Decisions are the hardest thing to make, especially when it is a choice between where you should be and where you want to be. – Unknown
As human beings we all make decisions every minute of everyday. It could be what to wear, what tool to use, how to talk to someone or which roads to take to go to work.
Some of our decisions can have a huge impact on our lives or have huge consequences. While other decisions can have little to no impact or consequences.
The timeliness of our decisions we make be it personal or business or a combination of both does have huge consequences, especially when quoting or tendering for projects.
I can hear you ask – Why Chris?
A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.” – Tony Robbins
If you are undecided on going for a quote or tender, it means you are either putting off the decision or stuck in indecision mode. Indecision mode means that you are still thinking – yes or no, which will limit all future decisions. Therefore your not taking any actions personally or professionally.
One of my favourite movies is the Karate kid,
Miyagi: Now, ready?
Daniel: Yeah, I guess so.
Miyagi: [sighs] Daniel-san, must talk.
[they both kneel]
Miyagi: Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later
[makes squish gesture]
Miyagi: get squish just like grape. Here, karate, same thing. Either you karate do “yes” or karate do “no.” You karate do “guess so,”
[makes squish gesture]
Miyagi: just like grape. Understand?
Daniel: Yeah, I understand.
Miyagi: Now, ready?
Daniel: Yeah, I’m ready.
This is the same for quotes and tenders…. A quick decision Yes or a quick decision No – will enable actions for your future.
Lets say your tender has a two week response time (some will have more, some will have less)
If you take one week to make a decision – Yes or No – that then leaves you with only one week to respond or one week of no action. Either of these decisions is right for your business.
However deciding not to respond because you took too much time to decide – has already impacted your business in either one or more missed opportunities for your business.
Deciding Yes to respond after a week of indecision – has already impacted your business. As this has now reduced your available time to respond. With less time available to craft your quote or tender – can mean that you will miss vital information or not respond putting your best foot forward.
Tenders take time, to make sure they are right, make sure you are positioning your company in the best light, making sure that you have hit the clients hot buttons, making sure that you don’t submit them late. If you don’t put your best foot forward – the consequences of taking a week to decide has already made it that you have lost the tender.
Quotes also take time, however the time factor is more around when your client was expecting your quote. Are they in a rush to get the project started. Have you already lost the quote – just because it took too long to submit it.
So in the accent of Mr Miyagi… Tendering respond, same thing. Either you tender respond “yes” or tender respond “no.” You tender respond “guess so,” … squish like a grape.
A rule of thumb for the longest time of deciding if you are going to respond to the tender. Under one Third of the response time can be used in the decision of yes or no.
If your response time including weekends is
One week – that would be maximum of 1 day.
Three weeks – maximum of 5 days
One Month – maximum of 7 days
However if it is taking you these maximum times – I would be asking the question – why are we taking so long to decide what to do. I also suggest, that for this opportunity – it is a no bid.
