive support to keep your NetSuite environment up-to-date with the latest enhancements, empowering your business to operate efficiently.
• Enhanced workflow processes. Tailored configurations and expert guidance ensure efficient workflows that align with your business goals, enhancing productivity and scalability.
• Reporting, KPIs and dashboards. Customized solutions guarantee effective data visualization and actionable analytics, empowering your business with precise information to enhance growth and efficiency.
• End user support. Rapid support, detailed troubleshooting and customized training to refine your processes and elevate your operational performance.
• User training. Empower your team with essential skills to leverage NetSuite effectively, promoting ongoing business growth.
• Ongoing system administration. From user management to security configurations and system optimizations, SuiteCare ensures your NetSuite environment is finely tuned for peak performance.

Don’t Wait for Things to Go Wrong

Using a managed services provider like GSI means companies work with named resources who are dedicated to their accounts and who offer continuous delivery. With a traditional support model, on the other hand, different resources may be engaged on a case-by-case basis. The clock keeps ticking as the learn the nuances of your account, and all within the context of working on a highly reactionary basis (read: you encounter a problem and tech support responds).

With SuiteCare, you don’t have to wait for things to go wrong. Your dedicated resource works proactively and delivers changes directly to your NetSuite instance. By kicking your ERP out of its static state and into dynamic mode, SuiteCare helps you get the most out of your technology investment over time—and not just on the day that you went live and started using it.

By taking continuous improvement approach to ERP optimization, GSI helps you avoid reduce your technology costs, drive more value out of your system and leverage those new growth opportunities as they emerge.