Construction businesses need the ability to run their business across multiple locations and sites at any given time. Given the logistical challenges this presents, many rely on cloud-based business management software such as Oracle NetSuite. As a leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform across many industries, including construction-related trades, NetSuite brings together accounting, customer relationship management, e-commerce, inventory, supply chain, and other core operations. However, implementing the platform is difficult without the help of top NetSuite consultants.
To find out what 33,551 opinions of construction trades participants in the US were about buyer journeys in AI, we utilized AI-driven audience profiling to synthesize insights from online discussions over 12 months, ending on May 25th, 2026, to a high statistical confidence level. While the results point to some satisfied clients who’ve put time and effort into finding the best consultants for the job, they also reveal difficulties in evaluating consultants and serious dissatisfaction on the part of business leaders.
Index
- 24% of construction trades business leaders’ top pick when hiring a NetSuite consulting company is Capgemini, 34% would consider Deloitte, and 11% Accenture.
- 19% of construction trades business leaders’ first choice when searching for NetSuite consultants is LinkedIn or professional networks, while these channels are a likely option for 43%, and for 38% who use referrals from peers and industry contacts
- 99% of construction trades business leaders are using AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity as a first research step to find and evaluate NetSuite consultants, while the remaining 1% using AI to compare consultant options or generate questions.
- When finding NetSuite consultants with construction-specific experience, 40% of construction trades business leaders are most influenced by a consultant’s integration experience with construction tools, 28% by proven experience with job costing and accounting. 19% with a track record with similar-sized construction businesses, and 13% by knowledge of construction compliance and reporting
- Transparent pricing and a clearly defined project scope are important factors for 52% of construction trades business leaders when evaluating NetSuite consultants, while 24% feel the same about construction industry specialization and relevant case studies, and 24% agree that speed of implementation and minimal business disruption are somewhat relevant
- 46% of construction trades business leaders typically discover that a NetSuite consultant has construction experience during direct conversations with the consultant’s team, 45% discover their experience via case studies and project portfolios on the consultant’s website, and 9% via client references and testimonials
- 35% of construction trades business leaders typically evaluate two to three NetSuite consulting firms before making a decision, 21% four to five firms, and 14% only one firm, while another 14% evaluate six or more firms using formal RFP processes, and 14% rely on a procurement team to manage the shortlist
- Pricing that escalates unexpectedly after kickoff is the main issue for 31% of construction trades business leaders, while 5% cite poor responsiveness during the sales process as a minor issue; 21% are not concerned about vague or generic proposals, and 11% about a lack of demonstrated construction industry knowledge.
- When working with NetSuite consultants, aligning the system configuration with field and office workflows is somewhat challenging for 10% of construction trades business leaders, and not much of a challenge for 51%, training teams to adopt a new platform effectively isn’t much of a challenge for 19%, 10% share the same sentiment about getting adequate post-go-live support, and 10%are not bothered by managing scope creep and budget overruns
- 37% of construction trades business leaders are mostly dissatisfied with the construction-specific experience demonstrated by their current or most recent NetSuite consultant, 9% are very dissatisfied, and 18% are neutral; however, 27% are mostly satisfied, and 9% are very satisfied overall
- A NetSuite consultant with a stronger construction trade specialization would influence 24% of construction trades business leaders to switch from their current provider, but this isn’t a big deciding factor for 35%, 11% would be influenced if a consultant offered better ongoing support and account management, while more competitive and predictable pricing are not a big factor for 21% and 10% share the same sentiments about a consultant that would bring new NetSuite capabilities to their attention
- 21% of construction trades business leaders would recommend a regional NetSuite consulting firm with strong local implementation support to peers, 9% would recommend a mid-sized firm with a dedicated construction practice, and 19% would do so for a large globally recognized NetSuite partner; however, 22% might not recommend this, 16% would likely not recommend their current firm based on experience, and 10% feel the same about a boutique consultant that works exclusively with trade business, but 4% would suggest this type of firm
- 33% of construction trades business leaders in our audience could be described as IT directors or systems managers, but 47% say this isn’t the best fit, while 20% say that CEO, Managing Director, Operations Director, or VP of operations is not quite the right description of their title within their organizations
- Multi-trade or diversified construction services best describe the business 23% of leaders are in, 25% say this isn’t quite right, and for 25% it doesn’t fit, while general contracting and project management are not quite the right description for 26%
- Choosing the right NetSuite consultant matters in construction
- About the data
Which top NetSuite consulting companies would construction trades business leaders hire?
