“Always deliver more than expected.” Larry Page once said that. You might know Larry—he’s the co-founder of a little company called Google.
A response to an RFI is both time-consuming and time-sensitive. Often, the goal becomes to simply get the response done on time. While the deadline must be met, such a perspective creates less than optimal results.
You want your RFI response to be best-in-class—not a missed opportunity. To differentiate yourself from competitors, you must craft an RFI response with polished, succinct content and enough detail to make a lasting impression.
This paradigm shift toward content quality only happens with efficient time management. RFI software is here to help you save time and always deliver more than expected.
Treat your RFI response like a project
An RFI response is not simply a big document answering a lot of questions. In many ways, proposal management is really just project management in disguise. An RFI is a priority project that will get you closer to your organization’s goal of winning the business.
To achieve that goal, how do you get your resources involved? How do you have a kickoff meeting? Such project creation workflow is a foundational step to starting your project off right—and your project is your RFI response.
RFPIO is a straightforward response management platform that handles the full RFx response project lifecycle. It’s not just RFP software—it’s RFI software, RFQ software, security questionnaire software, and a collaboration and content management platform.
RFPIO’s patented import functionality eliminates time-consuming administrative tasks. Intake requests align your RFI response project with the capabilities, scope, timing, and resources available in a standardized way.
Best of all there is no more copying, pasting, transposing, and reformatting. It’s all done in the same place, freeing up your time to create concise, quality content.
Use RFI software to distinguish your organization
Responding to an RFI is the time to distinguish your organization from the competition. Because RFIs typically occur at the earliest stage of the requesting company’s buying process, these documents serve as a way to filter and narrow down the playing field of competitors.
You don’t close business with a response to an RFI, but you might earn a place in the next stage of the sales cycle. Here are a few ways RFI software helps your team shine.
RFI response import
All of your RFI response answers are the raw data, but you need to create an outline or framework for your response. RFI software helps you set your RFI response apart from the pack by generating a cleanly drafted, polished, and professional proposal format.
RFPIO’s patented import process configures the RFI itself inside the platform and identifies the sections, questions, instructions, descriptions, subsections, and all the things you need to ensure a concise and thorough response.
RFI response export
88% of RFPIO clients use our response management platform to process RFI responses. In this same survey, half of our users voted the import/export functionality as their favorite feature. Formatting and finalizing RFIs manually is one of the most time-consuming tasks. Fonts, bullet points, headers, and images are disjointed—not the way to “deliver more than expected,” right?
When you use RFI software to export your document, you’ll stand head and shoulders above the rest. You have the ability to tailor your RFI response content and format to your specific prospect, all in a professional and corporate-branded template that RFPIO creates for you.
RFI response Content Library
Research shows that the number one key success factor to winning proposals is having a comprehensive content library. RFPIO’s Content Library is searchable and the recommendation engine gives you key informational responses.
You can even use the content management strategies and feature functionality to differentiate your content based on response type, culling only RFI responses for your answers. With this technological advantage, you have extra time to zero in on quality and distinguish yourself from the crowd. You will achieve your goal—moving on through the ranks and closer to winning business.
Have your end goal in mind
When your company receives a Request for Information (RFI), what is your end goal? Know where you’re going, so you know how to proceed.
Your RFI response should embody the essence, mission, and culture of your company. Obviously, one person cannot answer all the questions to create this important final product. Knowing who to bring in from your organization to provide accurate and impactful RFI response content is key. Collaboration and input is everything.
With RFPIO’s unlimited user licensing model, we have a platform built around the idea that this is going to take a group effort. We make collaboration friendly and easy, so you can craft the best possible answers to demonstrate your unique value.
Responding to an RFI is an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to new revenue opportunities. RFPIO helps efficiently manage your RFI response project from start to finish, accomplishing your end goal…getting one step closer to winning the business.
