WSP Cantor Seinuk's Challenge
It’s a classic tradeoff: The more time you spend looking for sales leads, the less time you have to build relationships with the decision-makers – and, as a result, the less likely you are to win the business. That was the dilemma facing internationally recognized structural-engineering firm WSP Cantor Seinuk. To maximize revenue from government projects, the firm needed the fastest and easiest way possible to identify the projects it was most interested in, as well as the agency contacts to follow up with.
The Solution
The firm chose Onvia to improve their lead-generation process. "I had used Onvia's services in the past and found that it was very helpful," says Jonathan Forman, Marketing Manager for WSP Cantor Seinuk. "Many of the leads I received turned into awarded projects. When I started with WSP Cantor Seinuk, I thought Onvia's service was something that should be explored. If we win one job, then the service would pay for itself and we would have a great return on our investment."
The firm uses the Onvia Guide, which provides daily email notifications of actionable government-contracting opportunities, as well as the searchable Online Database for business-intelligence information. "There are too many organizations posting requests for proposals, qualifications, and information for us to track ourselves," says Forman. "Using Onvia, we have an easy, consolidated list sent to us every morning."
Once WSP Cantor Seinuk identifies a lead, the firm can effortlessly integrate the agency's contact information into its government-bidding process. "Depending on the outcome of an Onvia lead, a person or company will be entered into our contact database," says Forman.
The Result
"Onvia is like having a whole team of researchers working to help improve my company's bottom line," says Forman. "It is a great tool that allows us to spend more time going after work than looking for it."
Included in WSP Cantor Seinuk's daily email notifications are Advance Notices of upcoming projects and procurements, which help the firm identify the key decision makers to contact before the RFPs are issued.
"Through the pre-planning leads we have been able to develop new relationships with architects and developers we have not worked with before,” says Foreman.
