At a recent industry event, we had the opportunity to survey professional services firms about their approach to managing and showcasing their team's expertise during the proposal process. The results revealed some interesting insights about the challenges these organizations face, and the significant room for improvement in how they manage and find employee data.
1. Uncertainty when proposing project teams
One of the most insightful findings from our survey was that only ~7% reported being "very confident" in their ability to identify the right talent for specific bids. Meanwhile, 60% reported that they were only “somewhat confident,” and the remaining ~33% were “not very confident” or “not confident at all.” When preparing bids that can be worth thousands, or even millions, of dollars to their firm, you'd expect proposal teams to be highly confident in their ability to identify the right talent. However, as we see above, that often isn’t the case.
This lack of confidence actually isn't too surprising. Bid managers often rely on their personal networks and memory to identify expertise, leading to the same employees being repeatedly selected while overlooking others. Alternatively, they might refer to rudimentary Excel employee lists that often lack regular updates. The challenge becomes even more acute when searching for niche skills or specific certifications across large employee counts. Without a reliable way to search across their talent pool, firms risk missing out on showcasing their best-suited experts in critical proposals.
2. Irregular profile updates
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Adding to this challenge is the alarming frequency—or lack thereof—of profile updates. Our survey revealed that over 50% of organizations only update their consultant resumes and CVs annually, with another 20% updating even less frequently. This statistic goes some way to explaining the uncertainty in project team identification. After all, how can you trust your ability to find the right candidates when the underlying information is outdated?
The reasons for infrequent updates are numerous. Consultants lack clear processes for updating their information and often struggle with conflicting versions across various documents and systems. Without an intuitive system for updates, maintaining current information becomes a burden rather than a routine task. The result is that new skills, certifications, and project experiences often go undocumented for months, creating blind spots for proposal managers.
3. Grappling with legacy software
Underpinning both of the challenges described above is this overarching statistic: 78% of firms still rely on SharePoint and static documents to manage their employee data. This dependence on legacy systems and traditional file storage methods is the key reason why firms still struggle with resume/CV management and project team identification.
Static documents stored in SharePoint create a perfect storm of inefficiency. They're difficult (or impossible) to search across, prone to versioning issues, and offer no standardized way to input or update information. It's no wonder teams lack confidence in their ability to identify the right talent when their tools aren't fit for purpose.
The Solution: Flowcase
This is where Flowcase comes in. By replacing static documents with a dynamic, searchable database, we're transforming how firms manage and leverage their talent information. Our platform makes it easy for professionals to update their profiles with new skills and experiences, while powerful search capabilities allow bid teams to quickly filter across their entire talent pool based on specific criteria. The result? Bid managers can pinpoint the perfect candidates for each proposal with confidence, knowing they're working with current, accurate information.
Summary
When dedicated technology is available, the days of hoping you've found the best available talent for your bid should be over. With the right tools and processes in place, firms can place themselves in the small 6% group who are “very confident” that they're putting forward their strongest possible team for every opportunity.
To learn more about improving your talent management and identification, book a demo with one of our experts.
