A VAR bringing in outside implementation help has one real concern above everything else: will this
partner compete for the client relationship. Some of our VAR partners want us to answer that question by
fully integrating into their organization, down to the email domain and the calendar invite. Others
prefer we stay a clearly separate third party working alongside their team instead. Both models work well,
what matters is that it's a deliberate choice, made upfront, not a default either of us backs into. This
post walks through what it looks like when a partner chooses full integration: administrative assimilation
into your brand and functional alignment around the same customer outcomes, so the client experiences one
consistent partner, not two companies sharing a project.
60 Seconds on Partnering With VARs
Featured: Derek Cote,
Senior Solutions Architect at Business Consulting Leader.
How Full Integration Actually Works
When full integration is the model a partner wants, we think of it as two layers working together. One
handles how the client perceives us, the other handles whether we're actually pulling in the same
direction as your team. If your firm would rather we stay a distinct third party instead, that's a
different, equally valid setup, the functional alignment below still applies, it's just the brand layer
that comes off the table.
Administrative Assimilation
Communication under your brand's email domain, not ours
Video call backgrounds and materials that match your visual identity
Tone and voice adjusted to sound like your team, not a third party
Client-facing documentation formatted to feel native to your brand
Functional Alignment
Same project goals as your team, not a separate agenda
Delivering the best outcome for the shared customer, together
No competing for the relationship or the renewal conversation
One coordinated delivery experience from the client's point of view
What This Looks Like Day to Day
When full integration is the model, every client-facing touchpoint, email, documentation, video
calls, is set up to reflect your organization first, so the client never has to think about which
company is actually doing the work behind the scenes. If your firm prefers we work as a separate
third party instead, we set up communication and reporting the same reliable way, just without the
brand overlay.
Whatever discovery or design work your team has already done stays the foundation. We build on it
using the same process we use for
solution design and project kick-off,
rather than starting over with our own approach.
Status updates, timelines, and risk flags go through your team first. We're not positioning
ourselves for the next deal or the renewal, that stays entirely yours.
The same change management discipline we use on client engagements applies here. If scope shifts,
your team hears about the impact before it affects the timeline or budget, not after.
Some engagements need a single specialist for a defined phase, others need a full delivery team.
Our involvement is sized to the project, not a fixed package you have to fit into.
Is This the Right Fit for Your Firm?
1
You've sold the deal but don't have bench capacity to deliver it right now
2
A client engagement needs specialized Acumatica expertise your team doesn't carry in-house
3
You've been burned before by a delivery partner who tried to own the client relationship
4
You need a delivery partner who can flex up or down as engagements ramp and taper off
No. Our model is built specifically around not doing that. We work under your brand, report to
your team, and stay out of the sales and renewal conversation entirely.
No. Full brand integration, matching email domains, calendar syncs, shared materials, is what some
partners want, and it's what this post focuses on. Other partners prefer we stay a clearly separate
third party working alongside their team instead. Both work well. What matters is agreeing on the
model upfront and staying aligned and communicative from there.
It means every client-facing detail, email domain, video backgrounds, tone and voice, is set up to
match your brand, so the client experiences one consistent partner instead of two separate vendors.
We build on whatever discovery and design work your team has already completed. If a formal design
document doesn't exist yet, we can help produce one, but we're not discarding your team's existing work.
Yes. Involvement is sized to what the engagement actually needs, from a single specialist on a
defined phase to a full delivery team for a larger rollout.
Reach out to our team directly. We'll talk through your current engagement, capacity gaps, and how
our delivery model fits alongside what you already do best.
Let's Talk Partnership
Bring us in as delivery muscle behind your brand, without giving up the relationship you built.
Derek is a consulting manager with extensive ERP consulting experience in the Acumatica space, leading implementations across the financial, professional services, and construction industries. He pairs technical depth with a track record of guiding teams through successful projects. Outside work he enjoys skiing, surfing, mountain biking, and golf.
