What is Solution Provider?
A solution provider is a channel partner authorized to both resell an ERP vendor's software licenses or subscriptions and deliver the implementation services around them.
Definition
Solution provider is a general channel term for a partner that combines two roles for its customers: selling the ERP product (as a licensed or authorized reseller) and delivering the services to implement, configure, and often support it. The term overlaps heavily with value-added reseller and is used somewhat differently by different vendors, so its precise meaning depends on the specific programme it refers to. The clearest example is NetSuite's Solution Provider Program, the core channel through which most NetSuite customers buy and implement the product: NetSuite Solution Providers are authorized to resell NetSuite licenses directly to customers and are also expected to provide implementation, customization, and ongoing support, making them the customer's primary point of contact rather than NetSuite (owned by Oracle) selling and implementing directly in most deals.
How Solution Provider Works in ERP
Because a solution provider both sells the license and delivers the implementation, the customer's commercial and delivery relationship runs through the same firm rather than being split between a software vendor and an independent services firm. For NetSuite specifically, this means license terms, pricing, implementation scope, and ongoing support are typically all negotiated with the Solution Provider, so its stability, industry expertise, and consultant quality matter as much as, or more than, they would with a pure reseller. Buyers evaluating a solution provider should check its track record on both the commercial side (pricing, contract terms) and the delivery side (implementation methodology, references).
ERP Vendors with Strong Solution Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a NetSuite Solution Provider?
A NetSuite Solution Provider is a partner authorized to resell NetSuite licenses and deliver the implementation, customization, and support services around them. It is the primary channel through which most organizations buy and implement NetSuite, meaning the Solution Provider, not Oracle NetSuite directly, is usually the customer's main point of contact.
Is a solution provider the same as a value-added reseller?
The terms overlap in practice, since both describe a partner that sells software and adds implementation or support services. "Solution provider" is the specific name used by some programmes, notably NetSuite's, while "value-added reseller" is the more generic industry term used across many small-and-midmarket ERP vendors.