Capture Management Planning: A process that grows businesses
Would you marry someone without first going on a date? Would you go into business with someone without knowing them and trusting them first? Why capture planning is essential for your business.
KEY POINTS
- If you’re serious about pursuing new business by responding to tenders, create an action-focused Capture Management Plan
- Get senior management commitment, allocate resources and a person(s) responsible to deliver on the Plan
- Remember, you wouldn’t marry someone before going on a date, why would anyone do business with you without knowing and trusting you first?
For the client it is difficult to pick the opportunists from those genuine suppliers who want to enter an enduring, mutually-beneficial business partnership
I took a call from a major contractor recently who was frustrated at not being able to win tenders. “Seems they always do business with the same people. Can you help? I asked my caller if he’d marry someone before going on a first date. He laughed and got the point immediately. I then asked him if his Tender strategy was aligned with his Business and Marketing/Sales strategy. No laugh this time. “I have someone working on this and we’re going to employ someone full-time to do our tenders.”
Our conversation continued … if you don’t have a Business Strategy how can you pursue a Marketing and Sales Strategy? Indeed, if you don’t have a Sales Strategy how can you pursue tenders? Moreover, if you don’t have a relationship with your potential client, how can you start one in the middle of a tender response? “OK, so where do I start?”
Once a Request for Tender or Proposal document has been published, every potential supplier wants to supply you with their services; suppliers can be opportunists. For the client it is difficult to pick the opportunists from those genuine suppliers who want to enter an enduring, mutually-beneficial business partnership. This is a significant reason for going with the tried and proven relationships even if the solution is not ideal.
How can a supplier, overcome this challenge? How do you start a “courtship” with a new client to build a relationship before tender documents are published? Answer: Implement a Capture Management Plan.
What is Capture Management* Planning? It’s a process. “Capture” borrows its name from the military metaphor much like “Strategy”. Capture Management involves identifying opportunities, assessing them and dedicating resources to “capture” specific client markets and targets.
To be successful, the process should produce a written, action-focused plan, a Capture Management Plan and make someone responsible for delivering it. A wise person once said, “Goals that are not written down are just wishes.”
Writing down your goals - in this case a Capture Management Plan - is a crucial step to achieving your planned business growth for the following 3 reasons:
- 1. You demonstrate your commitment and assign resources to achieve your goals
- 2. You set priorities for your organisation and,
- 3. You measure progress against your plan
The Capture Management Planning process includes:
- 1. Implementing a Capture Management Plan (with SMART goals) to identify and ‘capture’ new business
- 2. Analysing external and internal factors, strategy development, execution and monitoring
- 3. Obtaining and maintaining senior management commitment and support
- 4. Maintaining the Plan – regular reviews
- 5. Knowing your competitors and your environment (SWAT and PEST analyses)
- 6. Appointing the right person (or team) to execute the Plan
- 7. Comprehending that the Capture Management process results in effective Tender/Proposal Management
Many business owners understand that to take the next step in growing their businesses they need to respond to, and win tenders. Most tenders are published by government; local, state and federal.
Securing a government tender can bring credibility and some financial certainty to a business. Being in the position to be considered for such tender opportunities means having a relationship with the potential client. Developing that relationship means implementing a Capture Management Plan that puts you on the client’s radar before a tender is published.
Are you content simply to dream of winning a lucrative tender, to wish for success? Or, are you willing to commit to planning your success by implementing a Capture Management Plan and taking control of your business-winning strategy? Tender Success can facilitate the planning process and help you to create a highly effective Capture Management Plan.
Rob Machin is a senior consultant for Tender Success. For more than 25 years he has assisted Australian businesses with their capture planning & management. Contact Rob to ensure your next response is a success.
