Communicating through the RFP Process - what I want Consultants and Businesses to Know

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MELANIE NELSON, FAIRLIGHT CONSULTING

Communicating Through the RFP Process

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April 10, 2023 © 2013 Fairlight Consulting 2

Agenda 1. Introduction

2. Business Case Study

3. Lessons Learned

4. Communication

5. Questions

6. Close and Thank You

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Please take a moment to appreciate the sponsors that enable the SharePoint Saturday Community to gather, share knowledge, enjoy lunch, networking and SharePint together.

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Introduction


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About MeTexan & I love it

HistoryHobbies

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Speaking from two positions / viewpoints

As a consultant: @FairlightConslt214.507.0053Melanie@FairlightConsulting.comwww.LinkedIn.com/in/MelanieFNelson

As an employee: Tait Environmental ServicesBusiness Development & Technology Solutions Manager214.531.9377 [email protected]

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Welcome!The SharePoint & TechFest Communities have given me so much – I want to give back.

Today I’ll share the Business Case behind selecting SharePoint as a solution for our Environmental Compliance System.

Reason for Presentation Sharing my experience – business case study Prompt discussion and brainstorming of solutions for your needs

Audience Business user Level

Business of SharePoint, not technical

Created for Consultants SharePoint users Business Decision Makers

What’s it worth? That depends…

Making a Business Case for SharePointSharePoint Saturday| Feb-8-2014 | Huntsville, AL

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Business Case Study


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Tait & Associates

Civil Engineering

Architecture

Construction

Fuel System Design

Not using SharePoint Aware of, interested in but

Lack of training Limited access (CALs/licensing)

Interesting Yammer Adoption Yammer limited test group

Forwarded invitations Seeing new names

Tait Environmental Services

Focused on Environmental Services

Boots on the ground

Management Oversight

Environmental Consulting

Using SharePoint Forms and workflows solution for

technicians in the field to submit in real time

Metadata - Reporting for Clients Exporting data for clients

Challenge (quite generic) Additional training needed

Not as easy as Microsoft Word

Meet TAITTwo Companies – complementary services

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ADiverse Company

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Environmental Compliance System

What we do

What we use

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TAIT’s Story

Environmental Compliance

System

Needs to be met:

How complicated is it?

Mission Critical System - Why in SharePoint?

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History of TECS Online

TECS 1.0

TECS 2.0

TECS 3.0

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How Complicated is it?

Workflow Ex. - Testing

Communicating w Server Ex. - Certification

Verification

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Lessons Learned


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Prepare! Work ahead of time so you don’t waste other people’s time.


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Consultants

Read what’s provided

Research the company

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Businesses

Ask for internal expectations, too• Meetings• Deliverables

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Consultants

Varying expectations of decision makers

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Remember, it’s a relationship. You’re going to continue working together.


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Consultants

Promises -> Expectations

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Businesses

Forgiveness

Judgment

Leadership

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Document everything. Wait, you look like you’ve heard that before.


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Consultants

Presentation matters

Conversations - share w/team

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Businesses

Document expectations• Consultants• Other internal decision

makers

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You wear the t-shirt, she sees it and you don’t.Win-Win-Win.


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Consultants

Goal = Make $$

How = Make client happy

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Businesses

Goal = the Solution

Internal goals

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You don’t know a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes. I wear tall heels.


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Consultants

Know their goals

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Businesses

Know their goals

Too many details

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Consultants

Decision Makers v. Drivers v. Point of Contact

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While I’m on my soapbox...


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Consultants

Customization = Compliments

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Consultants

People know about Templates

Template lookbeing generic

Regurgitating everythingabout the company

Where’s the Happy middle point?

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Communication


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It’s a Relationship. Communication is key.


