Ceana Technology vs Freelance vs Internal Full-time NetSuite Developer: When to hire one?

Everything is going great in your business. Your company is growing and roles are getting more defined.

As your business grows, and so is your need to scale what your NetSuite account can do. You are having a list of NetSuite enhancements underway and are planning for more developments in the future.

With the rise of gig economy comes the rise of freelance NetSuite consultants as well. But when does it makes sense to hire a NetSuite Consulting firm like Ceana Technology? When should you hire a full-time NetSuite Developer? When should you consider a freelance NetSuite Developer?

Factors	Ceana Technology	NetSuite Freelance Developer	Full-time NetSuite Developer
Onboarding	We are the fastest in terms of project onboarding, which can come as early as two business days upon contract signing.	The onboarding will always have to be dependent on the freelancer.	Depending on how rigorous your recruitment process is, the sourcing, hiring, and onboarding of an employee may take between 1-2 months.
Guaranteed Work	We promise to deliver a working project, else no need to pay us a single cent.	You are lucky when you hire a freelance NetSuite Developer who offers a guarantee, but usually, it’s on a per-hour basis or not, whether it works or not.	The guarantee of whether the employee can accomplish your project’s goals is dependent on when they are hired and start working.
Expertise	Since we are a team of NetSuite Development experts, we take a holistic approach of executing projects and have a wide range of expertise.	Unless you are a technical person yourself who can gauge the skills of the freelance developer, you are left with risks if they have the relevant expertise or not.	Similar to hiring a freelancer, you are limited to what the employee can do and have experienced working on.
Cost	With our flexible rates, you can save cost as you are not required to pay someone with a full-time rate regularly.	You can also save cost as you have the option to hire the freelancer on a per-project basis.	This is the most costly option as you are required to pay them full-time even though the work dies down.
Risk Mitigation	By hiring us, the legal risk is reduced as you will not bear the risks of being an employer.	Similar to hiring a NetSuite Consulting firm, you do not have to carry the burden of employer responsibilities.	The legal risk is highest as you are employing someone which means you are bound by employer restrictions.
Project Success	We are already using a project methodology that we have proven to bring a project’s success.	Hiring a freelancer who you’ll have the same synergies comes with luck.	Unless you have a seasoned Project Manager in-house, the project’s success is dependent on the NetSuite Developer’s performance.
Business Continuity	When a resource is not available for some reason, we are responsible for replacing them, ensuring continuity of the projects.	Hiring a freelancer does not guarantee that they will be there forever. When they leave, you are left on your own, unless you find a freelancer who is willing to help out find you the replacement.	When the full-time developer leaves, you are back to square one of selecting the candidate that best fits which usually takes more than three weeks.
Availability	We have a team of NetSuite Developers, guaranteeing availability when you have a need.	Availability is not always guaranteed in freelancers. Their availability is dependent on several factors such as the number of clients they have at the moment or whether they are applicable to work when you need them.	As they are bound to work for you full-time, you somehow have the guarantee of their availability.
Full Control of Schedule	As we are based in the Philippines, we can only operate between 7 am – 12 noon Philippine Time. Change of schedule will incur different rates.	The schedule of the freelancer is also dependent on the timezone that the freelancer is following.	Having a full-time employee gives you the advantage of controlling their schedule.
Familiarity with the Business	Since we are only hired to deliver the project, we are going to rely on the Point of Contact you assign in terms of your business requirements.	Same with a NetSuite Consulting firm having a freelancer work on your projects will have to rely on the assigned Point of Contact from your company.	One benefit of having an employee is that they are required to learn the ins and outs of the business.

So when should you hire a NetSuite Development firm like Ceana Technology, a NetSuite Freelancer or someone full-time?

Analyzing the table above, the main factors that you should consider affect are the ones with an unknown outcome.

When...	Ceana Technology / Other NetSuite Development Firms	NetSuite Freelance Developer	Full-time NetSuite Developer
You cannot afford to hire someone full-time
You have an urgent project and need to onboard someone ASAP
Your projects are mostly short-term
You would like the assurance that you will not get left behind in case the developer leaves
Your priority is the delivery of the project over control
You prioritize control over project delivery
You would like the NetSuite Developer to own other company-related topics outside of NetSuite Development.