NetSuite ACS Alternatives: Choosing the Right NetSuite Support Model for Your Business

NetSuite is a leading cloud ERP platform, but as businesses grow and become more complex, maintaining an optimal setup requires more than basic support. Many companies turn to NetSuite Advanced Customer Support (ACS) for ongoing assistance, but as real-world experiences reveal, ACS is not always the perfect solution for every business. Understanding the pros and cons of ACS—and exploring alternatives—can help ensure your NetSuite investment delivers maximum value.

What Is NetSuite ACS?

NetSuite Advanced Customer Support (ACS) is a premium support package designed to provide proactive, ongoing system management. ACS goes beyond standard customer support by offering strategic guidance to optimize your NetSuite environment, implement advanced configurations, and ensure smooth operations. Unlike traditional support, ACS emphasizes proactive system optimization and maintenance over reactive issue resolution.

With a monthly ACS subscription, you gain access to a dedicated Success Manager and solution advisement team. These experts work closely with your business to help you set and achieve your system goals.

ACS services are comprehensive, covering nine key areas:

• Business Solution Advisement: Provides guidance on implementing business process improvements.
• Remediation Support: Assists with the resolution of critical or time-sensitive issues.
• Development and Testing: Offers support for developing and testing complex solutions, including third-party integrations.
• Annual Account Reviews: Conducts thorough annual reviews to identify bottlenecks or areas for improvement.
• Performance Monitoring: Ensures optimal performance of key business processes.
• Release Guidance: Prepares your system for new releases and offers insights into how to leverage new functionality.
• ACS Playbooks: Grants access to best practice guides to support effective use of NetSuite.
• Solution Architecture: Delivers assistance with system architecture design.
• Implementation Support: Provides specialized support for new feature implementations and deployments.

ACS offers several levels of support—ACS Advise, ACS Monitor, ACS Optimize, and ACS Architect—each providing increasing levels of involvement and expertise to help businesses get the most from NetSuite:

• ACS Advise offers foundational support with essential guidance, troubleshooting, and light configuration help.
• ACS Monitor includes hands-on support for product-specific activities and assigns a dedicated consultant familiar with your business needs.
• ACS Optimize provides full solution management, performance assessments, and support for product upgrades and process improvements.
• ACS Architect is geared toward large organizations with complex configurations, offering a senior Customer Success Manager and a dedicated team of experts.
• ACS Platform delivers technical advisory services for businesses with high data volumes or complex customizations, focusing on performance and scalability challenges.

NetSuite ACS promises to enhance your NetSuite environment through ongoing system optimization, customization, and proactive monitoring, helping prevent issues before they arise. However, despite these benefits, businesses may have mixed experiences with ACS, as the expertise level can vary based on the assigned team. For companies requiring highly specialized support, exploring third-party alternatives may provide a more tailored solution.

Real-World Experiences with ACS

Many users on forums and discussion boards share experiences with NetSuite ACS, and the feedback is often polarized.

Some companies report success, particularly when their internal teams already have a clear understanding of what they need from NetSuite. Others, however, express frustration with ACS’s performance, citing issues with communication, the quality of consultants, and an inability to drive meaningful improvements in their NetSuite setup.

One user recounted that after implementing NetSuite, they turned to ACS for help with performance issues, customizations, and workflow optimizations. Unfortunately, ACS fell short of expectations, leaving them to rely on internal staff or third-party consultants.

In another case, a company in the food and beverage industry struggled with ACS’s ability to understand their manufacturing processes and specific needs. The consultant provided by ACS failed to deliver the expected results, and the company was left feeling that they were not getting the expert support they had signed up for.

These stories highlight a common theme: while ACS provides access to experts, the consistency and effectiveness of those experts can vary widely. For companies with highly specific needs or industries that require specialized knowledge, this can lead to dissatisfaction and wasted resources.

Common Challenges with NetSuite ACS

Several pain points often arise for businesses considering or already using ACS:

1. Inconsistent expertise: Depending on the team assigned, ACS may not provide consultants with the industry-specific knowledge you need.

2. Lack of proactivity: Some users report that rather than proactively identifying and solving issues, ACS teams wait for client instructions, reducing the value of the service.

3. Cost vs. value: Given the premium pricing of ACS, many businesses feel they aren’t receiving the level of personalized attention required to justify the cost.

4. Service structure: Companies often find that the structure of ACS—where support hours are consumed by administrative tasks such as project organization—leaves little room for actual problem-solving and troubleshooting.

So What are the Alternatives to NetSuite ACS

Given these challenges, many companies are looking for third-party support alternatives to ACS. Third-party providers offer a range of services, from fully managed support to one-time system health checks, and may provide more tailored, flexible solutions than ACS.

Here are some key alternatives:

1. Third-Party NetSuite Consultants

Third-party consultants offer an alternative to ACS by providing specialized expertise for specific industries and business needs. Companies often find that these consultants are better suited for complex customizations, process improvements, and system optimizations.

One advantage is the ability to select a consultant or firm that has deep experience in your industry, whether it's manufacturing, food and beverage, retail, or e-commerce.

However, businesses should be cautious when selecting a consultant. Some users report that while third-party consultants can follow instructions well, they struggle when asked to provide strategic guidance or identify system weaknesses on their own.

The key to success here is vetting potential partners thoroughly—seeking referrals, checking client testimonials, and ensuring that the firm has experience not just with NetSuite but also with your specific business model.

