Post-tender Interviews
Mistake #23 - Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
It is a mistake to underestimate the importance of the tender interview and
oral presentation. In my own experience as a procurement consultant running the
interview process, I have learnt one thing and that is to expect a huge gap in
the performance of bidders at the interview. You just cannot predict the quality
of a presentation or how well a bid team will handle a question and answer session.
I have had high expectations for some companies based on the quality of their
written submissions but have been really disappointed at how badly they have come
across at the interview. I know nerves can play a part but as an experienced interviewer
I can usually put the bid team at ease and give them every chance to show their
best if they are well enough prepared.
These are all examples that I have seen of the things that bidders just shouldn't
do, such as:
- Turning up at the wrong office
- Arriving late
- Bringing people who don't speak
- Trying to take over the chair of the interview
- Waffling and Bulls**ting
- Leaving key people behind
- Bringing the wrong people
- Dressing inappropriately
- Disregarding instructions
- Over-running their time slot
- Death by power-point
At times, my colleagues on evaluation panels and I have been delighted and
surprised at how well some companies have performed at the interview. You are
then left with a strong feeling that you really want to work with these people,
not just because you like them but also because you are impressed with their capabilities
and how well they understand the customer's needs.
There are things that bidders should do to give themselves the best possible
chance of success. This is an area that I advise and coach bidders on but is a
huge subject in its own right so I won't go into detail in this report. What is
important is that you prepare properly, practice, be clear on the messages you
want to put across and create a favorable first impression.
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Content
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