NetSuite Guru

Under the Hood

NetSuite is made available to you by an Application Service Provider (ASP). Two years ago it seemed that this topic of Application Service Provider was a hot topic -- and then -- everything seemed to die. In fact, NetSuite is about six years old and has not as yet come into its prime.  People, even now, have not really understood the advantages an ASP provides. In 2003 bloggers were writing about the Secret Weapons of an ASP and in extending the argument to NetSuite another blogger wrote about the  Secret Weapons of NetSuite.

When I looked to see what is under the hood of the NetSuite taxicab, I could not believe my eyes. Really there is everything to run a business; and if it is not there, then because of the way it is built on an Oracle Database, you can connect your NetSuite data to just about anything.  Today I came across Trends of 2005 and here the author blew me away when he stated that all of these on-demand products -- like NetSuite -- are already too cheap. Now that I have been using NetSuite Small Business for a number of weeks, and have access to the full version of NetSuite and use it daily, I tend to agree that there is good value to be had.

Most of my friends question me whether any good software can be had that works across the Internet. I can't believe them when they ask that as I have just been blown away by the functionality of software like this and the fact that my sales people can have access from anywhere in the world.

So I feel more than comfortable with my choice.

Now, tomorrow, I promise I am going to write about some tricks of using NetSuite. I think one of the most important tricks to learn is exactly how many licenses to purchase so that you are not costing yourself more money than you really need to be spending. I learnt the hard way.

Almost Ready to Start Renting

What does one say in a first post? Some platitudes as to how this blog started or something like that -- perhaps which no one really wants to read. So let's get right into it.

You are nearly ready to say, 'Yes' to a NetSuite salesman and begin on the journey . . .  no . . . journey is the wrong word . . . take part in the revolution that is happening in front of our very eyes.  Banking, in the way we use money, went through this revolution decades ago. Now we begin realizing that the very information that is at the core of our businesses is too valuable to keep 0n the property from which you operate your business. And some businesses do not have a single property from which to run their businesses. Banking solved this problem years ago with money and services. You no longer have to keep your money on your business premises. Now you too can keep vital business information in the same place where your money is kept -- in the server rooms where big banks have their IT operating.

So why are you baulking at starting in with NetSuite? Yes, it is a slightly unknown world for you and so there is always going to be apprehension. And I bet at this very moment you are thinking that it might just be too much money to spend? Yeah, I guessed right didn't I!

Well that is another whole story. But let me just say this . . . we have a five person business. In 2004 we paid $45,000 total costs for provision of our IT. This year, what we paid $45,000 for is only costing us $18,000 from NetSuite. No you do the math and come back and report to me by adding comments to this post and see if I am right. Is this right for your business too? Find out the cost of NetSuite and the cost of running your IT last year and see how it compares!