Gaining Permission – Sole Source Flashcards
Client Question: “We are definitely interested. When can you send a proposal?”
Consultant Response:
“Well, there are a couple of issues that come to mind. First, by when would you like to decide?
(Redirection)
“Great. Let’s work with that timing. Here’s what I’d like to do: let’s get the members of our team together with the key people on your side. We’ll guide them through a discussion of a solution we feel would truly meet your needs. There will be some things that really excite them and some things that may miss the mark. They can push back, challenge, question and contribute. They can challenge our best thinking with their best thinking. At the end of that meeting, we’ll write up our conclusions, give them to you, and you can make whatever decision you feel is in your best interests.
We’ll be flexible – when can we set that up?”
Client Question: “Assuming I let you talk to the various stakeholders. How long would it take to get a proposal?”
Consultant Response:
(Redirect on time – when would they like to get it?)
“Great. Let’s work with that timing. Here’s what I’d like to do: let’s get the members of our team together with the key people on your side. We’ll guide them through a discussion of a solution we feel would truly meet your needs. There will be some things that really excite them and some things that may miss the mark. They can push back, challenge, question and contribute. They can challenge our best thinking with their best thinking. At the end of that meeting, we’ll write up our conclusions, give them to you, and you can make whatever decision you feel is in your best interests.”
Client Question: As soon as you get me a proposal, I’ll show it to the COO and see what he says.
Consultant Response:
“I appreciate that. May I make a suggestion? The quality of discussions between our people and yours has been terrific. Rather than stop the richness of our conversations at the crucial point of decision, let’s keep the flow going and make it even better.
Here’s what I’d like to do: let’s get the members of our team together with the key people on your side- including the COO. We’ll guide them through a discussion of a solution we feel would truly meet your needs. There will be some things that really excite them and some things that may miss the mark. They can push back. Challenge, question and contribute. They can challenge our best thinking with their best thinking. At the end of that meeting we’ll write up our conclusions, give them to you, and you can make whatever decision you feel is in your best interests.
We’ll be flexible-when can we set that up?”
Option: Gain permission to present to this person and get his or her feedback before presenting to the COO. Try to go with them for that presentation.
No matter how well we do in writing this out, the COO is an intelligent person and is going to have questions. Let’s be there together so he can get good answers.
(We get paid big bucks to have those answers, and this is a time you get to drain us dry for free.)
See also Gatekeeper Objections.
Client Question: “I’m excited. Listen, don’t bother with a formal written proposal. Just send me a PowerPoint deck that covers the main elements of your proposed solution. I’ll pass it around and get some reaction.”
Consultant Response:
“I’m excited too. I really want us to work together on this. And one of the fastest ways I’ve seen to kill that excitement is to pass around PowerPoint slides that lack the richness and depth of the conversations we’ve been having, human being to human being. I’d almost beg you not to do that. Here is what I’d suggest…
Let’s get the members of our team together with the key people on your side – etc.
We’ll save time and you’ll make a better decision – whichever way you decide to go. We’ll be flexible – when can we set that up?”
Client Question: “I don’t know if we can get all the stakeholders together at the same time.”
Consultant Response:
“I understand. If I didn’t think it is so critical, I wouldn’t even ask. Based on the impact to your organization, these people will have to meet far more times than this if a bad decision is made. We’ll do whatever it takes – even if we have to have two meetings rather than one. We’ll be flexible – how can we set this up?”
Option: “I understand. If I didn’t think it is so critical, I wouldn’t even ask. We’ve had such good conversation during the discovery phase, let’s not dilute the dialogue right at the most crucial point: when you need to make a well thought out decision, one way or the other. Let’s not stop running our best race until we cross the finish line.”
Client Question: “Wow. If you want to present to the Executive Team, I don’t know if we can get more than about 15 minutes of their next meeting.”
Consultant Response:
“I know how tough it is. And I know that 15 minutes won’t be sufficient for them to make a well-informed decision on something that will affect thousands of people for many years to come. Plus, I know from our own experience, if a bad decision gets made, they will have to spend hours, days, weeks of time dealing with the consequences.
How about this: we’ll go over our proposal first with you and some other key stakeholders. We’ll push on it hard to make sure we’ve got it tight and well thought-out. Based on that work, we’ll request an amount of time from the Executive committee that is the minimum time sufficient to make a well-informed decision in the best interests of the company. Does that sound reasonable?”
Client Question: “We won’t be able to proceed without a formal written proposal.”
Consultant Responses:
(Probably for some good reasons…)
Option: (pre-proposal meeting) Well, let’s work with that. It obviously takes considerable time to write a formal proposal. And neither you nor we benefit if the proposal contains approaches that wouldn’t hold up under critical mutual examination. Nor is it helpful if we are guessing or if key questions don’t get answered. If we agree to invest many days of our effort writing the proposal, would you at least spend two hours in a pre-proposal meeting letting us test our best thinking against yours? (That way the proposal will let you or key people make the best possible decision-one way or the other)
Option: (If no pre-proposal meeting) I’m not balking at putting our thoughts in writing. That can be a valuable addition to a good decision. I just don’t want to tka eou the vital richness and depth of face-to-face communication. If we are willing to invest the considerable time up front to write the proposal (without even knowing if it will pay off), would you at least be willing to invest two hours to let us present it in person so we have a chance to talk it through together – human beings to human beings.” (After all, it’s human beings that will do this project, not pieces of paper. Give yourselves a chance to meet them.)
