Do you guys hate RFPs as much as I do

So my company has been getting a ton of RFPs lately and I get that it’s a larger business practice to go through this but it seems like each RFP I have done they’re just sending it out to remain in compliance with their dumb internal rule and never had intent of giving you a shot anyway. Any feedback from other savages on this?

👑 Sales Strategy
🏹 War Room
🧠 Advice
24
Incognito
WR Officer
5
Master of Disaster
Terrible ROI
funcoupons
WR Officer
1
👑
Agreed. If a prospect only accepts RFPs at certain times and I know ten other companies are going to quote I don't even bother. 
Incognito
WR Officer
1
Master of Disaster
I feel like we would know this better than anyone @funcoupons 😂
Justatitle
Big Shot
0
Account Executive
Don’t know if this is a joke about lifestyle or work… either way I chuckled 
Justatitle
Big Shot
0
Account Executive
Yeah it’s not worth it in that case. I wish companies would come out and say we don’t do RFPs we don’t care who you are 
funcoupons
WR Officer
1
👑
Heard that. A lot of non profits do them and every time I hear "How exciting, you can be part of our RFP! " I die a little inside. 
Justatitle
Big Shot
2
Account Executive
Non for profits kill me. They go to the same line. “We’re a not for profit so you know budget is right” you liars I wish I could be a not for profit you guys are sitting in cash 
funcoupons
WR Officer
1
👑
Lol true that. Also has some of the most incompetent people in leadership positions that I've ever seen.
CaneWolf
Politicker
1
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
I saw one with 25 companies one time. And they had us all on a call asking questions! I was fucking OUT.
CaneWolf
Politicker
0
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
@funcoupons , you know I respect your work but did a non-profit attack your house or something? You seem to have a special place in your heart to hate on them. 
funcoupons
WR Officer
1
👑
I like working with non-profits, actually. I just get frustrated when an org that's out there trying to do important work has absolute morons for leaders and things could be so much more efficient if they actually got their shit together. 
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
Non-profit incompetence is because it's a non-profit. the people there probably hated the rat race and weren't good at it so they went to the non-profit side of things 
CaneWolf
Politicker
1
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
Or, ya know, they care about the cause.
funcoupons
WR Officer
0
👑
I think it's either one of these three:

a) Someone who truly cares about the cause but doesn't have strong financial/business acumen. Usually a bleeding heart type who caters to staff and never wants to have difficult conversations/rock the boat. I find this type to be the majority.

b) Someone who couldn't cut it in for profit companies or who used to be in the rat race but has "retired" to a non profit because they think it's easier. Lazy, checked out, or just need to retire already.

c) People who care about the cause and have good business acumen and run the non-profit as seriously as they'd run a for profit business.
nomdeguerre
Executive
4
Account executive
If you don't have an existing relationship with the account and have been talking to them prior to receiving the RFP, then it is a complete waste of time. Someone has helped them define the requirements for the RFP and if it is not you, you have extremely low chances of winning the business. The only exception would be if you have a relationship with the client and are able to reset prior to answering the RFP, and redirection the requirements in your favor. If not just bail on it, no matter how painful that is.

On the other hand, if you have an existing relationship, are aware before hand that the RFP is coming out and even have helped in defining the requirements of the RFP. In this case RFPs are great, because you would already have structured the requirements in your favor and you should have an excellent chance of winning, while seeing everybody else struggling ;-)
CCP
Opinionated
1
VP, Business Development
I should've read this response prior to commenting. You basically said the same thing I did haha
TheSolicitorGeneral
Politicker
2
Small Market AE
I think everyone sucks at RFPs lol I know we do
SaaSsy
Politicker
1
AE
They sure do suck! If you have any relationship already, be up front like “hey we don’t win busines from RFPs and here’s why...”, and try to get some facetime. Some buyers will understand it’s outdated and buying solely for functionality right now won’t get them a long term partner.
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
That’s the thing most often it’s a completely random company submitting it and I spend 4 hours doing it to be told we weren’t selected… well fuck me 
Incognito
WR Officer
0
Master of Disaster
4 hours?!?? That’s it?!?? Omg try 4 months!!!
CuriousFox
WR Officer
0
🦊
Yeah 4 hours my ass 🤣
Justatitle
Big Shot
0
Account Executive
Our RFPs are for Martech and filling out the RFP takes 4 hours the process overall is usually a month or 2 sorry for not being clear 
drippyAE
Executive
1
Strategic Account Executive
RFPs, in my mind, removes the value a SME / seasoned sales professional can bring to the buying and decision process. Often this is the rooted in a person/department's fear of being "sold." They use the RFP as way to distance their judgement and culpability from a buying decision. Or it is unfairly skewed to confirm the belief that one provider / solution is best. Then sometimes it is a tool procurement uses to beat up your pricing model. Lastly, it almost always implies a competitive scenario. I pass on RFIs unless the organization requires a response. One man's opinion. 
CCP
Opinionated
1
VP, Business Development
If you don't know that you've won the RFP when you submit it, its because you lost. Some companies need to go to market but if you wrote/influenced the RFP before its sent out, its worth it. If not, I wouldn't bother unless its a really attractive long-term play and its worth putting in a losing bid just for visibility for the next round. 
LordOfWar
Tycoon
1
Blow it up
I fucking hate them and it is how we get most of our business (government bids).

