An idiot bids disruptively

I'm going to take advantage of the fact that I'm probably just shouting into the dark here, so I'm going to have a bit of a rant!

DISRUPTIVE BIDS!

Twice this year I've been asked, nay forced, into doing what has been termed (by the persons asking) “a disruptive bid”. Now, dear reader, let me define a “disruptive bid” for you. A “disruptive bid” is tendering for some work which you have absolutely no chance what-so-ever of winning, at such a ridiculously low prices that the company who ultimately win the deal are put into an embarrassing and uncomfortable situation. It is also claimed that said “disruptive bid” will put the disruptive bidder in a more positive position to win work from the client in the future.

Let me, however, further define a “disruptive bid” insofar as I see it. It's something that other people can't actually be bothered to waste their own time doing but are quite happy to waste other people's. Its something that, if it were so genuinely important, they would have done themselves. In my experience a disruptive bid is nothing but something that disrupts my own time!

In essence, its the anathema of what salesmen like doing. They like putting effort into winning deals which are winnable, whilst adding value and providing benefits to their customers. Not putting effort into something they KNOW is a complete waste of time, resource and energy.

I also question the psyche of a disruptive bid from the clients outlook. Looking at things from their perspective, I'd think to myself, “Is this the sort of company we want to forge a long term relationship with, if this is the way they behave?” In one example, I've been asked to submit a bid AFTER the closing date for submission of the tender, and probably after the date the order has actually been placed, at a price lower than the expected costs of the winning bidder, and for what? Some very questionable value of future orders.

From the clients point of view, there's a phrase a friend of mine would use to describe this. He'd say it's like pissing through someone's letter box, then ringing the bell to ask them how far up the hall it went!

They'd say “They know the tender has closed. They know the order has been placed. They know the likely costs, but here they are submitting a quote at much lower costs than the ones we have ordered at. So, what will this do but potentially make us look very stupid?”

From my point of view, disruptive bids are more like an idiotic pouring of money down the drain.

In case anyone out there is listening, I won't ever be doing anymore disruptive bids........ever!

Some money being poured down the drain, earlier today...