Facing a losing streak and dwindling trust, my client – a consultancy firm – was at a crossroads. They had experienced a series of disappointing losses at a well-known media company, leaving the relationship teetering on the edge of bitterness and conspiracy theories.
I stepped in to conduct a series of bid debriefs and uncover the root cause. The process involved engaging in fascinating conversations with key stakeholders, including the CFO, digital leaders, procurement category leads, and tax team members. Through these discussions, I identified actionable feedback for each bid leader and their teams.
The overarching theme? The relationships the consultants relied on had grown stale. Over the past few years, the organisation had formalised its buying process, moving towards a more structured, multi-criteria approach. Past informal steers from well-placed executives were no longer effective. Each bid was evaluated on its own merits, and previous good experiences needed explicit referencing in the bids.
Together with the account leadership team, we devised a new bid strategy. This meant involving the account team from the outset to agree on the overall approach and pricing. We meticulously laid out relevant experience in the documentation, ensuring every criterion in the RFP was addressed.
And the results? The wins started rolling in! Within a year, the “drought” was over, and success was raining down. The new approach made the team more competitive and helped establish new, senior relationships, enhancing the firm’s perception as a serious partner. Our deep understanding and proactive strategy transformed a struggling partnership into a winning collaboration.