Maybe RFPs aren't the answer
I've been thinking about this for a few weeks now and I'm still struggling with how to write this post without being too self-serving. I've been asking myself if answering Requests for Proposal (RFPs) is the best way to get new business, and most importantly, if the clients are getting what they need from them. Here's what I've been thinking in terms of the problem, a better way and the results.
The Problem
The process of writing an RFP leads a client to leap to what they believe the solution to their challenge might be. Generally, the agency that guesses the solution the client had in mind (and is one of the cheapest) will win.
There's an essential missing question that is never really answered. What if the client's solution, while probably good, isn't the best, most creative solution? What if one of the agencies had a brilliant, out-of-the-box idea that was the perfect solution to a different challenge, the real challenge? What if they left that solution back "on the cutting room floor" because it didn't jibe with the RFP?
A Better Way
I propose something really radical.
Clients should plan 2 hour brainstorming sessions with each of the agencies. Lay out a problem from the past not related to the current situation, maybe even for a different brand than the one in question. Pay for up to 4 agency employees' time during this brainstorming session. They should also write a contract that states the results of the brainstorming are owned by them, the client. Based on this process, the client then selects the agency they think is the smartest, most clever, had the best brainstorming process and resulted in the best solution to a problem that was previously solved. The client can even compare their solutions to the one a previous agency develops.
Then the client would have the new agency work with them to define the real challenge facing them now and the right strategic solution, including tactics.
The Results
- The client is paying the agencies full price to do what they should do well.
- The client is learning about the personalities in the agency and how they connect.
- The client is seeing the best thinkers from the agencies, not just the best presenters.
- The client is receiving ideas, even from those not selected, that might help in the future. And they are paying for those ideas, so it's equitable.
- The client is selecting a partner, not a vendor.
Labels: rfp
6 Comments:
Argh, I love this. If pitches became (slightly) less of a show and more of a partnership... well, it would change the industry, and I like to think for the better.
June 18, 2009
I love this idea too. I have wasted far too much time second-guessing ill-conceived RFPs... or (worse) matching my response exactly as the potential client has outlined, only to be told later "this isn't what we wanted," or "we've decided to shift direction." As an independent consultant, that's what I do best- help clients shape their strategy and direction. So, no more RFPs for me.
June 18, 2009
I agree...I always thought RFPs made big assumptions about the credibility of clients knowing what they need. If you ever get the chance to work this way with a client, I want to hear about the experience.
June 18, 2009
redrabbit, Allison and RedKat,
I agree. It minimizes the relationship but the real crying shame is how it doesn't deliver for the client. I fear this process will be hard to overcome because its become the default approach for most agency searches. Great comments!
Spidey
June 18, 2009
While I work in a very different industry, the RFP is a problem we face as well. In a lot of cases we simply decline projects that are RFP driven, as they typically do not ask the right questions and often outline a solution that isn't necessarily the most efficient, or cost effective.
Our method is quite similar to the one you proposed. We go after relationships, not just clients. We may spend a couple weeks or more in discovery before we actually pitch a solution to anyone. RFP's rarely include a true picture of what the client wants or needs, and often leaves out a lot of vital information on the problem they want to solve. We really push the discovery and brainstorming aspects, and only after that do we present a full solution to a client. Not only does this give you a better footing, but it also delivers exactly what the customer needs/wants and helps build the relationship. In the 10 years we've been handling projects this way, all but 1 client has stayed on for ongoing/future work with us. It's because they no longer view us as a vendor, but a partner.
June 19, 2009
I think most people that have either responded to an RFP or read the responses to an RFP in the past would agree they are usually not worth the effort. Most of the time they are so poorly written that they address very few of the most critical issues. I contributed to a response to one that was obviously copied off the internet and was not related directly to the services being requested. It was pointless and led to a lot of effort expended on both sides that could have been better spent developing a true partnership. Partnerships are better for both sides in the end.
June 22, 2009
Post a Comment
<< Home