24% of construction trades business leaders’ top pick when hiring a NetSuite consulting company is Capgemini, 34% would consider Deloitte, and 11% Accenture.
Opinions about who to hire are divided:
When discussing which NetSuite consulting companies to hire, 34% of construction trades business leaders would consider Deloitte. The British multinational is the world’s largest professional services network, providing audit, consulting, financial advisory, tax, and risk management services.
Almost a quarter (24%) say Capgemini would be their top pick. Headquartered in France, Capgemini is a multinational IT services, consulting, and outsourcing company.
12% mention Grant Thornton, although often not their first choice.. 11% would consider hiring Accenture, a professional services company that helps governments and businesses implement new technologies and improve their overall performance.
According to Albert Kleynhans (Co-Founder and NetSuite Practice lead at Accrete Consulting), Accrete is the ideal specialist partner for construction & related trade organizations seeking greater control and operational efficiency using NetSuite as a platform: “For construction and field services businesses, managing complex processes such as AIA billing, change orders, retainage, job costing, and bid package submittals requires a highly tailored ERP approach. Accrete addresses these challenges through its extensive NetSuite expertise and proven implementation track record. A NetSuite Alliance Partner since 2018 and multiple NetSuite Partner of the Year award winner, Accrete was a pioneer in converting early adopters to the NetSuite platform and has built out extensive intellectual property that benefits our clients. We assist clients with a range of alternatives, from natively built solutions running on NetSuite to partnering with leading solution providers like FullClarity and Rabb-IT to integrating with a market leader like Procore to unify construction project delivery and financial management. The majority of construction companies are in the SMB (small & medium businesses) band who do not have the budget for the global consultancies but are looking for a partner who can provide similar services. Accrete is that partner.”
Which source do construction trades business leaders use when searching for top NetSuite consultants?
19% of construction trades business leaders’ first choice when searching for NetSuite consultants is LinkedIn or professional networks, while these channels are a likely option for 43%, and for 38% who use referrals from peers and industry contacts
Search channels show clear preferences:
Some NetSuite consultants are better than others, so it’s important that construction trades business leaders turn to trustworthy sources when searching for them. Understandably, LinkedIn is the first choice for 19% of our audience and a likely option for 43%. These leaders definitely won’t have any trouble finding consultants, considering the United States has approximately 250 million registered LinkedIn members. This makes the US the country with the largest LinkedIn audience reach in the world.
For the remaining 38%, referrals from peers and industry contacts are a likely option. This comes with the benefit of hearing about these contacts’ personal experiences with particular consultants, potentially making the leaders’ decisions easier.
In Accrete’s experience, the primary factor when a construction or construction-trades company is looking for a NetSuite implementation partner is the recommendation from NetSuite. NetSuite would often recommend a shortlist of 2-3 partners, which the business leader(s) then meet with to select their preferred implementation partner.
How are construction trades business leaders using AI search to find and evaluate top NetSuite consultants?
99% of construction trades business leaders are using AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity as a first research step to find and evaluate NetSuite consultants, while the remaining 1% using AI to compare consultant options or generate questions.
The majority are using the same AI search tools:
In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 62% of US adults say they interact with AI at least several times a week. Considering this, it’s only reasonable that some construction trades business leaders use AI search tools to find and evaluate NetSuite consultants. In fact, 99% use AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity as a first research step. In addition to suggesting specific consultants or consultancy firms, this undoubtedly provides tips on what to look for in a consultant and what to expect from reliable consultants.
