Yuri R.
Disappointing experience with netsuite.
Disappointing experience with netsuite. Becoming netsuite's customer back in 2020 was pretty exciting and promising at the same time; salespeople did well on that, onboarding thought was with some of the issues raised. However, they have not stopped us from making the required integration. Our story: Task Live Integration of the custom-tailored system with NetSuite product. Netsuite advised us to get an integration partner(kind of sub-contractor), and we have agreed on a need for one in terms of giving help to the administrative workers, train and explain the capabilities of the system. As we proceeded, all went good, however when the quote for the integration was given we thought that is pretty much high. Since we did had our experienced IT team, we checked up the documentation and understood that we could make it our self. We have seen that restful API been supported in DEMO mode and been pretty excited about it. After some time, we have decided to use it on our middleware controller with a queuing mechanism, and this was a protection for us because API was in beta mode. After some time, we had found that it was a correct decision since some of the API methods which we used got changed (removed some capabilities); when we asked what is the alternative's there was none except using the Soap API(which caused us to rebuild the integration using the soap in a short time) Someone who has done an integration knows that best practices always test your integration on the sandbox environment before deploying that on the production. I got surprised that NetSuite is charging you for a sandbox (which, typically with other company's goes for free); however, since it was not a huge amount, we said probably the cost of the instances that they try to cover or any other expenses. The surprise came on the following year when the price of the sandbox increased by 2.5 times. Speaking with our NetSuite account manager, we have not got a reasonable explanation for this increase; instead only referred to the policy that sandbox price is determined like 10 % of the current year's invoices. Comments that we have not increased the value of the invoice 2.5 times remained unanswered. Even though we been not happy with such a response, we sat together with the team and analyzed how long did we use the sandbox within the previous year, and it turned out that we used it for APR 2 month out of 12(the time when we crafted the integration). Taking this into consideration, i have returned to the account manager and asked the following "Since the price grew unreasonably to us, and because of non-instant usage, could we get the sandbox, let's say, for two months when we need it?" The answer has been that the minimum period of the sandbox is 12 months. On my comments that we don't need it for such a long period, and we will end up paying for smth that will not be used, there been no reaction. That was the time when I asked our account manager to arrange a meeting with a supervisor. Speaking with the supervisor was "exciting," after telling her the story, i got this summary of the discussion: 1. They cannot treat different customers with any exceptions. (i guess that all customers must pay, it doesn't matter if they use it or not) 2. They have different KPI's, and changes are affecting them. (I'm not sure how that effect's us) 3. They already gave us an exception for sandbox instead of 5 years!!! (period of contract) they offer 12 months (My comment that I cannot imagine a company which will be making integration for five year - left unanswered) 4. They don't have a (QA)Quality Assurance in Oracle where I am able to write a complaint about this case (I can only say it to the supervisor) Lastly, after a week from our meeting with the supervisor, we got an answer from her : "I do understand the business logic for requesting a non-standard term for the Sandbox. I personally went to my upper management and Corporate to ask for an exception in your case. Unfortunately I was not successful, the only option we can give to you is the 12 months term I hope you will see the benefit of having the SB active and go for it." @Oracle Why we should be paying for sandbox if we don't plan to use it for a year? @Oracle could we have a different account manager and supervisor?