While a loss is always disappointing, the smart professional does not let all that time and effort go to waste. By asking the right questions in the debrief s/he can gain invaluable feedback for future improvements.
This checklist will provide a useful guide to what to ask in your next tender debrief:
About the process ...
- How many firms tendered ?
- How many were appointed/selected ?
- Did the information presented by tenderers change the approach to the process or views about possible outcomes ?
- Were any of the tender offers surprising or remarkable in any way ?
About the tender ...
- Overall, how did our tender compare with others ?
- Was our approach an appropriate response to your needs ?
- Were there areas in which we were especially strong ?
- What were the areas where we were weak ?
- How did our response on conflict of interest measure up ?
- What feedback can you offer on our value added services ?
- How did our referees stack up ?
- How did our personnel measure up ?
- What is your assessment of our expertise and experience in each of the relevant areas ?
- Was our geographic coverage what you were seeking ?
- What feedback can you offer on our pricing ?
- Where were the gaps ?
- What separated our tender from the winning bids ?
About the future ...
- What would we need to offer to be the most preferred tenderer ?
- We would, one day, like to re-establish a service relationship with you. As a non-incumbent, how should we go about staying in touch and getting to know you better over the next couple of years ?
- For us to optimally position ourselves for you next time round, what should we do ?
- What other advice have you for us ?
A loss can have a silver lining if you can obtain the right information on how to improve your service offering or tender process. One loss, approached the right way, can provide useful information and a greater opportunity to learn about your prospective clients and competitors than a series of wins. Information that may ensure a much brighter and more successful future for your practice.
|