Conversely, there were fewer than 1% of opinions voiced about using AI to compare and summarize consultant options or generate questions to ask consultants during evaluation or using traditional search engines only, and not yet using AI search.
Our team at Accrete does not agree with these findings. AI searches, while increasing, is still not nearly the primary source for selecting an implementation partner. The quality of the implementation partner’s team, especially during the early stages of selecting a partner; their references; and recommendations from NetSuite still weighs significantly more, with AI and Google searches a secondary validation step. This is especially true in the Construction and Trades industries, where the person to person interaction still matters the most.
How do construction trades business leaders source top NetSuite consultants with construction-specific capabilities?
When finding NetSuite consultants with construction-specific experience, 40% of construction trades business leaders are most influenced by a consultant’s integration experience with construction tools, 28% by proven experience with job costing and accounting. 19% with a track record with similar-sized construction businesses, and 13% by knowledge of construction compliance and reporting
Experience in various areas is a crucial deciding factor:
NetSuite consultants who don’t have the right construction-specific capabilities aren’t going to be much use to construction trades business leaders. To ensure they find the right match for their needs, our audience considers various factors, some of which are more influential than others. For 40%, integration experience with construction tools such as Procore and Buildertrend is the most influential factor they look for. These leaders have likely struggled with integration in the past and want to bring as many of their software tools together as possible.
28% say the factor that influences them the most is proven experience with job costing and project accounting. These leaders may have struggled with this in the past or have worked with consultants who couldn’t deliver in this regard, leading to issues between them and their clients. 19% are most influenced by consultants’ track records with similarly sized construction businesses, which echoes what we saw above about leaders turning to peers and industry contacts for recommendations.
The most influential factor for the remaining 13% is knowledge of construction-specific compliance and reporting, as these areas are pain points they need help with to ensure they stay on the right side of the law.
In our experience at Accrete, integration experience is far less of a consideration, as many companies are looking to move away from multiple software applications to a platform like NetSuite where integrations to third-party software, even for construction, is the exception and not the rule. We see an understanding of the construction industry, a company’s challenges, and a track record of delivering successful work as much bigger factors.
What is most important for construction trades business leaders when evaluating top NetSuite consultants?
Transparent pricing and a clearly defined project scope are important factors for 52% of construction trades business leaders when evaluating NetSuite consultants, while 24% feel the same about construction industry specialization and relevant case studies, and 24% agree that speed of implementation and minimal business disruption are somewhat relevant
Three criteria stand out as most important in the evaluation process:
From what we saw above, construction trades business leaders hire NetSuite consultants for vastly different reasons. It makes sense, then, that different leaders have different criteria that they consider to be the most important when evaluating consultants.
Transparent pricing and clearly defined project scope are important factors for 52% of our audience. These leaders want to know upfront what they’ll be paying for to ensure they don’t waste their time or money.
24% think construction industry specialization and relevant case studies are the most important factors, which may be because they’ve hired or came close to hiring consultants who have little to no experience in the industry, or couldn’t demonstrate how they’ve helped other construction trade businesses.
A further 24% think the speed of implementation and minimal business disruption are somewhat relevant. This indicates they’re concerned about slow implementation disrupting their operations, which is understandable. According to ERP Research, a typical NetSuite implementation for construction companies takes three to 12 months, depending on the scope of modules deployed and the degree of customization required.
Again the team at Accrete disagrees with the internet findings. While pricing transparency is important, it’s basically a gating item and construction and trade companies would not even consider an implementation partner who is not clear on their implementation cost. We believe knowledge of the industry, and the ability to convey how that would be applied to a company’s benefit, is much bigger factors.
How do business leaders discover a top NetSuite consultant with construction industry experience?