Client Question: “I’m old fashioned. And I’m highly visual person. I like to see something on paper. Make notes on it. Have some time to think it through, write down some questions.”
Consultant Response:
“Well, I’m convinced. That sounds very reasonable. And I know what you mean by being visual – written communication leaves out all the non-verbal reactions you get to see when working in person. Let’s do it both ways. I’ll write out my initial thoughts. You look at it, make some notes, write down some questions. Then we’ll meet in person and discuss those questions together. Best of both worlds. Does that sound fair?”
Client Question: “We’re getting proposals from six companies. We’ll look at them and select three. The final three will have oral presentations.”
Consultant Response:
“That sounds familiar, and we are used to working that way. Our only goal is to come up with a solution that will truly meet your needs. Even in our first proposal we don’t want to be guessing – or to be giving you a prescription without any diagnosis. We’ll want about 20 – 30 minutes of phone conversation with each of the people who are in charge of making that first cut. You may or may not choose us for the final three – at least you’ll get our best thinking. You know your company better than I do – how do we set that up?”
See Gatekeeper Objections to respond to a variety of client responses.
Client Question: “You will have one hour to present. The first 45 minutes must be presentation and the last 15 will be Q&A”
Consultant Responses:
“May I ask you a question? How did you decide on that particular time and format? Let’s say that to make a really good decision about us and our solution, even your own people wanted two hours rather than one. How would we serve their interested and get them more time?”
No one else has asked: “Great. If they needed more time they would have asked – we can assume they don’t need more time and one hour is fine with them.”
It wouldn’t be fair: See Gatekeeper Objections. “You want to be fair to a solution that exactly meets needs and it’s not fair to expect that without enough time to explain the solution and answer in-depth questions. Give everyone more time if they ask – if they don’t ask they don’t need it – that’s fair.”
Level playing field: “Research into food decision making shows that magnifying differences allows for better decisions than homogenization. We don’t want to emulate the Government as the best at making purchasing decisions. Here’s a thought: let everyone use their own approach, and you decide which is best. For all I know, they may hate us for taking two hours instead of one. I’m just willing to take that chance.”
Client Question: “You will present on Tuesday the 10th. We have three companies presenting, and we will notify you of your time.”
Consultant Responses:
Option (Assuming you want to go last): “Thanks. I’ll mark that day out. Could I ask you a favor? To help us with some scheduling challenges, could you put us down for last that day?” (or first, wherever you want to be.)
Option (Assuming you want to go last): “Thank you. Let’s see, Tuesday the 10th, Tuesday the 10th. We may have a problem. One of our key people is already committed that day (if true), And this is a priority. Is there any way we could present at anytime on Wednesday the 11th?” (If you don’t, ask…)
(If no) “I appreciate that. Listen, could you at least let us go last in the day? We’d have a chance to rework her schedule and fly her in that day. I’d really appreciate it, and I think the selection committee would as well.”
Option (Assuming you want to go last): “Could I ask you a favor? Could you put us down last?” (If asked why…Our presentation is going to be more of a discussion than a lecture. And I think the conversations will be a lot more effective for your people if they have had the benefit of hearing the other two presentations.)
Client Question: “You will be presenting on Monday the 15th at 1:00. We will make sure you get a list of who from our company will be there at least 24 hours in advance.”
Consultant Response:
“Great. I appreciate the information. And I’ll need to ask a favor. Our understanding is that if there are people in the meeting we haven’t talked to, we’d have 15 – 20 minutes on the phone in advance of the meeting to be able to make sure the time we spend really meets their needs. And we’ll need more than 24 hours to make that happen.”
See Gatekeeper Objections for a variety of responses.
Client Question: “No one else is talking to our committee before the presentation, and it wouldn’t be fair to let you do so.”
Consultant Response: (It wouldn’t be fair: See Gatekeep Objections. We want to be fair to a solution that exactly meets needs, and it’s not fair to expect we could create such a solution without the ability to understand the unique perspective of each stakeholder. Give everyone the same opportunity if they ask – if they don’t ask, they don’t need it – that’s fair.)
Client Question: “All of the information you need is in the RFP. If you talk to anyone, you will be disqualified. If you don’t fully respond to the questions in the RFP, you will be disqualified. And since you’ve come to the party late, we will need your completed response in four days.”
Consultant Response:
(So do we want to play? How would you try to change the rules so we could talk to some people and have more time to respond?)
“Sounds like you have some pretty strict rules. And I imagine they came about for some good reasons. What led the organization to be so rigid in this regard?”
