The Proposal System Dilemma

I recently attended a spring RFP conference held for asset management RFP/Proposal teams. As normally happens at these events, the sidebar and lunch table conversations really spoke to what the current shop-talk buzz is about. The conversation nearly always starts with “What content management system do you use?”

There has been some reduction in providers that most larger firms use. Moving away from past front-runners, teams are settling on just a handful of providers or choosing to build an in-house solution. The talk then turns to how teams are implementing the new system, what are the tips and tricks to know, and what unanticipated hurdles are teams facing.

The one message that is loud and clear though crowded discourse: Getting a new system or software does not immediately solve all your problems.

Benefits are to be had, for sure. New functionality, artificial intelligence and forward-thinking development all promise great things to come. But the conversion learning curve is a real challenge for teams that are already stretched thin. Conversion reality, training demands and simple change-management drag team productivity for longer than anticipated. Because most all system providers tout workflow productivity gains, production efficiencies and freeing up workload capacity, the reality of what it takes to move from point A to point B and realize the promised benefits can be a shock to the system.

The takeaway from this conference gabfest is that no one that I spoke with or listened to has it figured out and that is the current state of affairs in the industry. Don’t be disheartened.

The challenge is how to present this to your C-suite that expects immediate results. And that is a topic for a future article.