Road to SuiteWorld: A Smarter Approach to NetSuite Implementation

Road to SuiteWorld: A Smarter Approach to NetSuite Implementation

Part 2 of Evolve Consultancy’s Road to SuiteWorld Series

A Conversation with Evolve Consultancy Owner Lavonya Sandlin

In Part 1 of our Road to SuiteWorld series, we introduced SuiteWorld and explored what NetSuite is and why businesses use it to connect finance, inventory, operations, reporting, and other critical areas of their organizations.

For Part 2, we're turning our attention to one of the most important parts of any ERP journey:

Implementation.

A powerful ERP platform can provide tremendous capabilities, but the way it is implemented can determine how effectively those capabilities support the business.

At Evolve Consultancy, we believe a NetSuite implementation shouldn't force every organization through the same predetermined process. Every company has different people, workflows, priorities, challenges, and goals.

That's why Evolve takes an Agile, sprint-based approach to NetSuite implementation—designed around the individual client rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all SuiteSuccess methodology.

We sat down with Lavonya Sandlin, Owner of Evolve Consultancy, to discuss Evolve's implementation philosophy and why flexibility matters.

Q: Lavonya, what does a successful NetSuite implementation look like to you?

Lavonya Sandlin:A successful implementation isn't simply getting NetSuite live.

Going live is obviously important, but that's not the finish line. We want to know that the system actually supports the client's business, that their team understands how to use it, and that the processes we've built make sense for how they operate.

Every client comes to us with a different story. They have different systems, different processes, different employees, and different challenges.

So one of the first things we do is listen by gathering business requirements.

We want to understand how the business operates today, where the pain points are, what's working, what isn't working, and where the organization wants to go.

The technology should support the business strategy—not dictate it.

Q: How is Evolve's implementation approach different?

Lavonya:Our approach is based around Agile methodology and sprints.

Rather than treating implementation as one enormous project where the client doesn't really see the finished product until much later, we break the implementation into manageable pieces.

We work through defined priorities in sprints, review progress with the client, gather feedback, and continue refining the solution.

That creates a much more collaborative process.

The client isn't sitting on the sidelines waiting for us to tell them what their system is going to look like.

They're part of the implementation.

Q: What exactly is a sprint?

Lavonya:A sprint is essentially a focused period where we're working toward specific implementation objectives.

Instead of saying, "We're implementing your entire ERP," we're breaking that large objective into smaller, achievable pieces.

One sprint might focus heavily on a particular financial process. Another might involve purchasing, inventory, reporting, workflows, or another business requirement.

The important part is that we're continuously moving forward while giving the client opportunities to see what's being built.

We can demonstrate functionality, gather feedback, identify issues, and make adjustments before moving too far down the road.

That feedback loop is extremely valuable.

Q: Why does Evolve prefer an Agile approach?

Lavonya:Because businesses aren't static.

Things change during an implementation.

A client might see a demonstration and realize there's a better way to handle a process. We might discover something during configuration that changes the original requirements. Employees who actually perform the work may provide feedback that wasn't available during the initial conversations.

An Agile approach gives us room to respond to those discoveries.

We still have structure. We still have objectives, timelines, responsibilities, and accountability.

But we're not pretending that everything about a complex ERP implementation can be perfectly understood before the work begins.

We build, review, learn, and improve.

Q: Why not simply use the same implementation methodology for every company?

Lavonya:Because no two companies are exactly the same.

Two companies could operate in the same industry and still have completely different processes.

Their approval structures might be different.

Their reporting requirements might be different.

Their inventory processes might be different.

Their organizational structures might be different.

Their business maturity might be different.

Even their company cultures can affect how you approach implementation and training.

Templates and leading practices can absolutely provide a useful starting point. We don't believe in reinventing something just for the sake of making it different.

But there's a difference between using experience to guide an implementation and forcing a client into a predetermined model.

At Evolve, we customize the implementation strategy around the client.

Q: How does that differ from a SuiteSuccess-style implementation?

Lavonya:SuiteSuccess provides a structured approach built around industry practices, predefined processes, and a pathway intended to accelerate deployment.

