Today’s ERP market is increasingly dominated by newer, AI-driven platforms that promise to automate and optimize every business process. While these solutions often look compelling on paper, they often fall short when applied to medium- and large-sized organizations with well-established, day-to-day operational processes.
NetSuite, founded in 1998, has over 25 years of real-world ERP maturity. That experience has positioned it as a system trusted by businesses globally, particularly when performance, scalability, and operational reliability matter.
With the growing number of AI-native ERP offerings entering the market, competition against established ERP platforms has intensified. However, “new” is not synonymous with “better” in real-world ERP decisions. While newer platforms often highlight faster implementations, modern interfaces, and native AI capabilities, usability and depth tend to decline as business complexity increases.
“When complexity arrives, maturity is what makes the system work.”
These modern ERP solutions can certainly deliver value, especially for early-stage companies or organizations operating within a single industry and limited scope. In those cases, quick wins such as automation, centralized data, and system connectivity can be achieved relatively easily. The challenge emerges when the business grows.
As organizations expand through new operations, additional processes, and cross-border diversification, their ERP must adapt at the same pace, or faster.
This is where ERP maturity becomes more important than novelty.
Having worked with customers across multiple countries and industries, I’ve consistently seen NetSuite act as a true growth enabler. Much of my experience has been in manufacturing environments, where companies seek lean operations, process transparency, and reliable data to support better decision-making. NetSuite delivers strongly in these areas.
Manufacturing customers, in particular, value NetSuite’s financial capabilities. When producing finished goods, they gain a clear view of costs, materials, and inventory involved in each process. Features such as Advanced Bill of Materials allow managers to accurately assess production costs, including labor, materials, and inventory, providing the financial clarity required to operate efficiently at scale.
For organizations operating globally, across industries, and under multiple regulatory frameworks, ERP maturity is not optional; it is a requirement.
These businesses depend on a system architecture that supports multiple accounting standards, intercompany processes, tax localization, and consolidated reporting. NetSuite delivers these capabilities natively.
Access controls, segregation of duties, clear audit trails, role-based permissions, and compliance reporting are fundamental to successful ERP adoption. While newer ERP platforms often rely on custom development to address these needs, NetSuite was designed with them at its core.
Newer ERP solutions are not inherently inferior. They can provide speed, simplicity, and automation, particularly for smaller or less complex organizations. However, when businesses grow and operations become more complex, especially across borders, the ERP must prioritize scalability, adaptability, and structural depth.
In real-world scenarios, ERP success is not determined by choosing the newest technology, but by choosing the right foundation.
Written by
Jorge Salles
Solution Design Consultant
