A sales manager recently asked the Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Group on LinkedIn:

“What is the major reason as to why Procurement Managers are reluctant to provide feedback or feedback is minimal after a bid process?”

Indeed companies are often reluctant to help suppliers learn from their “mistakes”. But why? Is it a philosophical, policy or resources issue? True to form, the Group members were great about providing their own perspectives.

Some of the highlights:

Happy to help

“I am quite happy to quality provide feedback after a bid, especially to the ones that have not been successful. This then ensures both an open and transparent process as well keeps them informed as the areas they need to improve on, come next time around. I don’t and won’t share sensitive things like prices and such, but I firmly believe by providing the feedback and documenting it, also builds up a profile of the competition.”

The decision is made … and not up for debate

“All unsuccessful bidders seem to want to debate, rather than take the feedback and use it to learn how to do better. I’ve seen unsuccessful bidders not only try to shoot down the logic, but to go to the top management of the company and try to tell them why the purchasing agent made a stupid decision. The fear of that happening puts the purchasing agent in a position where, if s/he can keep unsuccessful bidders at arm’s length until they lose interest in discussing the result, life will be much easier.”

Too time consuming

“It’s usually simply the time it can take and handling the wish of the unsuccessful bidder(s)to try to overturn the decision. I always try to give some feedback to those who were close, but not to those way off. You and your team are moving on to implementation of the order and the next RFQs and ITTs - and you cannot afford to be deflected for long.”

Feedback is important and should be easy

“In my experience, conducting the debrief is straightforward if the rationale for the decision was clear and based on clear criteria. If, on the other hand, the rationale was, say, politically driven, it’s hard to explain to the losing firms.”

Subjectivity plays a part (and is hard to explain)

“As much as everyone wants to say there is an objective RFx process and outcome, there is a of course a subective side to the process. Certainly those suppliers who are unresponsive, meddlesome and/or producing inaccurate submissions are treated differently. It’s key for a supplier who has not gotten feedback to look critically at what human elements and submission data may have prevented it from going further in the process and not getting feedback.”

Where does your organization come down on the issue? Transparent and talkative? Or radio silence?

Leave your perspective in the Comments or join the Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Group and post them there.

Justin Fogarty is Managing Editor of Supply Excellence. For any questions or feedback on the blog or its contributors, Justin can be reached at jfogarty[at]ariba.com.