This template of a Sales Enablement RFI has been generously donated by BPM Works, with written permission from it’s Founder, Robin Griffiths. You can review it in it’s entirety here, or download and use the Google Document version for your convenience.
Note that the team here at Coffee, Collaboration, and Enablement will extend this Sales Enablement RFI template over time based upon community feedback, but will NEVER adjust the initial document to favor one vendor over another. -The Collaborator.
It is challenging to search for Sales Enablement Solutions, especially given the varied level of understanding of Enablement and how it can help you drive efficiency, sales effectiveness, and more. This document will provide you with a solid starting point when it becomes the right time for you to begin the RFI process.
As always, if you see areas for us to improve this in any manner that leads to real value for businesses and improvement in the quality of technical proposals for vendors, please let us know.
| [company logo] |
| Name | Date | Version | Summary of changes |
Review History
| Reviewer Name | Doc Version Reviewed | Date Sent for review | Date Review Filed | Approved/Rejected (with Reasons) |
About this document………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
Chapter 1 Company Information……………………………………………………………………………………………. 5
1.1 Finance and Business Operations………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
1.2 Credentials and Contacts…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Chapter 2 Functional Capabilities…………………………………………………………………………………………. 7
2.1 Learning about Customers and Products/Propositions……………………………………………………………. 7
2.2 Finding and Tracking Sales Support Materials……………………………………………………………………….. 8
2.3 Preparing and Executing Calls and Meetings……………………………………………………………………….. 10
2.4 Generating Presentations and Other Documents………………………………………………………………….. 12
2.5 Sharing Materials with Customers………………………………………………………………………………………. 13
Chapter 3 Technical Operations and Security……………………………………………………………………. 15
3.1 Technical Operations………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15
3.2 Security……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 16
3.3 Account Management and Support…………………………………………………………………………………….. 17
Chapter 4 Indicative Pricing and Costs………………………………………………………………………………. 19
4.1 Cloud Service…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19
4.2 Onboarding and Training……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 19
The purpose of this Sales Enablement RFI document is to gather information from vendors as part of a shortlist selection process for the technology platforms you will need to evaluate.
Copyright and Distribution
This design and content contained in this document were initially developed by BPM Works Limited. BPM Works has granted permission to the Coffee, Collaboration, and Enablement website to share and update the Sales Enablement RFI template for the Enablement community and has granted permission for anyone accessing this template from Coffee, Collaboration, and Enablement to use this template either as is, or in a modified fashion, for their use in making purchasing decisions.
Finally, this content cannot be re-used as an example by any other individual, community, or business without written permission of BPM Works.
Section 1 Company Information
In this section of the Sales Enablement RFI, we want to find out about your company as we seek to identify the ideal candidate to help us meet our business objectives.
1.1 Finance and Business Operations
| Question | Vendor Response | |
| REVENUE AND FINANCING | ||
1.1.1. 1.1 |
Is your company publicly or privately held? | |
1.1.2. 1.2 |
If public on which stock exchange? | |
1.1.3. 1.3 |
Please provide revenue for the company (in USD). | |
1.1.4. 1.4 |
How is your company financed (e.g. venture capital B Series USD 50M; retained earnings)? | |
| Please provide a copy of your most recent audited 12 month accounts including profit & loss and balance sheet. | ||
| BUSINESS OPERATIONS | ||
1.1.5. 1.5 |
Provide the locations of your offices worldwide. | |
1.1.6. 1.6 |
How many members of staff do you have at each location? |
1.2 Credentials and Contacts
| Question | Vendor Response | |
| CREDENTIALS | ||
1.2.1. 1.8 |
If you already work with [company name] please provide details. | |
1.2.2. |
If you are shortlisted will you be able to provide 2 customer references for us to talk to, at companies where at least 100 sales people in their sales organization are using your solution? | |
| CONTACT INFORMATION | ||
1.2.3. 1.9 |
Please provide the name of the person who will be leading your bid for this solution. | |
1.2.4. |
What is the contact information? (email address, office phone, mobile phone, office location). |
Section 2 Functional Capabilities
In this section of the Sales Enablement RFI we want to find out about the functional capabilities of your solution. Functions to be supported by the new Sales Enablement solution are considered under the following headings:
- Learning about customers and products/propositions
- Finding and Tracking sales support materials
- Preparing and Executing calls and meetings
- Generating presentations and quotations
- Sharing materials with customers
We expect you to provide your RFP responses with maximum candor. A lack of capability in a particular area won’t necessarily result in your company not being shortlisted.
However, claiming to deliver functionality that is subsequently found not to be accurate information, or to still be under development (and you don’t disclose this), will lead to automatic disqualification from the selection process.