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Communication is SO ImportantIn Business as well as Personal Life

I work on communicating & coach others on it in my Personal LifeI’ll discuss things I teach to couples at Merge and apply them to this business scenario

Speaker Listener TechniqueSo what I’m hearing you say is…ExpectationsConstructive GripingProblem Solving

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Active Listening & Problem SolvingImportant in Business as well as Personal Life

Moving forward during the RFP process and throughout development and implementation I must

Practice what I preach

CLARIFY, CLARIFY, CLARIFY Incorporate these techniques in the workplace What I’ve learned

Making Assumptions Level of work not needed

Stop to ask if there is more than one way to interpret the message, then clarify “your place” example

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The Speaker Listener TechniquePersonal Coaching

Rules for the SPEAKER

1. Speak for yourself. Don’t mind read!

2. Don’t go on and on.Stop and let the listener paraphrase.

Rules for LISTENER

1. Paraphrase what you hear

Don’t rebut. Focus on what the speaker is saying.

Rules for BOTH

1. The speaker has the floor.

2. Speaker keeps the floor while the listener paraphrases

3. Share the floor.

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The Speaker Listener TechniqueBusiness Application

Rules for the SPEAKER

1. Be prepared. Speak clearly. Don’t assume.

2. Be concice.Stop and let the audience paraphrase.

Rules for LISTENER

1. Reply with clarifying questions, paraphrase what you heard

Don’t rebut. Focus on what the speaker is saying.Rules for BOTH

1. One speaker at a time, no interruptions.

2. Speaker keeps the floor while the listener paraphrases

3. Only one speaker, listener paraphrases until the speaker is finished saying everything they have to say..

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ExpectationsPersonal Coaching

Three Key Problems1. You can be UNAWARE of your expectations

2. Your partner’s expectations.

3. Your expectations may be UNREASONABLE.

4. Your expectations may be UNSPOKEN.

What to do about Expectations Identify them

Consider if they are realistic

Discuss together -> Aware, Reasonable & Spoken

EXPECTATIONS:

– are beliefs about the way things will be or should be-- including about behaviors, roles, life and death, relationships, and so forth

– that are not met lead to feelings of sadness, disappointment, frustration, and anger.

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ExpectationsBusiness Application

Three Key Problems1. You can be UNAWARE of your expectations or

2. Expectations of other parties

3. Your expectations may be UNREASONABLE – each business scenario is different and what works at a F100 company may not work at a family owned business, the level of detail one company may provide for an RFP may not be known by another company

4. Your expectations may be UNSPOKEN – you must be clear and document as needed

What to do about Expectations Identify them – talk to all parties

Consider if they are realistic - how much detail for consultants

Discuss together. Ensure expectations are properly set for both parties formally - Annual Review, informally – conversation.

EXPECTATIONS:

– are beliefs about the way things will be or should be– based on past experiences and personal preferences

– that are not met lead to – lack of efficiency, frustration, and possibly even missed deadlines or underperformance

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Constructive GripingPersonal Coaching

When you did XSpecific Behavior

In situation YSpecific Situation

I felt ZOwning feelings

Be Respectful and Be Specific

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Constructive GripingBusiness Application

When you did XRequested this RFP /

Wrote a 60 page RFP

In situation YFor the next version of the Environmental Compliance Database

The result was ZI thought the goal was getting pricing so wrote as much as I could to get

line-item detail for your final selection

Additional work needed to be done to adjust for

Be Clear and Concise to avoid confusion

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Problem Solving ModelBusiness Application

Problem Solution Agenda setting

Decide on what to work on right now Plan to work the other pieces of the problem at another time Focus in and narrow down the concerns

Brainstorming Agreement and compromise

Work toward what you can both agree to do Discuss pros and cons of different potential solutions

Follow-up Agree on solution to be tried now Agree on a time frame to try solution and agree to assess and

revise as needed

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Question & Answer Time


5 @FairlightConslt

[email protected]/in/MelanieFNelson

Business Development & Technology Solutions ManagerTait Environmental [email protected]@taitenvupdates

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Enjoy your lunch

Please take a moment to appreciate the sponsors!

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Close Thank you


6 @FairlightConslt

[email protected]/in/MelanieFNelson

Business Development & Technology Solutions ManagerTait Environmental [email protected]@taitenvupdates