Written by Werner van Rooyen
Navigating the Tender Process: Staying Calm Amidst the Pressure
In our experience within the tender landscape, we’ve met numerous entrepreneurs who become anxious when faced with responding to a tender or bid document. We’ve seen instances where nerves lead to unwise decisions. The fear of making a mistake often results in avoidable errors.
Our advice is simple: STAY CALM!
Many entrepreneurs are seasoned in their business fields, yet they often freeze when it comes to filling out a bid document. They momentarily forget their pricing strategies or the services they offer. While the tender process can feel overwhelming, it’s crucial for you and your team members to remain composed and concentrate on the task at hand.
We’ve had entrepreneurs ask us how much to charge for a product they’ve been selling for a decade! Our typical response is: “Stay calm. What do you usually charge for your product? Consider that if you win this tender, you’ll sell a significant quantity. So, you can either maintain your regular price or offer a slight discount.”
Given that most tenders operate under tight deadlines, the pressure to complete and respond can be quite stressful. Many people find it challenging to submit a tender within a 24-hour period. This is precisely when mistakes can occur, and vital details may be overlooked.
We emphasize: Remember to stay calm. Create a checklist of all necessary materials to include with your response. Our Tender Manual, available on our website www.howtotender.co.za, features a checklist that can help ensure you don’t miss anything in your bid response. You can actually use this checklist up to ten times!
Be prepared—make sure all documents required for your tender response, such as Tax Clearances and B-BBEE Certificates, are current and that you have sufficient copies of everything. Procrastinating on gathering these essential documents will only lead to panic, and at that point, telling you to stay calm may not be effective.
Consider attending our “Become a Tender Expert” two-day workshops and webinars. You can register online at www.howtotender.co.za/workshops/. If you need further information, please reach out to us at info@howtotender.co.za.