Operational clarity through
the right technology

Fractional operations leadership and technology advisory for manufacturers. We help you select, implement, and get real value from your software — with deep expertise in NetSuite, lean operations, and the systems that make them work.

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What We Do

Strategy that connects
operations to outcomes

Technology should serve the business, not the other way around. We work alongside leadership to ensure every system decision moves the operation forward — and every process change sticks.

NetSuite Advisory

From evaluation through go-live and beyond. We bring hands-on NetSuite experience to help you configure, customize, and optimize the platform for manufacturing and operations workflows.

Software Selection

Choosing the right ERP, MES, or operational tool is a high-stakes decision. We guide you through evaluation, demos, and contract negotiation with vendor-neutral, experience-backed judgment.

Operations & Process

Technology only works when the process does. We map workflows, identify bottlenecks, and align your tech stack to how your business actually runs — not how a slide deck says it should.

Lean & Continuous Improvement

5S, value stream mapping, waste reduction — embedded in how we approach every engagement. We don't just install software, we improve the operations underneath it.

Technology Stack Strategy

ERP, CRM, WMS, BI — the alphabet soup adds up. We help you build a cohesive stack where systems talk to each other and data flows without manual workarounds.

Manufacturing Systems

Deep understanding of production environments — from job shops to high-volume lines. We bridge the gap between the plant floor and the systems that support it.

Fractional Leadership

Senior operations leadership,
without the full-time overhead

Not every company needs a full-time COO or VP of Operations — but every growing manufacturer needs the thinking. We embed with your team on a fractional basis to provide executive-level operations and technology leadership where it matters most.

Fractional COO

Executive Leadership

Strategic operations oversight for companies in transition — whether you're scaling, integrating an acquisition, or rethinking how the business runs.

  • Operations strategy and execution planning
  • Cross-functional alignment (sales, production, finance)
  • Technology roadmap ownership
  • Vendor and partner management
  • KPI development and performance tracking

Fractional VP of Operations

Hands-On Leadership

Closer to the day-to-day. Ideal when you need someone who can lead process improvement initiatives, manage system implementations, and drive operational discipline on the floor.

  • Lean manufacturing and 5S implementation
  • Production workflow optimization
  • ERP implementation leadership
  • Team development and training
  • Continuous improvement program design

Why fractional?

Most mid-market manufacturers hit a point where they've outgrown their current operations model but aren't ready for a full C-suite hire. Fractional leadership gives you the experience and strategic thinking on a schedule and budget that makes sense — three days a week, one week a month, or project-based. You get the expertise without the $250K+ commitment — scoped to real outcomes, not open-ended retainers.

How We Work

A clear path from
assessment to results

Every engagement is different, but the discipline is the same. We follow a structured approach with defined milestones and clear deliverables at each stage — so you always know where things stand.

01

Discovery

We listen before we prescribe. We'll spend time understanding your operations, your pain points, your current systems, and where the business is headed. No questionnaires — real conversations with the people doing the work.

02

Assessment

We map what we find against where you need to be. This might be a technology gap analysis, a process audit, or an honest look at whether your current ERP is holding you back. You get a clear picture, not a sales pitch.

03

Execution

Whether it's a software selection, an implementation, or a process overhaul, we stay involved through execution. We don't hand off a report and disappear — we're in the room when decisions get made and on the floor when things get built.

04

Adoption

The best system in the world fails if nobody uses it right. We stay through the transition to make sure your team is trained, your processes are documented, and the changes actually stick. Then we step back — that's the goal.

Our Model

Scoped to outcomes,
not billable hours

We've been on the other side of the table — watching invoices climb while timelines slip and deliverables stay vague. It's a broken model, and we built our practice to work differently. Every engagement is scoped around a specific outcome with a clear price before work begins. You know what you're getting and what it costs.

Defined deliverables

Every project starts with a clear scope and a tangible output — not an open-ended statement of work.

Fixed pricing

We quote the work, not the time. If we find a faster path to the outcome, that efficiency is yours to keep.

Built to finish

We're motivated to deliver and move on — not to preserve an engagement. The goal is to make ourselves unnecessary.

Sound Familiar?

Common scenarios where
we can help

We work best with manufacturers and operations-driven businesses navigating change. Here are some of the situations that typically bring people to us.

"We've outgrown QuickBooks and need a real ERP, but we don't know where to start."

We'll help you define requirements, evaluate vendors, and run a selection process that's grounded in how your business actually operates — not how a vendor's demo makes it look.

"We have NetSuite but it's not set up for manufacturing. We're working around it, not with it."

Common problem. We'll audit your configuration, identify what's missing, and get your NetSuite instance working the way it should for production, inventory, and shop floor management.

"We need operations leadership but we're not ready for a full-time VP or COO."

That's exactly what fractional is for. We embed with your team — part-time or project-based — to bring strategic and operational leadership without the full-time cost.

"Our implementation is going sideways and we need someone in our corner."

We step in as your advocate — reviewing vendor deliverables, pressure-testing timelines, and making sure the project serves your business, not the integrator's billing targets.

"We have five systems that don't talk to each other and too many spreadsheets filling the gaps."

We'll assess your full technology landscape, identify integration opportunities, and build a roadmap to a stack that actually works together — eliminating the manual handoffs.

"Our shop floor processes are inconsistent and we're losing efficiency we can't afford to lose."

We bring lean methodology and 5S discipline to the floor — mapping workflows, standardizing processes, and building the operational foundation that technology can then support.

About

Built on the floor,
not just the boardroom

J Thompson Consulting was founded on a simple premise: technology decisions are too important to be made by people who've never operated what they're recommending.

Our team brings years of hands-on experience across manufacturing operations, enterprise software, and continuous improvement. We've stood on production floors, managed ERP migrations, led lean transformations, and fielded the calls when things went sideways. That practitioner background — spanning both executive strategy and shop-floor discipline — shapes everything we do.

We combine deep NetSuite and technology expertise with real operational chops: 5S implementations, value stream mapping, waste reduction, and the kind of process rigor that makes systems actually work once they're installed. We don't sell software. We help you make better decisions about it — and better use of it once it's in.

NetSuite

Core Platform

MFG

Industry Focus

Lean

Methodology

Ops

First Mindset

NetSuite ERP MES Lean 5S WMS CRM BI Supply Chain Manufacturing

Get in Touch

Let's talk about
what's next

Whether you're evaluating NetSuite, rethinking your tech stack, looking for fractional operations leadership, or just need a second opinion — we're happy to have the conversation.

Phone
734.780.5730