46% of construction trades business leaders typically discover that a NetSuite consultant has construction experience during direct conversations with the consultant’s team, 45% discover their experience via case studies and project portfolios on the consultant’s website, and 9% via client references and testimonials
Experience is evident in different ways:
With almost a quarter of our audience mentioning construction industry experience as the most important criterion when evaluating NetSuite consultants, it’s vital that they know how to discover whether the consultants they find have this experience.
One of the worst things construction trades business leaders can do is assume the consultants they find have relevant industry experience, as they may realize this isn’t the case only after they’ve wasted a considerable amount of time and money.
46% of our audience relies on direct conversations with the consultant’s team to find out whether the individual they’re considering hiring has the right experience. This gives them the chance to ask questions to learn about the consultant’s experience in greater detail, providing them with a more nuanced understanding of whether they’re the right person for the job.
Just behind are the 45% who use case studies and project portfolios on the consultant’s website to find out about their construction industry experience. While this is a great starting point, these leaders would still need to reach out to the consultant or their team for more detailed information.
9% read client references and testimonials, which can be helpful, provided those clients operate in the same industry as these leaders. As one study shows, client references, reviews, and testimonials carry a considerable amount of weight, acting as social proof that can assure prospective clients of a company’s (or consultant’s) caliber and dependability.
How many firms do construction trades business leaders evaluate before deciding?
35% of construction trades business leaders typically evaluate two to three NetSuite consulting firms before making a decision, 21% four to five firms, and 14% only one firm, while another 14% evaluate six or more firms using formal RFP processes, and 14% rely on a procurement team to manage the shortlist
Evaluation processes are varied:
Given the importance of choosing the right NetSuite consultant, it’s not unexpected that most construction trades business leaders evaluate a few consulting firms during the procurement process.
35% evaluate two to three firms, presumably having narrowed down their choices after their initial search. 21% evaluate four to five firms, potentially casting their net a little wider than the first segment does. 14% take a bolder approach by evaluating only one firm, saying that they find the right fit early and move forward. The issue here is that there may be several other firms that would be a much better choice, but these business leaders would miss them due to their overly hasty approach.
Adopting a more formal appraisal process
Another 14% evaluate six or more firms through a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Often used for complex projects that will involve numerous subcontractors, RFPs usually include a description of the organization issuing the document, the project scope and timeline, the criteria the organization will use to evaluate proposals, and an outline of the bidding process and contract terms. RFPs also include guidance on preparing, formatting, and presenting proposals.
The remaining 14% rely on a procurement team to manage the shortlist. While this can lighten the workload for business leaders during the evaluation process, it comes with the risk of the procurement team not having the necessary technical specialization to find the right consultant, which could lead to project delays and higher long-term costs.
Which red flag stops construction trades business leaders from considering a top NetSuite consultant?
Pricing that escalates unexpectedly after kickoff is the main issue for 31% of construction trades business leaders, while 5% cite poor responsiveness during the sales process as a minor issue; 21% are not concerned about vague or generic proposals, and 11% about a lack of demonstrated construction industry knowledge.
Red flags during procurement are minimal:
When evaluating NetSuite consultants, construction trades business leaders need to be on the lookout for red flags that warn them of potential dangers, irregularities, or other problems. Some red flags are more alarming than others, prompting business leaders to remove those consultants from consideration. More than half of our audience mentions pricing that escalates unexpectedly after kick-off, although 31% think this is a minor issue, while, surprisingly, it’s not a concern for 33%.
21% identify vague or overly generic proposals as a red flag, even if they reckon this isn’t a concern. The problem here is that these business leaders don’t know whether the consultant’s deliverables will actually meet their needs.
For 11%, a lack of demonstrated construction industry knowledge is a red flag, but they also think this isn’t a concern. These leaders may be among those who place more emphasis on transparent pricing, clearly defined project scope, speed of implementation, and minimal business disruption, as we saw above.
