Posted by Jon
You know an organisation’s struggling when you circulate a document that mentions that proposal submission is followed by a “Negotiate and Close” phase, and the query comes back:
You know an organisation’s struggling when you circulate a document that mentions that proposal submission is followed by a “Negotiate and Close” phase, and the query comes back:
“Is this internal or external negotiation?”
Now, as a proposal professional, the post-submission negotiation process falls outside my remit. That said, it’s frustrating if you do ever find yourself looking on as a team which you’ve coaxed so carefully and professionally through the proposal phase disintegrates as the deal moves closer to signature. You probably know the signs:
Recognise the symptoms, anyone? And guess which one’s the more painful?
Always remember: the enemy lies within. (Or alternatively you could go and engage one of the negotiation skills experts out there, and sort out your approvals processes! But a bid wouldn’t be fun if it wasn’t painful, would it?!)
- Externally, the customer appears to have the team on the run. Hastily-convened, late night meetings (because “they need a reply by the morning”) seem to redesign the carefully-thought-through offer on the fly, offering more and more in return for less and less.
- Internally: remember those folks who assured you that this could be done? Who promised they’d provide the necessary resources and support? You know: those folks who no longer return the team’s calls, and seem to have buried their heads in the sand? ‘Cos we’re not actually going to *win* this and be expected to *deliver* it, are we?
Recognise the symptoms, anyone? And guess which one’s the more painful?
Always remember: the enemy lies within. (Or alternatively you could go and engage one of the negotiation skills experts out there, and sort out your approvals processes! But a bid wouldn’t be fun if it wasn’t painful, would it?!)
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