Is it Me? (Work-related Grumble)

[IsItMe]

Obviously had to change my name for this or P45 will land on my desk sooner than I want it to.

I manage a client who has asked us to pitch for a different area of their business. It's not an area that I am familiar with but I have to write the proposal and present. Great!

Their invitation to tender is very specific in that it requires certain services and methods of delivering these services. We can't meet these needs as although the product is a core business area for us, we only deliver it in one way. So, to my mind, we stand no chance of winning the business - I know my client and I know that they will think we are wasting their time, when we present our proposal to them. The project team I've pulled together think the same and are all peeved that so much time and effort will be needed on a fruitless exercise.

So I speak to my boss and without wanting to sound too negative, I put my thoughts forward that there is going to be about two weeks worth of work for 4 people to pull this together. His response?

"We have to win this business. Plain and simple".

Err - HOW?????? We can't deliver their requirements. We're going to be more expensive than their current or other potential suppliers.

Is it Me?

No, It's him!

IsItMe - if the client has asked you to pitch, the client has asked you to pitch. Just give it your best shot.

so it is me then!!! I just can't see the logic in expending time and energy on something we can't deliver. dh says I just have to play the game (and get off mumsnet and concentrate in the proposal instead)

Is there no way you can deliver the services required by a different method?

No, don't get me wrong, the whole thing sucks (I know, I used to do client work and a lot of it was just bloody Mission Impossible the whole time). But I got to the point where rather than try and convince clients/bosses that it was Mission Impossible, it was easier just to do what they wanted even if it made no sense at all.

So no, it's not you, it is them, but hey, just go along with it...

It isn't you it's the bl*y client. I'll bet he knows what you'll come up with but also might be holding back a few bits of info to himself.

All you can do is your job, if you don't win the business you don't win the business, that is not an offence :0

Does the client know that you don't work in this area?

I do madly sympathise, as I used to have similar conversations with all sorts of bosses.

No -it's not you. Can you not do a brief gap analysis between what you can provide and the requirements that your client has already given and tell your boss that unless he can persuade the area in question to change their method of delivery there is no chance of you winning - and mention that presenting something to this client that so obviously ignores their requirements will just p them off?

message withdrawn

My contact at the client knows but the Tender is issued at Head Office level and dealt with by a separate team within the client company. Anyway, I guess you're all right - I just have to get on with it(stop messing about on mumsnet ) and do the best I can.

To top it all , my boss is off on holiday when we have to present and I've asked if someone senior from that part of the business can attend and been told maybe.

I have to close this thread as I've just had an email telling me I've been "rumbled" (nicely warning me to stop).

Thanks for your words though