Are you reducing the chances of a successful CRM implementation at the RFP stage?

 

Many companies lower the chance of a successful CRM implementation before the work even begins. In my 15+ years working in the customer relationship management (CRM) market I’ve seen hundreds of Request for Proposals (RFPs)—some of them great, and some of them downright terrible. Irrespective of the size or notability of a consultancy, all vendors have the capacity for creating effective and reliable proposals. In this blog post I'll provide a few recommendations on how to approach your next implementation RFP, setting up your company for sucess. Let's get started.

Are You a Vendor, or a Partner?

In my experience, one of the fundamental errors that companies make when producing an RFP is that they approach the document seeking a ‘supplier.’ Successful CRM implementations require a partnered approach with the vendor or implementer. RFPs written with a partnership in mind almost always have a level of detail that makes it easy for the respondent to understand what the company wants and most importantly, why they want it. 

Define Success Criteria

This leads us to a second, important part of the RFP process: success criteria. Let your potential partners know exactly why your company is embarking on an initiative, and how success will be measured. Make a compelling case for each solution proposed, and identify where your partner will expect to see real business benefits. Point out what executives and end users expect to gain in terms of functionality and productivity. Sharing this information will help define a solution and quantifiable objectives. Without success criteria in the RFP, it will be difficult to prove further down the line whether the investment was really worth it.  

“If It Works” vs. “How It Works”

Another common failure in producing RFPs is that companies focus on sending out what is effectively a list of capability statements. “Does your solution do (XYZ functionality)?”, “Can your solution be integrated with (XYZ technology)?” These questions will almost always be answered with a “Yes.” However, functional-driven RFPs will rarely show how the solution meets those requirements in your business context. For instance, will they be met through the use of out-of-the-box tools? Are you buying or building a solution? Will you need configuration or customization? The truth is, customization comes at a cost, in both implementation and maintenance. It’s hugely important to align that cost with the specific benefits promised, weighing all alternative solutions. 

It’s Not All About Cost

Lastly, RFPs tend to be a tool for procurement to find products and services at the lowest price. This often obstructs potential partners from actually speaking to the business or IT to understand their challenges, why the work is so important to them, and what they wish to gain. My advice to procurement teams is to keep this door open. A business and IT team engaged with potential partners will ensure that these vendors can respond with a solution and plan that is in context, adds value, and reduces the risk of a failed implementation. Costs are an important factor in any decision making process, that’s a given, but so is quality, cultural compatibility, and a potential partners’ experience of doing it before in similar clients in your industry. It’s not all about technology fit—people and processes are equally important.

 

To summarize, here are a few pointers that will ensure your RFP hits the spot:

• Use a style that makes it obvious you’re looking for a partner, not a supplier
• Tell the potential partners why you are embarking on this journey, why it’s important, and all of the expected top-line business benefits
• Explain why the solution is important to executives and end users. The perceived benefits of end users are often very different and must be aligned
• Actively encourage potential partners to engage with the business and IT and don’t treat the exercise as purely a procurement one. Many a good partner who might be a great fit for you will walk away from these procurement led engagements. If this means extending the timeline for responses and if there is no risk in doing so, it’s worth it 

As mentioned at the start of this blog, not every company, regardless of its size, is adept at producing great RFPs and this can really impact the success of your projects. We see this frequently at Bluewolf and we are often called in to help companies, as part of our Blueprinting service, to produce RFPs that mitigate the typical risks associated with an implementation. 

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