Putting a contract out for tender isn't just a procurement bod's or acronym lover's wet dream. It's essential key people are involved in order to get the right partner.
Finding a decent agency to work with can be tricky.
Just like any other relationship, there's a list of things you look for.
But it's not as easy as ticking a box, as we've all been burnt by previous partners who promised the moon on a stick and delivered shit on a shitty stick - if they delivered at all.
So we brush ourselves off and get excited at the prospect of meeting someone new. Someone who'll get you and your needs. Someone who you'll work in perfect harmony with. So, you put yourself out there starting with (Request for) Tinder (RFT actually stands for Request For Tender, but you get where I'm going with this). It tells suppliers, both on your books and outside, that you're looking for a new partner.
But word to the wise, it pays to have a retrospective on your last partner. Think about what worked and what didn't. Don't turn this into a photo burning session, keep it structured with constructive feedback.
There are different ways to do this. You can do a simple, "start, stop, continue" session. You can also get really detailed by going through your stories (Agile only) or mapping it out from planning to operational. It depends how big the contract, what you want them to deliver and how you want them to work.
In my experience, having some breathing space to think about what you really want and make sure your house is in order is valuable.
At this stage, you might want a partner to help you become better, so you can learn from them, work in partnership and share experiences for a fulfilling, long-lasting relationship. Or you might need someone, anyone, to fill the (resource) void.
So keep this in mind when you're flicking through your list of interested parties and reading their profiles. Don't go for Benedict Cumberbatch when Keith from Finance will do.
Once you've swiped right to a few and matched, it's now time to start info gathering.
You start chatting with them to get a feel of who they are or Request For Information (RFI)... if only dating really worked this, right?!
Once you've found out about their age, what they do, solvency, criminal record, location, pricing and the family, you start getting butterflies, you might want to move it to a first date. Or a Request For Proposal (RFP).
It depends on the procurement policy whether you do only one or both these stages. For creative partnerships, like ATL, CX or digital agencies, the RFP is critical - it shows you exactly how they answer a brief. They could come back with questions and want to see what processes you have in place. Basically, you get a really big clue into how the work and their output.
The RFP is normally the last stage before procurement take over to negotiate costs.
In procurement language, once both parties are agreed, you're locked into a contract. Of course, real dating doesn't work like that, you have a "trial period" before or if you decide to lock it all up in contracts.
My top tips for choosing the right partner... I mean a supplier or agency:
- Always choose someone who's better than you - don't feel intimated, they won't take over or make you look inadequate, you'll become better and everything will be smoother in the long run, trust me. Think George and Amal Clooney.
- Don't get carried away with the RFP - yes, they've swept you off your feet, but can they actually deliver, check it against the RFI. Think Brad Pitt stupidly dumping Jennifer Aniston for Angelina Jolie. Regretting that now, ain'tcha, Brad? Am I still bitter, you betcha... why am I talking like this?!
- Be honest and transparent - we all feel the need to exfoliate the rough edges and wear our best knickers (too far?), but be yourself and if they dig it, you're onto a winner. Think Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher.
- Chemistry is important - if you get on, you can have a laugh and get down to business. Think Liz Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra.
- Are you on the same wavelength - do you get each other? If you have a similar outlook on things and they say the right things before you've even had a chance to open your mouth, get in there. Think Barak and Michelle Obama.