Accrete does not agree with these findings. Vague or unclear proposals or Statements of Work will not get approved by clients. Pricing that escalates is always a big issue, which is not reflected in the findings above, And lastly, a lack of understanding the industry is a gating item, and partners who don’t understand the construction industry will not make or stay on any short lists.
What challenges do construction trades business leaders face when working with top NetSuite consultants?
When working with NetSuite consultants, aligning the system configuration with field and office workflows is somewhat challenging for 10% of construction trades business leaders, and not much of a challenge for 51%, training teams to adopt a new platform effectively isn’t much of a challenge for 19%, 10% share the same sentiment about getting adequate post-go-live support, and 10%are not bothered by managing scope creep and budget overruns
Leaders experience minimal challenges when working with consultants:
Working with NetSuite consultants isn’t without challenges for construction trades business leaders in the US, although some of these will be more challenging than others.
Aligning the system configuration with field and office workflows is somewhat challenging for 10%, although this isn’t much of a challenge for more than half (51%) of our audience. It’s understandable that the former finds this something of a challenge, as consultants usually specialize in standard back-office ERP rather than job-site operations. This can make it difficult to harmonize the centralized, more rigid design of standard NetSuite with the project-based, mobile nature of field work.
Where construction companies are seeing workflow improvements
The Construction Management Association of America has helpful tips for fixing workflow issues, such as empowering employees to collaborate across sites and companies by giving them the tools that allow them to do so effectively, automating tasks to reduce data entry, approval pathing, and general clerical work, and using as many single platforms and standardizing as many processes as possible to prevent siloes.
19% mention training their team to adopt the new platform effectively, although they elaborate that this is not much of a challenge. For 10%, getting adequate support after going live isn’t much of a challenge, while managing scope creep and budget overruns isn’t much of a challenge for another 10%.
How satisfied are construction trades business leaders with their NetSuite consultants’ construction-specific expertise?
37% of construction trades business leaders are mostly dissatisfied with the construction-specific experience demonstrated by their current or most recent NetSuite consultant, 9% are very dissatisfied, and 18% are neutral; however, 27% are mostly satisfied, and 9% are very satisfied overall
Satisfaction levels vary across the board:
37% of construction trades business leaders are mostly dissatisfied with the construction-specific expertise demonstrated by their current or most recent NetSuite consultant, explaining that they had to educate the consultant on their industry. This may help explain why a sizable segment of our audience mentions this as an important factor when evaluating consultants. On the other hand, 27% are mostly satisfied, saying there were some gaps in their consultants’ expertise, but none of these were critical.
18% have neutral feelings about their consultant’s expertise in their industry, as they had general ERP knowledge but limited trade expertise. 9% are very dissatisfied, as their consultants’ lack of construction knowledge caused serious problems. In contrast, another 9% are very satisfied, thanks to their consultants’ deep understanding of construction nuances.
What motivates construction trades business leaders to switch NetSuite consultants?
A NetSuite consultant with a stronger construction trade specialization would influence 24% of construction trades business leaders to switch from their current provider, but this isn’t a big deciding factor for 35%, 11% would be influenced if a consultant offered better ongoing support and account management, while more competitive and predictable pricing are not a big factor for 21% and 10% share the same sentiments about a consultant that would bring new NetSuite capabilities to their attention
Motivations to switch are centered across a few key areas:
Construction trades business leaders sometimes switch from one NetSuite consultant to another, but it’s not always because their initial consultant was causing problems or had a lack of expertise with the industry. That said, 24% would be influenced to switch if they found a consultant with stronger construction trade specialization, although this wouldn’t be a big factor for 35%.
While 21% point to more competitive and predictable pricing as motivation to switch to another consultant, they also think this isn’t a big factor. While they’re likely to consider it, they would probably only switch if other factors came into play.
Better ongoing support and account management would influence 11% to switch, which fits in with what we saw about adequate post-go-live support above. 10% might be tempted to switch to a consultant who proactively brings new NetSuite capabilities to their attention, although they think this isn’t a big factor.
