Contents

Presales Process Overview1

Roles & Responsibilities2

Writing a Winning Proposal3

Post-RFP stage4

A Generic Framework5

Presales RolesRoles

Customer Sales person Presales person Finance Solution Architect Domain Expert Technical Consultant Account Manager

Others BCP and security advisors cost accountants or estimation experts technical writers legal experts regional heads

Presales Roles

Roles Customer

A deciding authority (CEO/unit head,etc) SPOC (head of the outsourcing division,

business head, CTO, COO, etc) Other stakeholders (anyone who is

affected by the implementation of the outsourcing decision or the project)

Presales Roles

Sales person• SPOC on the vendor side for both the customer as

well as the presales person for a specific engagement

• Once the engagement is over the SPOC does not exist

Presales person• SPOC (specific to the account, geography, etc) for

both the sales as well as the practice and/or delivery for a specific engagement

• Once the engagement is over the SPOC does not exist

Presales Roles

Solution Architect, Domain Expert, Technical Consultant, Account Manager• Either a SPOC or a cross-functional team that gets

formed temporarily to provide inputs for the proposal or that creates part of the proposal

• Account Manager in some cases becomes a decision making authority or provides inputs in pricing

Finance• Provides inputs for the commercials

Presales Roles

• RFP Issue• Pre-Bid

Conference• Clarifications

on RFP• Modifications

to RFP• Identify

resources to work on RFP

• Finalise reqmts

• Shortlist vendors

• Finalise Evaluation Criteria

• Finalise Budget

• Customer presentation by vendor

• Prepare Proposal according to RFP guidelines

Pre-RFP RFP Proposal Post-RFP

• Customer Visits

• Demo of Capabilities

• Presentation• Evaluation

Presales Stages

• Customer• Sales

• Customer• Sales

• Presales

• Presales•

Practice/Delivery/ Account/ Finanance

• Sales

• Customer• Sales

• Presales

Presales Responding to specific client requests, before

RFP or after RFP Such requests could include sharing expertise

details on solutioning, case studies, competencies, etc

Preparing proposals for RFPs and RFIs and SoWs (statement of Work)

Preparing for client visits, and making presentations to customers

Supporting Sales in responding to general client queries on solutions and capabilities

Responsibilities

Responsibilities Helping Sales in converting prospects into

customers Working efficiently with internal groups such

as delivery, practices, finance, subject matter experts, etc

Supporting marketing efforts in evolving Go-to-market solutions, forming alliances with other vendors, etc

Implementing PoC Preparing and making product demos

RACI Matrix Pre-RFP

Responsible Accountable

Consulted Informed

Customer

Sales

Presales

Delivery

RACI Matrix

Responsible Accountable

Consulted Informed

Customer

Sales

Presales

Delivery

RFP

RACI Matrix Proposal

Responsible Accountable

Consulted Informed

Customer

Sales

Presales

Delivery

RACI Matrix post-RFP

Responsible Accountable

Consulted Informed

Customer

Sales

Presales

Delivery

Engaging with the ClientSales is closest to customerPresales is one step away from the

customerWhat this means

Presales engages with customer only through sales, and not directly under any circumstances

In engaging so, presales adheres to all formalities, procedures and protocols which a sales person does

To be SuccessfulA variety of SkillsThe right attitudeKnowledge of the system of which

you are a part of – the different players, their stake in the bids, etc

Know how to prioritizeContinuous follow-up is a virtueLearn to be a trusting partnerBe aware of getting setup for failures

ListeningPart of the communication processAbility to receive messages

accuratelyPaying attention

To the message How it is told Both verbal and non-verbal language Tone of voice

Pay attention To what is being said Also what is being ‘not said’

Active ListeningPay AttentionShow that you are listeningProvide FeedbackDefer judgmentRespond Appropriately

Active listening needs a high-level of self-awareness.

Types of QuestionsClosed Questions

They are quick to answer Have a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer Have a single word answer Keeps the control with the questioner

They are useful in Starting a conversation For testing the understanding For achieving closure of persuasion

Open Questions They make people think and reflect Will give you opinion and feelings Give control to the respondent

They are useful To develop a conversation, to help open up To find out more about a person’s needs,

problems To get people to realize the extent of their

problems

Types of Questions

Listening

Exercise

Communicating Content

Words and data – represent only 10%

Context Circumstances,

timing, non-verbal cues, assumptions, interpretations

Intent vs Impact Intent – what the sender is trying to communicate Impact – what the receiver is trying to receive

Communicating

CommunicatingCommunication Mindsets

‘filters’ that dramatically influence how we send and receive message

One’s orientation towards communication One’s orientation towards learning and

feedback ‘knower’, ‘learner’, ‘victim’, ‘persecutor’,

‘creator’, ‘challenger’

Facts vs Interpretations Fact – objectively verifiable truth ‘Ramesh is 32 years old’ Interpretations are subjective opinions,

beliefs, assumptionsProblem occurs when people think

their ‘opinions ‘ are objective factsMost difficult conversations are less

about objective facts and more about subjective interpretation

Communicating

Communicating

CoordinatingAchieving harmony in individual

efforts towards a common goal Responsible for planning, organizing,

staffing, directing and controllingCoordinating is a critical skills to

master when almost none of the resources involved are reporting to you directly

Convene regular team meetingsCollect, propose and organize agenda

itemsMake sure everyone has key

information Keep the group on scheduleHelp remove obstaclesReview the progress of work item

periodicallyKeep the stakeholders informed of

progress

Coordinating

Developing TrustCommunicate, whenever possible,

directlyWhen not sure of a commitment,

voice your concernsBe explicit and direct in your

communication. At the same time be sensitive to other’s opinions and feelings

Accept when you are wrongGive credit when others are right

When voicing your opinion, share your reasoning as well

Similarly, when asking for other’s opinions, ask for their reasoning

Share regular updates and feedback with people

Developing Trust

Session 2 -Summary

What did we learn

Questions