2. DiamondCare: A Leading ACS Alternative from Kimberlite

For businesses in search of a comprehensive NetSuite support solution that surpasses the offerings of Advanced Customer Support (ACS), Kimberlite Partners presents DiamondCare. This tailored support service is designed to rival the premium options available through ACS, providing strategic, ongoing support that evolves with the unique needs of your business. One of the key differentiators of DiamondCare is the assurance that your account will be managed by senior-level experts well-versed in NetSuite best practices, unlike ACS, where you might be assigned a less experienced consultant.

DiamondCare's offerings include proactive system health checks to pinpoint underperforming areas within your system. It also features customized support plans that align with your specific business processes and goals, ensuring that your operations are optimized for success. Additionally, DiamondCare focuses on the ongoing optimization of custom workflows, integrations, and modules to maintain peak performance.

A standout feature of DiamondCare is the provision of a dedicated point of contact—a senior account manager who coordinates all support efforts. This approach guarantees consistency and eliminates the frustrating "ticket shuffle" often encountered by ACS users, streamlining the support experience and enhancing overall satisfaction.

3. Hiring an Internal NetSuite Administrator

Another option for businesses is to hire an in-house NetSuite administrator. While this approach requires a larger upfront investment in salary and benefits, it can provide significant long-term savings and give your company a dedicated resource for managing and optimizing your NetSuite platform. An internal administrator can handle tasks ranging from basic troubleshooting to complex customizations, all while gaining a deeper understanding of your company’s operations than an external consultant might.

4. Outsourcing to Offshore Experts

Some businesses turn to offshore talent for cost-effective NetSuite support. For example, hiring former NetSuite employees or consultants from regions like the Philippines offers a middle ground between ACS and third-party consultants. This option is particularly useful for companies looking to reduce costs while still accessing skilled NetSuite professionals for technical support, scripting, or custom configurations. The challenge, however, is ensuring that the offshore team has experience with your specific industry and business needs.

 Key Considerations for Selecting a Support Solution

Scalability of Support:
As your business grows, will the support provider be able to scale with you? Consider if the support solution can accommodate additional modules, users, or advanced customizations as your requirements evolve. This is crucial for companies with growth plans or seasonal fluctuations in demand.

Response Time and Availability:
How quickly does the support team respond to issues? If your business relies heavily on NetSuite for day-to-day operations, fast response times can be essential to minimize downtime. Look into the provider’s Service Level Agreement (SLA) for response and resolution times, and check if they offer 24/7 support for critical issues.

Depth of Technical Expertise:
For complex NetSuite environments, your support provider should have in-depth technical expertise, especially in areas like scripting, integrations, and customizations. Assess if the provider has the capability to troubleshoot technical issues and provide advanced solutions that go beyond basic support.

Flexibility of Service Levels:
Does the provider offer different tiers of service or customizable plans? Some companies may only need occasional support, while others require continuous, high-level assistance. Flexible service levels can allow you to scale up or down based on your business’s changing needs, potentially saving costs in the long run.

Data Security and Compliance:
For industries with strict compliance requirements (e.g., healthcare, finance), it’s important to ensure that the support provider follows data security and regulatory compliance best practices. Look for providers who have experience in meeting industry-specific compliance standards and who offer secure handling of your business data.

Experience with Similar Businesses or Use Cases:
Has the provider worked with other businesses that have similar use cases or operational needs? For example, if your company uses NetSuite to manage complex supply chains, ensure the provider has experience in that area. Providers familiar with your specific workflows or challenges can offer more relevant advice and quicker solutions.

Performance Optimization Focus:
Does the support provider proactively focus on optimizing performance, or is the service more reactive? A good support solution should include regular system health checks and performance monitoring to identify potential issues before they impact your business. This focus on optimization is especially beneficial for companies relying on NetSuite for critical, high-volume transactions.

Integration Capabilities:
If you rely on other software systems alongside NetSuite (e.g., CRM, e-commerce, or inventory management systems), assess the support provider’s ability to manage and support integrations. Seamless integration is essential for maintaining a unified data flow across platforms, and providers experienced in handling third-party integrations can help you avoid costly disruptions.

Transparency and Communication:
Does the provider communicate clearly and regularly about ongoing support activities, system improvements, or potential issues? Look for a provider who offers regular reports, meetings, or system performance summaries to keep you informed about the status of your NetSuite environment. This transparency can help build trust and provide assurance that your system is well-managed.

Training and User Enablement:
Will the provider offer training sessions or resources for your team? Effective support includes not only troubleshooting but also empowering your team to make the most of NetSuite. A provider that offers training or user enablement can help your team become more self-sufficient, which may reduce your long-term support needs.

Evaluation of Long-Term ROI:
Finally, consider the long-term return on investment (ROI) of each support option. While some solutions may seem costly upfront, they may lead to better system performance, reduced downtime, and fewer operational disruptions over time. Evaluate if the support solution will ultimately drive more value from your NetSuite investment.

Finding the Right Support for Your Business

While NetSuite ACS offers many valuable services, it is not the only option available for businesses looking to maximize the performance of their NetSuite system. Alternatives like third-party consultants, DiamondCare by Kimberlite Partners, and in-house administrators provide different levels of expertise, customization, and flexibility. By carefully evaluating your specific needs and the strengths of each option, you can find the right support solution to ensure that your NetSuite platform continues to drive success for your business.

If you're ready to explore tailored support solutions that can optimize your NetSuite system for long-term growth, contact Kimberlite Partners today to learn how DiamondCare can deliver the personalized service your business needs.