2.1 Learning about Customers and Products/Propositions
| Functional requirement | Question | Vendor response | |
| LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS) / KNOWLEDGE PORTAL | |||
2.1.1. 2.1 |
LMS / Portal to hold knowledge1 on customers and the company value proposition and present this on a series of web pages, hosted in the cloud | How do you create these for customers? (e.g. configured using tools provided, built from scratch using HTML5) What are the key processes you use? | |
2.1.2. 2.2 |
How do you resource this work? (e.g. internal resources, partner companies). | ||
2.1.3. |
To what extent can the customer make alterations and updates to the LMS / Knowledge Portal and how do they do this? | ||
2.1.4. 2.3 |
Users navigate content via menus and a logical page structure | Do you have an example of an LMS / Knowledge Portal you’ve built for a customer that you can show to us? | |
2.1.5. 1.4 |
Pages have links to documents hosted either on the system or elsewhere | none | |
2.1.6. 1.5 |
Sophisticated search function to find LMS / Portal pages with relevant content | What search technology do you build into LMS / Knowledge Portals? | |
2.1.7. 1.5 |
Content held in a database that is also used by the Playbook pages | Is the textual content on your LMS / Knowledge Portal pages held in a database (content management system) or just coded in HTML on the page? | |
2.1.8. 1.5 |
Support for Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Russian etc. character sets to present content on the page | Can you show an example of LMS / Knowledge Portal pages you’ve built that display Japanese, Korean and Chinese characters? | |
2.1.9. |
Access rights control | Provide a brief description of how your solution can be configured to control access rights to the LMS / Knowledge Portal | |
| INTEREST GROUPS | |||
2.1.10. 1.5 |
Ability to easily create interest groups online, where insights2 and the latest sales thinking can be shared | Is it easy for sales or marketing leaders to set one of these up and invite internal people to join? |
1 Content types: insights into industries, business activities, personas etc; insights into typical challenges by industry and persona; product information; how Company solutions link to customer challenges; competitor analysis and differentiation.
2 Including, for example, topical industry developments that can drive sales conversations in particular regions or countries.
2.2 Finding and Tracking Sales Support Materials
| Functional requirement | Question | Vendor response | |
| DOCUMENT REPOSITORY | |||
2.2.1. 1.5 |
Place to host sales support materials1 in the cloud | Do you provide your own document or content repository in the cloud or rely on a 3rd party solution? | |
2.2.2. 1.5 |
Sophisticated search function to find materials with relevant content | What search technology is built into the document repository you provide? | |
2.2.3. |
Organization of materials based on industry, persona and sales stage to allow you to browse to the relevant content | Do you have an example of a document repository you’ve built for a customer that you can show to us? | |
2.2.4. |
Access to document repository including search function within Salesforce UI | From which Salesforce screens/tabs can users access your document repository? | |
2.2.5. |
Can users access your document search functionality within the Salesforce screens? | ||
2.2.6. |
Contextual presentation of recommended materials within Salesforce e.g. materials displayed are dependent on the industry and persona and sales stage associated with the opportunity currently being viewed in Salesforce | Do you have an example of the contextual presentation of materials within Salesforce that you can show to us? | |
2.2.7. |
Access rights control | Provide a brief description of how your solution can be configured to control access rights to the Document Repository | |
2.2.8. |
Version control and document life control | Provide a brief description of the version control provided by your solution | |
2.2.9. |
Cloud storage space | Are there any limits to the overall storage space available in your cloud for our documents? | |
2.2.10. |
Support for large files | Are there any limits on individual file size that can be stored in your cloud? | |
2.2.11. |
Support for video streaming | Does the platform support the live streaming of video content? | |
2.2.12. |
Ability to elect to search other document repositories | Which 3rd party document management solutions do you currently have integrations for with fully integrated search? | |
| TRACKING CONTENT USAGE BY SALES | |||
2.2.13. |
Tracking and reporting on the usage of documents and other sales support materials by sales team members | Provide a brief description of the functionality you provide and corresponding best practices to maximize business sucess. | |
2.2.14. |
Rating feature | Can sales people submit a rating for an item? | |
2.2.15. |
Ability for users to post feedback | How do sales people provide feedback on materials? |
1 Including: white papers; product collateral; standard presentation decks; example Big Picture diagrams/infographics; case studies; videos, competitive knock-out guides; Demo prep tool
2.3 Preparing and Executing Calls and Meetings
| Functional requirement | Question | Vendor response | |
| PLAYBOOK | |||
2.3.1. |
Playbooks that present a structured guide1 on how to sell a particular proposition | How do you create these for customers? (e.g. built from scratch using HTML5; standard design templates available) | |
2.3.2. |
How do you resource this work? (e.g. internal resources, partner companies) | ||
2.3.3. |
To what extent can the customer make alterations and updates to Playbooks and how do they do this? | ||
2.3.4. |
Playbooks constructed to follow the Company sales process | Do you have an example of a Playbook you’ve built for a customer that you can show to us? | |
2.3.5. |
