Executive Summary

• This is the Brightwork Research & Analysis software rating series.
• We rate both the software and estimate the risk of implementing each application.

MUFI Rating & Risk for NetSuite CRM

MUFI: Maintainability, Usability, Functionality, Implement ability

Vendor: NetSuite CRM (Select For Vendor Profile)

Introduction

This application is a perfect example of product growth by a vendor that is not mainly focused on product quality or customer value.

Application Detail

NetSuite CRM is a lagging application that requires a substantial amount of custom programming to work correctly. It also has numerous integration problems, downtime, and issues, and has is below average in buyer satisfaction levels in the CRM software category.

NetSuite sells explicitly its integrated connection from NetSuite CRM to NetSuite OneWorld but then does not integrate the two applications well. NetSuite CRM has developed functionality that is broken and can negatively impact a company’s operations. NetSuite CRM is not only extremely lacking as a product, but NetSuite requires the consulting and support for this problematic CRM product to enable customer success.

CRM is moving rapidly expanding its footprint into marketing, but NetSuite CRM is not good at present, and we estimate that it has a low probability of being good at this in the future. Marketing platform companies are not that expensive, so perhaps NetSuite may acquire one.

The management at NetSuite has a responsibility to introduce software in any category that is usable and enables their customers to work efficiently, and Netsuite CRM is not it. NetSuite CRM is very rarely purchased outside of non-NetSuite OneWorld accounts, for obvious reasons. But NetSuite is not yet a large enough company that it can use its OneWorld product as a wedge to influence other purchases from NetSuite on a sufficient scale. If NetSuite CRM and NetSuite eCommerce are indicators, NetSuite needs to stick to its OneWorld product and try to make that better before growing its footprint.

For companies that have already have NetSuite CRM, they need to look at their software selection approach seriously and who is advising them, because it is impossible that we could see how a company could come out of a serious software selection with NetSuite CRM as the winner.

MUFI Scores

All scores out of a possible 10.

Vendor and Application Risk

NetSuite CRM is a low-quality product, which will bring significant implementation challenges. Its functionality is insufficient.

Likelihood of Implementation Success

This accounts for both the application and vendor-specific risk. In our formula, the total implementation risk is application + vendor + buyer risk. The buyer specific risk could increase or decrease this overall likelihood and adjust the values that you see below.

Risk Definition

See this link for more on our categorizations of risk. We also offer a Buyer Specific Risk Estimation as a service for those that want a comprehensive analysis.

Risk Management Approach

Managing the risk of a NetSuite CRM is about lowering expectations. NetSuite CRM is purchased by NetSuite OneWorld buyers primarily. However, there is little in the way of integration between CRM systems and other systems such as ERP systems, so there is little benefit to these NetSuite OneWorld buyers. The approach must be a combination of keeping expectations along with staffing on the heavier side to make up for implement ability and user adoption issues.

Finished With Your Analysis?

To go back to the Software Selection Package page for the CRM software category. Or go to this link to see other analytical products for NetSuite CRM.