Robert Monan
This article builds on our earlier Empiric pieces Unlock Your NetSuite Potential: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team and 5 Reasons Why Recruitment Agencies Are the Best Option for Finding Top NetSuite Talent and reflects what we are seeing across live NetSuite hiring projects in the UK and Europe.
Why NetSuite Hiring Managers Are Rethinking Traditional Delivery Models
Companies used to rely almost exclusively on partners or offshore teams, but that approach is wearing thin as the conversation around NetSuite talent shifts. Top employers now want skilled people, value for spend and fast results, with flexibility and direct access mattering more than ever.
With pressure on budgets, competition for top talent and deadlines that cannot slip, picking the right NetSuite support model has become more challenging. As a result, more organisations are reassessing partner and offshore approaches in favour of direct access to specialist contractors.
This begs the question: why get stuck paying high rates or battling time zones when there is a better way?
How Organisations Are Resourcing NetSuite Projects
The Empiric NetSuite team recently ran a poll across the community to understand how organisations are currently resourcing NetSuite projects and ongoing work. The responses reflect a market that is becoming more selective about cost, delivery control and accountability.
- Partner or Oracle support – 34%
Still widely used for large programmes but increasingly questioned due to cost and slower delivery. - Freelance or contract specialists – 31%
Growing year-on-year as organisations look for speed, flexibility and direct access to senior NetSuite expertise. - In-house permanent teams – 23%
Gaining traction where businesses want long-term system ownership and closer alignment with internal stakeholders. - Offshore teams (India or Philippines) – 12%
Declining as time zone challenges, rework and quality concerns impact delivery outcomes.
Taken together, the results point to a move away from rigid, high-cost models towards direct resourcing that gives teams more control over delivery, faster decisions and clearer ownership.
Reducing Cost Without Reducing Capability
Many organisations still assume higher partner rates guarantee higher quality. In practice, relying on expensive partner models or offshore teams often leads to overpromises, slower delivery and limited accountability.
There is a clear alternative. Accessing senior NetSuite professionals who trained and delivered inside partner firms, but now operate independently through a specialist recruiter, gives teams the same level of expertise at a much lower cost.
Why pay £1,200 per day for a partner consultant when experienced ex-partner specialists are available at closer to £650 per day? That gap often allows organisations to add extra capability or specialist skills for the same budget, whether that is functional consultants, developers, administrators or project managers, without compromising delivery quality.
After years supporting NetSuite hiring across the UK and Europe, a consistent pattern has emerged. Organisations frustrated by slow processes are finding better outcomes with independent professionals. These individuals bring consultancy and in-house experience but prefer flexible contracts that let them focus on delivery rather than layers of process.
Based on real placement data, organisations regularly save between 30 and 50 percent by bypassing traditional partner models, while maintaining pace and clear ownership of outcomes.
Example 1: UK Retail / E-commerce
A UK retail business implementing NetSuite for multi-channel operations was quoted £110,000–£130,000 by a large NetSuite consultancy for a 6-month customisation and integration programme.
Instead, they engaged an independent NetSuite contractor with prior agency and in-house experience at £650 per day.
- Total 6-month cost: ~£78,000
- Estimated saving: ~40%
- Outcome: Faster delivery, direct access to the engineer, and no change requests or layered project management slowing progress.
Example 2: UK SaaS / Technology Scale-Up
A UK SaaS company integrating NetSuite with AWS and third-party platforms was advised to use a partner team at £850–£1,000 per day per consultant, with a minimum two-consultant model.
They instead hired a senior independent NetSuite / AWS engineer at £700 per day.
- Annualised cost (9 months): ~£126,000
- Equivalent consultancy model: ~£210,000
- Estimated saving: ~40–45%
- Outcome: End-to-end ownership, tighter AWS–NetSuite integration, and significantly reduced handover risk
Example 3: UK Manufacturing / Distribution
A UK manufacturing group running NetSuite OneWorld required ongoing optimisation, reporting and API integrations. A managed services agreement was proposed at £12,000 per month.
They moved to an independent NetSuite specialist on a 3-day-per-week contract at £600 per day.
- Annual cost: ~£86,000
- Managed service equivalent: ~£144,000
- Estimated saving: ~40%
- Outcome: Consistent delivery, retained system knowledge internally, and flexibility to scale days up or down.
Example 4: UK Financial Services / SuiteTax Migration
A UK financial services firm migrating to SuiteTax was quoted £120,000+ by a tier-one NetSuite consultancy for a 6-month implementation, based on a multi-consultant delivery model.
Instead, the firm engaged a senior independent NetSuite specialist with prior consultancy and in-house experience at £700 per day.
- Total 6-month cost: ~£84,000
- Estimated saving: ~30%
- Outcome: Direct ownership of the SuiteTax migration, faster decision-making, and reduced delivery risk without the overhead of a traditional partner model.
Offshore, Partner, or Local Talent?
We see a lot of debate around offshoring, and the feedback tends to be consistent. Time zone gaps slow progress, communication can break down, and any headline cost saving disappears quickly when quality drops or work needs redoing.
Strong local NetSuite professionals tell a different story. When matched properly, they deliver faster and work in step with business priorities. That alignment reduces rework, speeds decisions and keeps delivery moving.
It is not to say that offshore or partner models never fit. They can work well for clearly defined tasks or steady support. However, we have seen many organisations struggle when those models are stretched into complex NetSuite work tied to tax, compliance or operational change.
My colleague authored a blog on nearshoring which, while adjacent, highlights principles that still apply when teams assess where work should sit and how closely it needs to align with the business.
What Changes When Organisations Adjust Their NetSuite Resourcing
This is not only about saving money. It is about getting results.
We spoke with several recent clients to understand what changed once they adjusted how they resourced NetSuite delivery.
UK Retail Business – “We initially offshored NetSuite support because the hourly rate looked compelling, but the time difference and rework around VAT and fulfilment logic slowed everything down. Once we brought in a UK-based NetSuite contractor, things moved faster almost immediately, with fewer iterations, clearer conversations and better outcomes, even at a higher day rate.”
UK Financial Services Firm – “We started with a NetSuite partner model, but rotating consultants and layers of process made delivery slower than expected. Moving to a local NetSuite specialist who understood FCA requirements made a noticeable difference. Timelines shortened and accountability became much clearer.”
UK Manufacturing Group – “Our nearshore NetSuite team was technically sound, but repeatedly explaining UK operational workflows became a drain. Bringing in a local contractor who could sit with the business changed the dynamic, with less clarification, fewer defects and quicker progress overall.”
UK SaaS Scale-Up – “Offshoring helped us keep costs down initially, but we struggled with missed requirements and long feedback loops. Appointing a UK-based NetSuite delivery lead to work alongside the offshore team gave us structure and momentum without having to start again.”
Why Specialist NetSuite Recruiters Still Matter
Specialist NetSuite recruiters operate close to the market every day. They track skill availability, rate movement and module demand across contract and permanent hiring. That visibility protects organisations from mis-hires and inflated costs.
For candidates, specialist agencies open access to roles that never reach job boards. Many of the strongest NetSuite contracts and internal roles move through trusted networks.
Make Your NetSuite Investment Count
Whether you need short-term NetSuite contractors, a permanent team build or support clearing a delivery backlog, the resourcing model shapes the outcome. Direct access to the right people brings speed, control and value.
Empiric’s dedicated NetSuite desk supports UK and European organisations with contract and permanent hiring across functional, technical and leadership roles.
If you are planning a NetSuite migration, optimisation or team build, we can help you sense-check your resourcing approach and access specialist talent quickly. Learn more about our work, view our latest jobs and book in a call with me here.