Playbook pages are designed to resize and adjust as necessary for viewing on small form factor devices (e.g. tablets and smart phones) | Explain how this is achieved for your Playbooks. | |
2.3.6. |
Playbooks can be distributed to and automatically updated on laptops, tablets and smart phones for offline viewing | Specify which device types are supported for offline viewing. | |
2.3.7. |
Pages have links to documents hosted either on the system or elsewhere and to relevant pages in the LMS / Knowledge Portal | Are linked documents also distributed and automatically updated on devices for offline viewing? | |
2.3.8. |
Sophisticated search function to find pages with relevant content | What search technology is built into the Playbooks you provide? | |
2.3.9. |
Content held in a database that is also used by the LMS / Knowledge Portal pages | Is the textual content on your Playbook pages held in a database (content management system) or just coded in HTML on the page? | |
2.3.10. |
Access rights control | Provide a brief description of how your solution can be configured to align with access management standards in our business. | |
2.3.11. |
Ability of local teams to easily add regional/country content | Describe how local teams would be able to add or edit content in a Playbook. | |
2.3.12. |
Support for Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Russian etc. character sets to present content on the page | Can you show an example of Playbook pages you’ve built that display Japanese, Korean or Chinese characters? |
1 The type of content would typically include: email templates; questions to ask at different points in the sales process; how to use Company content and tools; Number Plays; objection handling; Needs Analysis process checklist; Trial check list; Proposal templates
2.4 Generating Presentations and Other Documents
| Functional requirement | Question | Vendor response | ||
| COMPILATION OF PRESENTATIONS | ||||
2.4.1. |
Presentation compilation tools that allow users to make content selections, include customized content to suit a particular situation, and then create presentations to be shared via the Web or using a laptop or tablet device | Describe how a sales person would build a presentation for a particular customer meeting. | ||
2.4.2. |
Presentations can be easily customized by sales people for individual meetings | Describe how a sales person can do this on your solution. | ||
2.4.3. |
Central control can be exercised over which parts of a presentation (whole slide or content within a slide) can be edited by sales people | Describe how a content library is set up and maintained on your solution. | ||
2.4.4. |
Collaboration over presentation development | Describe how the platform supports collaboration between different users in the creation of presentations and related content processes. | ||
2.4.5. |
Presentation pages are designed to resize and adjust as necessary for viewing on small form factor devices (e.g. tablets and smart phones) | Explain how this is achieved for presentations built using your tools. | ||
2.4.6. |
Presentations can be distributed to and automatically updated on laptops, tablets and smart phones for offline viewing | Specify which device types are supported for offline viewing. | ||
| AUTOMATED GENERATION OF DOCUMENTS1 | ||||
2.4.7. |
Easy to configure document generation pages that allow users to make content selections, edit content to suit a particular situation, and then automatically generate Word documents1 and PowerPoint decks using pre-configured templates | Do you have example document generation pages and associated document templates you have configured for a customer that you can use to demonstrate this feature to us? | ||
1 Documents could include the generation of simple quotations but not major proposals, as this would require a specialist proposal builder application, which is outside the scope of this project
2.5 Sharing Materials with Customers
| Functional requirement | Question | Vendor response | ||
| DOCUMENT SHARING | ||||
2.5.1. |
Ability to select one or more documents and send links to a customer via email for them to access the items (integrated with Tracking – see below) | Explain how a sales person does this using the user interface of your application. | ||
2.5.2. |
Access to document sharing functionality within Salesforce UI and integration so that a note of items sent is automatically created in Salesforce | Explain how a sales person does this using Salesforce and which screens/tabs are used. | ||
2.5.3. |
Integration with standard email application (e.g. Outlook on Windows, Gmail) | Explain how a sales person does this and which email applications are supported. | ||
2.5.4. |
Notification / indication when an item is opened and viewed by a customer | Does the relevant sales person get a real-time indication and how is this delivered? | ||
| OPPORTUNITY PORTAL | ||||
2.5.5. |
Portal to share documents and have other interactions with customers along the sales process and beyond | Is it easy for sales people to set one of these up and invite customers and internal people to join? | ||
2.5.6. |
Support for interactive content (e.g. calculators, Prezi style presentations) | Explain how your solution could support interactive content such as an HTML5 application with an Opportunity Portal. | ||
| TRACKING CONTENT VIEWING BY CUSTOMERS | ||||
2.5.7. |
Tracking and reporting on the opening and viewing of documents (how far they have read) and other sales support materials, videos (how far they have viewed) and interactive content shared with customers | Describe which parts of this functionality your solution provides. | ||
Section 3 Technical Operations and Security
This section of the Sales Enablement RFI covers the common technical questions and technical security topics we see and hear. However, business needs vary and it is critical to get your IT and security experts involved to cover their needs fully.
