When to Say Yes and When to Say No
When reviewing commercial railing projects at the project bidding stage one of the following scenarios is likely present:
Scenario #1
Your product brand name or company name is specified as an approved product
We all love it when we get a good solid opportunity to bid the project with our product line, – that has been pre approved for usage on the project. This we say YES to bidding all day long.
Scenario #2
A competitor’s product line is specified but “Alternative “product bids will be accepted. After review of the plans and specs, you present your product offering as an equivalent product offering. Another opportunity to say YES we will provide a bid.
Scenario #3
Both the project blue prints and specs lack adequate information to provide an accurate bid.
A “ RFI”(Request for information) sent to the Architect or the GC ( General Contractor) may gain you clarification of the project needs, allowing you again to say YES we will provide bid and/or at very least allow you to qualify what you will be providing in your bid with a qualifying disclaimer statement such as“. Subject to final design review and approval “ again saying YES we will conditionally provide a bid.
Scenario #4
Product line specified is not in your current product line offerings, or possibly outside of your manufacturing capabilities or it may just be a very complex application.
Following your due diligence, if a voice is talking to you saying “Big Effort, Little Result” (Even if it is one of your regular customers) – you may want to say NO thank you, we will not be providing a bid.
Often I see companies fearful to say NO – only to afterwards wish they did. They struggle through a difficult job consuming their time. Leaving them fire fighting project problems and unavailable when other project bids arise more suited to their standard product offering .
One has to ask themselves: How much would I have lost if my competitor was awarded this job?
My experience says probably not a lot…
Sometimes you just need to know when to say NO.
Norm Plumb
STAR Rail Systems