Which top NetSuite consulting companies would construction trades business leaders recommend to peers?
21% of construction trades business leaders would recommend a regional NetSuite consulting firm with strong local implementation support to peers, 9% would recommend a mid-sized firm with a dedicated construction practice, and 19% would do so for a large globally recognized NetSuite partner; however, 22% might not recommend this, 16% would likely not recommend their current firm based on experience, and 10% feel the same about a boutique consultant that works exclusively with trade business, but 4% would suggest this type of firm
Peer recommendations are not standardized:
Considering how few construction trades business leaders would hire some of the world’s biggest and most renowned consulting firms, it’s understandable if you’re wondering what types of NetSuite consulting companies they would recommend to peers in the construction trade. After all, 84% of B2B decision-makers state that their B2B buying process starts with a referral.
While 19% would suggest a large, globally recognized NetSuite partner, 22% might not recommend such a company. Their reluctance to recommend such a company might be based on the company’s fees rather than on the quality of their consultants.
21% would suggest a regional firm with strong local implementation support, as this can make it much easier to access support when needed. 7% might not make a recommendation based on their current experience, while 9% wouldn’t make a recommendation for the same reason. These segments are likely among those who are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their current consultants due to their lack of industry expertise causing problems.
4% would suggest a boutique consultant who works exclusively with trade businesses, as this potentially enables business leaders to find one with valuable industry experience. However, 5% might not recommend such a consultant, while another 5% wouldn’t recommend one. The remaining 9% would suggest a mid-sized firm with a dedicated construction practice.
Which title best reflects the role of construction trades business leaders in their organization?
33% of construction trades business leaders in our audience could be described as IT directors or systems managers, but 47% say this isn’t the best fit, while 20% say that CEO, Managing Director, Operations Director, or VP of operations is not quite the right description of their title within their organizations
Not all roles are covered:
Our audience comprises different types of construction trades business leaders. 33% are IT directors or systems managers, although 47% feel these titles aren’t quite right for their roles. 10% say the titles of CEO, President, or Managing Director aren’t quite right, while another 10% have the same opinion about the titles of Operations Director or Vice President of Operations.
Which construction trades sector best describes the business of leaders?
Multi-trade or diversified construction services best describe the business 23% of leaders are in, 25% say this isn’t quite right, and for 25% it doesn’t fit, while general contracting and project management are not quite the right description for 26%
Not all sectors are described:
There were 3,795,397 construction businesses in the US in 2025, an increase of 0.9% from 2024. It’s not surprising, then, that the business leaders in our audience represent a variety of construction trade sectors.
The multi-trade or diversified construction services sectors are a good match for 23%, although these sectors aren’t quite right to describe 25%, or don’t fit another 25%. While general contracting and project management have some relevance to 26%, these leaders say these sectors aren’t quite right to best describe their business.
Choosing the right NetSuite consultant matters in construction
NetSuite consultants play a vital role in helping businesses implement and customize the Oracle NetSuite platform to best meet their needs, bridging the gap between the business’s workflows and the platform’s capabilities. While this can be straightforward in industries such as retail, hospitality, education, healthcare, and manufacturing, it becomes more complex in those such as construction trades, requiring consultants to have a good understanding and practical experience of the operations, challenges, and nuances of the construction industry.
This requires construction trades business leaders to put thought and effort into finding, vetting, and hiring consultants. As we’ve seen, a considerable number of business leaders rely on networking sites or recommendations from industry contacts and have different methods of evaluating them. However, given the high level of dissatisfaction many have with their current consultants, a significant number of business leaders need to refine their evaluation processes if they want to be assured of hiring the right consultant for their needs.
About the data
Sourced using Artios from an independent sample of 33,551 opinions of construction trades business leaders in the USA across X, Quora, Reddit, Bluesky, TikTok, and Threads. Responses are collected within a 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error. Results are derived from what people describe online, from opinions expressed, and not actual questions answered by people in the sample.