3.1 Technical Operations
| Functional requirement | Question | Vendor response | |
| HOSTING AND RESILIENCE | |||
3.1.1. |
Locations | Explain where your cloud platform is hosted. | |
3.1.2. |
Facilities | Who manages the building and engineering services at your hosting locations? | |
3.1.3. |
What provisions are in place to ensure continued operation of engineering services (e.g. standby power generation, dual electrical supply)? | ||
3.1.4. |
Hardware and operating systems | Who manages the hardware and operating systems? | |
3.1.5. |
Server provision | Does your solution run on dedicated servers or a shared server farm? | |
3.1.6. |
What is the SLA with your hosting provider for the replacement of a server in the event of major hardware or software failure? | ||
3.1.7. |
Do you operate standby or mirrored servers for automatic switchover in the event of catastrophic failure (e.g. fire in the datacenter)? | ||
3.1.8. |
If you don’t operate standby or mirrored servers for automatic switchover describe the provisions you have in place for restoring service in the event of a catastrophic failure? | ||
| AVAILABILITY AND MAINTENANCE | |||
3.1.9. |
Platform availability | What percentage availability1 have you delivered over each of the last 3 years? | |
3.1.10. |
Software service upgrades | What is the normal maintenance rhythm you follow for updating the software service? | |
3.1.11. |
At what time of day do maintenance downtimes occur and typically how long is the service not available for use? |
1 Availability = Total Hours Uptime for Platform in Year / 8760. NOTE: When the platform is not available for use due to planned maintenance these hours must not be counted as Uptime for the purpose of this Sales Enablement RFI.
3.2 Security
| Functional requirement | Question | Vendor response | |
| INFORMATION SECURITY | |||
3.2.1. |
Password logon | What control can be exercised over the passwords people use and how often they are required to change them? | |
3.2.2. |
Two factor authentication | Do you offer this and if yes what options do you offer for the device? | |
3.2.3. |
Single sign-on | Can access be federated with a customer’s own authentication system? | |
3.2.4. |
Intrusion prevention | Describe what measures you have in place to prevent unauthorized access to your cloud computing platform by external hackers. | |
3.2.5. |
Describe what measures you have in place to prevent unauthorized access to data held on your servers by staff within your organization or your hosting company’s organization. |
3.3 Account Management and Support
| Functional requirement | Question | Vendor response | |
| ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT | |||
3.3.1. |
Contract length | Please describe your contract length options and impact on pricing. | |
3.3.2. |
Customer advisory board | Is there a customer advisory board that provides input to the product development roadmap? | |
| TECHNICAL SUPPORT | |||
3.3.3. |
Technical support access options | Describe the different options you provide users for accessing technical support (e.g. telephone, email, Web form). | |
3.3.4. |
Help desk SLA | Describe the response times you commit to for the different methods of accessing technical support. | |
3.3.5. |
What hours coverage do you provide for technical support (e.g. 24/7, business hours) and in which time zones? |
Section 4 Indicative Pricing and Costs
This section of the Sales Enablement RFI is used to uncover any and all costs associated with buying your Enablement solution.
4.1 Cloud Service
| Item | Price per user per annum USD | Quantity | Total cost per annum USD | |
| USE OF APPLICATION | ||||
4.1.1. |
Sales users | |||
4.1.2. |
Marketing users | |||
4.1.3. |
Admin users | |||
| TECHNICAL SUPPORT | ||||
4.1.4. |
Ongoing technical support for the use of the platform by the sales and/or marketing team | |||
4.1.5. |
Ongoing technical support for the use and set-up of the platform by admin users |
4.2 Onboarding and Training
| Item | Typical cost per item/user USD | Quantity | Total cost USD | |
| ONBOARDING | ||||
4.2.1. |
Onboarding and system set-up | |||
| TRAINING | ||||
4.2.2. |
Sales users | |||
4.2.3. |
Marketing users | |||
4.2.4. |
Admin Users |
Note – Our mission at Coffee, Collaboration, and Enablement is to develop a collaborative environment for us all to learn and grow. If you and opportunity to improve upon this Sales Enablement RFI template, to better capture business requirements, to recognize and work with new levels of security, common underlying technologies, or for any other reason that might impact how businesses think about buying new tools, please let us know so we can improve this for everyone.