The final step is a meeting with the client and/or clients superintendent. If the client asks to meet the contract team who will be running the project things start to get really exciting.
Strategy – I often suggest that an estimator in these meetings is better not to be there. The reasoning is if the client asks any financial queries – it gives the team an opportunity to do a little research and sometimes you can make a financial decision to try to win the project by wearing some costs or blaming the estimator and giving a deduction.
But when you are in these meetings – Know who everyone in the room and their role.
is usually the guy who signs the cheques"
After this meeting is concluded you normally have a small window of opportunity where you can re-submit, clarify, provided an alternative price (this is your last time you would see the client before a decision is made one way or another.
This is pretty important – You need to figure a way to change your price but not be seen to lower your price. This can be done by a late quote that has changed your risk on a trade, better buying from negotiation on another project, etc. But – A client will never engage if he or she believes they are getting a substandard price.
You walk into the meeting at a disadvantage as you want something. The sales part of the job is so valuable at this stage. I have witnessed the anchor of the negotiating team wall into a meeting with no chance in hell of winning the tender to somehow walk out of the meeting with a letter of intent in hand.
This is done by basic manipulating the information to a point that the client is in fear of signing with another builder.
If you wish to read more about
Tender Process – Click Here