My new trick is to get in front of the tech team way ahead of procurement demand and try to get stuff spec'd that is unique to our company/capabilities.
Stratifyz
Big Shot
0
Account Executive
My AE is a little salty over this too - rightfully so. I had a top 10 account within a state on the hook and she dropped the RFP on me.
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
Tell her to go bite the curb outside and you’ll be out soon to finish the job
GDO
Politicker
0
BDM
Damn, that´s a good insult!
Cleopatra
Opinionated
0
Regional Sales Executive
Huge time suck! And a dangely ol’ carrot.
Smithy
Politicker
0
Director of Sales
I hate RFPs abs like you say, lots of companies sending out for compliance with no intention of changing providers. 
GDO
Politicker
0
BDM
They suck if the RFP comes in without a relationship. You need to be connected when they are writing the RFP, that´s key! 
ColdCall
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
I enjoy this! It means they're serious. However, responding to an RFP that you don't know about probably means you will not win it. Every time I deal with procurement I instigate it, and try and stay in control as much as possible. 

Also, some companies have whole teams doing this. If its just a Sales Person responding, something is missing. You should also be able to recycle answers from each RFP to RFP. 

We've done very well with them and have a 100% hit rate with all RFP's. We work selling to Public Sector so its a given, but important part of doing biz. 

Current deal I'm working on has triggered an RFP to other companies, even though they want our solution. 
Sgt_Trollingham
Valued Contributor
0
Business Development Director
I always see if I can engage with the procurement team on some level. Not that interested in writing a load of answers for a large RFP if they already have a vendor selected, and the RFP is a formality. That being said, we do win about 30-50% of the ones we enter.
EQSales
Opinionated
0
VP of Sales

TLDR: if you weren't expecting the RFP and sell something remotely complex, just run.  its a waste of time

in 15 years as an IC and a leader I have seen hundreds of RFPs.  I have NEVER personally seen or even heard of someone winning a RFP they weren't expecting.

to your point about internal policies, needing to look at at least X number of vendors.  We call this "column fodder"- you are basically used as a check box and if anything, for pricing leverage with their preferred vendor for the Bid

totally diff story if you helped drive and craft the success criteria in your favor, but they have to send RFP to other vendors.  its annoying, slows things down and introduces risk, but you should win those every time


Broncosfan
Politicker
0
Account Manager
I work in staffing and it's more commonplace for them to award multiple vendors so I'm ok with them. You need to have a team around it that's experienced in creating proposals to the correct specifications and information such as references readily available to be effective in RFP responses.
Justatitle
Big Shot
0
Account Executive
Yeah this is a different case but still an annoyance
dryspongebob
Opinionated
0
Business Development Manager
If the RFP is their first interaction with my team and I, I tell my folks not to spend too much time on the deal. What I found with these processes is that if a lead hasn't had any conversation with us before sending the RFP, it likely means that their Procurement department has a rule that requires them to have them for at least three vendors before choosing one, but in reality they've already picked who they're buying from.
DonDraper
Politicker
0
National Sales Manager
Really depends on the type of business you are dealing with. Are you seeing a trend for companies to go the RFP route to get a better deal? Or is this simply the industry you are in? But yes to answer your question I hate it too.
UserNotFound
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Only RFP I respond to is one I wrote. Otherwise, (to quote the eloquent Randy Jackson) It's a no from me Dawg. 
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
I concur!
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