Short answer: When Odoo is implemented through an intermediary, one company signs the contract while a subcontractor in another country or an individual freelancer actually configures the system. Requirements get shortened and distorted at every link, and accountability gets spread thin. That is why it pays to check for an Odoo intermediary chain before signing and to work with an Odoo implementation partner that delivers with its own certified team. Deep Vision delivers projects with its own team in Tashkent.
A business owner planning an Odoo implementation usually talks to one company, signs one contract and receives one invoice. Sometimes, though, there is a whole chain behind it: a local seller passes the order to a team in Dubai or any other country, which hands part of the work to a separate freelancer. The owner finds out halfway through the project, when the first serious problem appears. This article explains how such a chain works, how to spot it and how to avoid it.
What is an Odoo intermediary chain?
An Odoo intermediary chain is when there are one or more middle links between the company that signs the contract with you and the people who actually configure the system.
A typical setup looks like this:
- Local seller: meets the client, agrees the price, signs the contract.
- Foreign subcontractor: a team in Dubai, Europe, India or another country that runs the project technically.
- Freelancer: an individual developer who writes a custom module or report.
- Client staff: the accountant, storekeeper and cashier, who describe requirements in Uzbek or Russian.
Subcontracting is not bad in itself. The problem is that the client cannot see the chain, and every link adds its own distance, language and priorities.
What does the "broken telephone" look like in practice?
An example. The accountant of a wholesale company says: "For goods sold on credit, at month end we do a reconciliation statement (akt sverki) with our dealers; the debt is agreed in dollars, but payment comes in sum." The local manager writes it down briefly: "Need reconciliation with dealers." Translated into English, the task becomes "Partner reconciliation report". The freelancer builds a standard report. The exchange difference, the month-end rate and the way the dealer sees their debt are all lost.
The result: two weeks of work, a three-way email thread and a redo. Nobody made a mistake on purpose. The requirement was simply retold four times, and each time a little meaning fell away.
This is not a one-off. According to PMI research, US$135 million is at risk for every US$1 billion spent on projects, 56% of it due to ineffective communications, and about half of unsuccessful projects relate to communication problems. Every extra link in the chain makes communication harder.
Why is the risk higher with a subcontractor in Dubai or another country?
It is not about skill. A team in Dubai or any other country may be made up of strong professionals. But it faces built-in disadvantages when delivering a project in Uzbekistan properly, and working through an intermediary amplifies them:
- Presence: the subcontractor never sees the warehouse, the till or the shop floor, only a retold description.
- Context: e-invoicing, Asl Belgisi digital marking, 12% VAT and local document forms all have to be learned first.
- Accountability: the contract is with the seller, the work is done by another company. When something breaks, each link can point at the next.
- Knowledge: code and configuration logic stay with the last link, and the freelancer moves on to the next job.
To be fair, Dubai is only one hour behind Tashkent, so time zones are not the real issue. The real issues are distance, context and unclear accountability. Gartner predicts that by 2027 more than 70% of recently implemented ERP initiatives will fail to fully meet their original business goals. Against that background, an extra link is extra risk.
How can you spot an intermediary?
The key question is simple: who exactly will configure the system, and do they work for the company that signs the contract?
Before signing, ask these questions and get the answers in writing:
- What are the names and roles of the consultants and developers on the project?
- Are they employees of the contracting company or external contractors?
- Is the company listed in the Odoo partner directory, and at which tier? Check it yourself on odoo.com.
- How many certified experts does the partner page show, and will they work on your project?
- Who signs the contract, and who is liable under the warranty?
- Where is the custom code stored, and who has access?
- If any work is subcontracted, is that stated in the contract, and is your consent required?
- Who will be at your office on go-live day?
If the answers are vague, if you hear "we have a team" with no names, or "we'll check and get back to you" after every question, that may be a sign of a chain. A fuller list of questions is in our article on how to choose an Odoo partner in Uzbekistan.
What do you gain by working directly with an Odoo partner in Uzbekistan?
Working directly means the person who hears the requirement and the person who configures the system are on the same team, in the same city. The benefits:
- The requirement is heard once, in its original language, with its original terms.
- No waiting for answers: the consultant comes to the warehouse and sees the process first-hand.
- One company is accountable: contract, warranty and support in one place.
- Clearer pricing: no markups from middle links.
- Knowledge stays close to your company, and the same team makes the next changes.
To avoid common traps, read 7 ERP implementation mistakes; for budgeting, see Odoo ERP pricing in Uzbekistan.
How does Deep Vision work?
Deep Vision is an official Odoo Gold Partner in Tashkent. As shown on its partner page on odoo.com, the team has 7 Odoo-certified experts (v17 to v19), 20+ client references and 89% customer retention. For the Gold tier, Odoo requires 300 new Enterprise users a year, at least 6 certified experts and at least 80% retention.
Our own team does the work: diagnostics, configuration, custom modules, training and support. Besides developers, the team includes experienced specialists who understand industries and finance. We have ready-made modules for Didox and Asl Belgisi, and our team also produced Odoo's Uzbek translation. The office is in Tashkent at Shahrisabz street 25, office 401, so when needed we come to your site ourselves. More about us: why Deep Vision.
To discuss your project, fill in a short brief or see our Odoo implementation service.
Frequently asked questions
Is subcontracting always bad?
No. The problem is not subcontracting itself but a hidden chain. If it is openly stated who does the work, it is written into the contract and one company is accountable, the risk drops considerably.
How do I check that a seller really is an Odoo partner?
Search for the company in the partner directory on odoo.com. It shows the partnership tier and the number of certified experts.
Is working through an intermediary cheaper?
Not always. Each middle link adds its own markup, and rework and waiting stretch the timeline.
What if the project has already started?
Record the current state in writing: where the code is, who holds administrator rights, which documents exist. Then decide whether to shorten the chain or change partner.
Who should hold the code and access rights?
Your company. At minimum, a copy of the code, the administrator password and server details should be held by management.
Sources
- Deep Vision in the Odoo partner directory
- Odoo partnership tiers and requirements
- PMI: the high cost of ineffective project communications
- Gartner: outlook for ERP initiatives
Give your Odoo project to a partner that delivers with its own team: fill in the brief or call +998 77 093 00 07.