If I had just one day as CEO, I’d focus on something with lasting impact for the bid team: aligning our organisation’s core offering with what customers actually ask for in bids.
Some organisations do listen to their bid teams. But a recent poll (and a lot of anecdotes) suggests bid teams often have little or no input into shaping the services and products they’re asked to bid. Yet every tender specification, customer question, and piece of feedback contains rich insight into what the market values. As capture practice grows, that insight will only deepen.
Too often, though, organisations dismiss this intelligence. A lost bid is blamed on weak writing or poor win themes – when in reality bid teams see, often more clearly than anyone, where offerings fall short and how competitors are positioned. We’re on the front line of customer expectations.
So, here’s how I’d spend my single day as CEO.
Morning: Ask the head of bidding to present a rapid analysis of customer specifications, questions, and feedback from both wins and losses. I’d want their view on what needs to change in our offering to improve scores and win rates.
Lunchtime: Bring the senior leadership team together – finally a good use of “return to office.” We’d discuss the findings with sales and business development to add their perspective.
Afternoon: Work with directors from across the organisation to turn the analysis into a clear improvement plan with priorities, investment needs, timelines, and measures of success. The goal is simple – equip the bid team with the strongest possible offering, based on evidence of real customer demand.
Of course I’d make sure there was plenty of coffee, and pizza if the meeting goes on into the evening – just to help the team feel what it’s like to work on a bid.
And, when the CEO returns tomorrow, they’ll inherit a roadmap for innovation and growth grounded in what customers truly want. Even if their first comment is: “I didn’t know we had a bid team.”
Nigel Thacker
Nigel has been a leader in our profession for over two decades and now runs Rebidding Solutions. He has published two books on rebidding and has presented at APMP events and conferences in the UK and USA. He has trained managers in bidding and wider management skills across the globe, created the online course ‘Management and Leadership Skills for Bidders’ under the mybidcareer branding and is a mentor on the APMP UK Rapport mentoring programme.
