Selecting a vendor to work with when outsourcing your customer service program is a huge decision and entails a lot of research and consideration. A request for proposal (RFP) helps simplify the decision-making process.
An RFP is a summary of your call center needs and requirements and is used to solicit bids from potential vendors. By issuing an RFP, you help ensure vendors provide the answers and information you need to properly compare candidates and choose the best vendor for the job.
It also reduces the time spent considering glossy pitches that look great on paper but fail to truly address your needs, as well as asking for additional information that you need to make your decisions.
But for your RFP to be effective, it must be clear and ask the right questions. To help you with this task, here is an example of what you should include in your RFP to help you find the right customer service partner.
The first thing you will want to include in your RFP is a description of your business and what you are looking for. This will help vendors determine whether they are a good fit for your business and help them address the information that’s most relevant to you.
Next you want to tell potential vendors how to submit responses. This includes the channel for submitting responses, such as an email, online form, paper copy, etc. If using email or hardcopy submission processes, be sure to include the contact information of the vendor’s main contact, such as their email or physical address.
In addition to this information, you will need to include a due date, any formatting requirements, what needs to be submitted and a contact for vendor questions.
You also want to explain that any failure to meet these response guidelines may result in rejection of the submission.
#3 - Responsibilities and confidentiality
To ensure both you and your vendor’s business information is kept safe, you may also want to include phrasing explaining that:
You can also include other legal and financial stipulations in this section that will help avoid any issues in the future. An example may be that costs associated with responding to the RFP are the responsibility of the vendor and your company will not be charged in any way.
#4 - Evaluation and selection
This section will explain your criteria for selecting a vendor. Generally, you’ll want to state that your criteria includes multiple factors. This can include price, qualifications, quality and anything else you deem appropriate in the situation. You can also stipulate that vendors must demonstrate their product before any final decisions are made.
You should also include phrasing that ensures your right to prioritize or adjust requirements in the best interest of your business.
#5 - Vendor response
This is when you get to the good stuff. In this section, you will ask your vendors questions so that you can collect the information you need to make the best decision possible. What information you collect will depend on your specific needs, but can include:
Vendor information
Implementation
Support and ongoing service
Security
Depending on your specific call center needs, this information can be expanded upon or condensed. The goal is to ensure you have the information you need to make the best decision possible.
Interested in learning more about building an RFP that can help you find the right otusourced contact center for your specific business requirements? Download our free contact center RFP tool kit today.