Comments on: Why RFPs Don’t Work (for the client OR the agency) http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/business/why-rfps-dont-work-for-the-client-or-the-agency/ Insights into Interactive Design, Business, Social Media, Websites and Marketing from Tracey Halvorsen, the Creative Director of Fastspot. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:29:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Renee http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/business/why-rfps-dont-work-for-the-client-or-the-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2812 Renee Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:55:45 +0000 http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/?p=823#comment-2812 A majority of this can be blamed on the corporate and government sectors along with many universities that brainwash or insist to us (take your pick) that the RFP is the respected, correct, and formal way to do things. I am in a technical writing class now that they require for my major and we are actually on the portion of the class that instructs us how to write an RFP. Between the increase in technology and corporate powers, it seems we are loosing more of the personal and human elements. (And I say that as an IT major)! I agree with you, the RFP is a time and paper waster, but overall, folks like us are in the minority. A majority of this can be blamed on the corporate and government sectors along with many universities that brainwash or insist to us (take your pick) that the RFP is the respected, correct, and formal way to do things. I am in a technical writing class now that they require for my major and we are actually on the portion of the class that instructs us how to write an RFP. Between the increase in technology and corporate powers, it seems we are loosing more of the personal and human elements. (And I say that as an IT major)! I agree with you, the RFP is a time and paper waster, but overall, folks like us are in the minority.

]]> By: Tracey Halvorsen http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/business/why-rfps-dont-work-for-the-client-or-the-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2463 Tracey Halvorsen Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:54:42 +0000 http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/?p=823#comment-2463 Kurt, Agree - you have to think the way a project starts, is often a great indicator of how the project will go if you do land it. I particularly dislike dealing with potential clients whose IT teams are purposefully making things difficult, learned behavior that arises out of a culture of job protection. I think IT people sometimes use their high tech lingo and the fact that no one else understands how to work with expensive equipment and software as a barrier to communication or to thwart change or progress. Hey! Sounds like a good topic for another blog post! Thanks for your comment, and good luck getting that RFP! Kurt,
Agree – you have to think the way a project starts, is often a great indicator of how the project will go if you do land it. I particularly dislike dealing with potential clients whose IT teams are purposefully making things difficult, learned behavior that arises out of a culture of job protection. I think IT people sometimes use their high tech lingo and the fact that no one else understands how to work with expensive equipment and software as a barrier to communication or to thwart change or progress. Hey! Sounds like a good topic for another blog post! Thanks for your comment, and good luck getting that RFP!

]]> By: Kurt Koepfle http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/business/why-rfps-dont-work-for-the-client-or-the-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2461 Kurt Koepfle Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:32:25 +0000 http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/?p=823#comment-2461 Amen! I just spent the better part of the day on a large corporation's B2B site, trying to access an NDA that will eventually (hopefully) reveal an RFP. The corp. obviously wants to consider us for the work -- they have 3 dedicated people in "procurement" (that word is always a bad sign) trying to help me access the material -- yet not one of them can just pick up the phone and tell me what the project is. If a relationship is this impersonal right off the bat, how can good design result? And I don't think the potential client means to be this difficult, it's just all they know. Amen! I just spent the better part of the day on a large corporation’s B2B site, trying to access an NDA that will eventually (hopefully) reveal an RFP. The corp. obviously wants to consider us for the work — they have 3 dedicated people in “procurement” (that word is always a bad sign) trying to help me access the material — yet not one of them can just pick up the phone and tell me what the project is. If a relationship is this impersonal right off the bat, how can good design result? And I don’t think the potential client means to be this difficult, it’s just all they know.

]]> By: Tracey Halvorsen http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/business/why-rfps-dont-work-for-the-client-or-the-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2460 Tracey Halvorsen Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:33:25 +0000 http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/?p=823#comment-2460 Hi Greg, Yes - my brief Twitter rant turned into a blog post. I do hope the trend away from such insanity is something I can look forward to. While I do recognize businesses and orgs might use this process to narrow it down to finalists, who are then invited to meet in person, there is still a disconnect if no personal connection is made during the initial process. And honestly, I consider these RFPs that I describe as a clear indicator that we are a BAD potential match, which is why I rarely respond. One thing we aren't is a bunch of bean counters, but I do realize some corporate structures and internal bureaucracies require this level of BS to give some credence to their own processes ;) Hi Greg,
Yes – my brief Twitter rant turned into a blog post. I do hope the trend away from such insanity is something I can look forward to. While I do recognize businesses and orgs might use this process to narrow it down to finalists, who are then invited to meet in person, there is still a disconnect if no personal connection is made during the initial process. And honestly, I consider these RFPs that I describe as a clear indicator that we are a BAD potential match, which is why I rarely respond. One thing we aren’t is a bunch of bean counters, but I do realize some corporate structures and internal bureaucracies require this level of BS to give some credence to their own processes ;)

]]> By: Greg Rittler http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/business/why-rfps-dont-work-for-the-client-or-the-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2459 Greg Rittler Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:51:35 +0000 http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/?p=823#comment-2459 Tracey- I couldn't agree more. I know we had a brief twitter conversation about this. I recently was sent just such an RFP for a very small (by our standards) project. It was annoying and ridiculous. I think the problem is that clients have been trained that the only way to get the best agency is to request proposals through this insane process. We have been trying to train clients in a different process since process since we started our business. It's a relationship model. We talk, we interview each other, we go on a date or two, and eventually we decide that we want to do business together. We both know what we are getting into and what the process is going to look like. No surprises. I'm not sure where the RFP process that many companies punish us with, but I do know that the company that creates the best RFP response is often not the company you want to do business with. Thanks for sharing with us. Greg Tracey-

I couldn’t agree more. I know we had a brief twitter conversation about this. I recently was sent just such an RFP for a very small (by our standards) project. It was annoying and ridiculous.

I think the problem is that clients have been trained that the only way to get the best agency is to request proposals through this insane process. We have been trying to train clients in a different process since process since we started our business. It’s a relationship model. We talk, we interview each other, we go on a date or two, and eventually we decide that we want to do business together. We both know what we are getting into and what the process is going to look like. No surprises.

I’m not sure where the RFP process that many companies punish us with, but I do know that the company that creates the best RFP response is often not the company you want to do business with.

Thanks for sharing with us.

Greg

]]> By: Tracey Halvorsen http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/business/why-rfps-dont-work-for-the-client-or-the-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2458 Tracey Halvorsen Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:28:59 +0000 http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/?p=823#comment-2458 Hi Justin, Thanks for your comment. I do believe something as simple as a preliminary phone call to get that human connection working would do wonders in getting more responses to a RFP. It's often such a formal and cold process, which can be unsettling when you are providing a quote on a project which may require everyone working together for the next 2 years! Hi Justin,
Thanks for your comment. I do believe something as simple as a preliminary phone call to get that human connection working would do wonders in getting more responses to a RFP. It’s often such a formal and cold process, which can be unsettling when you are providing a quote on a project which may require everyone working together for the next 2 years!

]]> By: Justin Kropp http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/business/why-rfps-dont-work-for-the-client-or-the-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-2457 Justin Kropp Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:59:45 +0000 http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/?p=823#comment-2457 You raise an interesting point on the typical RFP submission process. I believe that an initial phone call, before anything else, can really do wonders and can set a promising tone. You raise an interesting point on the typical RFP submission process. I believe that an initial phone call, before anything else, can really do wonders and can set a promising tone.

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