Mar. 3, 2009 - Guessing the MLS RFP Outcome

When I help an MLS organization in their system selection process I always try to guess what the final selection outcome will be after I get back the proposals (but before the final demonstrations). Reflecting on the last three RFPs where my guess was incorrect over the past few months, the following were the reasons why:

* In the first RFP, I thought they would value performance and ease of use but they prioritized robust reporting and statistical outputs.

* In the second RFP, I thought they would prioritize price, system customization capability and overall system satisfaction but they made a surprising selection and couldn't really articulate why they went the way they did - but I don't second-guess clients.

* In the third RFP, I thought they would prioritize the 'partner fit' as the two finalists fielded very competitive systems at similar prices but their impression of the system overall was the most dominent factor in their decision.

I always try to make sure clients have the most thorough information at their fingertips to make a good business decision in an MLS system selection process, but how they will weigh that information and make a final decision is always interesting and the unexpected results fascinate me.