There are organizations where that type of structure can make sense.

Our philosophy at Evolve is different.

We don't start with the assumption that the client needs to fit the methodology. We start with the client and build the methodology around what they actually need.

That means understanding their requirements, prioritizing them, and working through those priorities using Agile sprints.

We're not trying to customize NetSuite unnecessarily. In fact, part of good consulting is knowing when standard NetSuite functionality already provides the right solution.

What we're customizing is the journey.

Q: Does a customized approach mean everything in NetSuite needs to be customized?

Lavonya:Absolutely not.

That's an important distinction.

Customizing the implementation approach doesn't mean customizing the software every time someone asks for something different.

Sometimes standard NetSuite functionality is exactly what the client needs.

Part of our responsibility as consultants is helping clients understand their options.

If there's a straightforward native solution, we want them to know that.

If a workflow can solve the problem, we should evaluate that before building something unnecessarily complicated.

And if customization really is necessary, then we want to understand the business reason behind it.

The objective should always be creating the right solution—not creating the most complicated solution.

Q: Where does the client fit into an Agile implementation?

Lavonya:They're a critical part of it.

ERP implementation can't just be something that happens to a company.

The people who understand the business need to participate.

During the sprint process, we're communicating with stakeholders, demonstrating progress, gathering feedback, validating requirements, and making sure we're still solving the right problems.

That involvement also helps with adoption.

When employees understand why decisions were made and have opportunities to participate in the process, they're better prepared for the changes that come with a new ERP.

Q: What role does change management play?

Lavonya:A huge one.

You can configure a technically excellent NetSuite environment, but if nobody wants to use it—or nobody understands why processes are changing—you haven't accomplished what you set out to do.

Long-established companies can have processes that employees have followed for years.

Sometimes those processes still make perfect sense.

Sometimes they exist simply because "that's how we've always done it."

Implementation gives organizations an opportunity to examine those processes.

We want to ask:

Does this still make sense?

Can we make it easier?

Can NetSuite automate part of it?

Are we solving the original business problem in the best way?

Technology can enable change, but the organization has to be willing to participate in that change.

Q: What's one mistake businesses should avoid when implementing NetSuite?

Lavonya:Trying to recreate everything from the old system simply because it's familiar.

Moving to a new ERP is an opportunity to improve.

If you take every inefficient process from the old environment and rebuild it exactly the same way in NetSuite, you're bringing many of the same problems with you.

That doesn't mean everything needs to change.

It means everything deserves to be evaluated.

Keep what works. Improve what doesn't.

Q: What should businesses look for in a NetSuite implementation partner?

Lavonya:Look for someone who's willing to listen.

Your implementation partner should understand NetSuite, but they also need to make an effort to understand your business.

They should be willing to ask questions.

They should be willing to challenge assumptions respectfully.

And they should be able to explain why they're recommending something instead of simply telling you what to do.

ERP implementations involve technology, but they're ultimately business projects.

The best solution is the one that brings those two sides together.

Implementation Should Evolve With the Business

There is no universal blueprint for running a successful company, so Evolve Consultancy doesn't believe there should be a universal blueprint for implementing its ERP.

Our Agile, sprint-based methodology allows us to create structure while remaining responsive to what we learn throughout the project.

Discover. Prioritize. Build. Review. Adapt.

Then repeat.

That approach keeps the client involved and keeps the implementation focused on solving real business problems.

Because at Evolve, the goal isn't simply to implement NetSuite.

It's to implement NetSuite in a way that makes sense for your business.

Next on the Road to SuiteWorld

As we continue our Road to SuiteWorld series, we'll explore more of the conversations shaping the future of NetSuite—from automation and analytics to inventory, AI readiness, and how businesses can prepare for what's coming next.

SuiteWorld gives the NetSuite community an opportunity to discover what's possible.

At Evolve Consultancy, we're focused on the next question:

How do we turn what's possible into something that works for your business?

Evolve your processes. Evolve your technology. Evolve your business.

— Evolve Consultancy