These decisions are very complex, and the decision-making process is quite different to the United States. Although it is long and complicated, the process is not very different from the B2B process in the United States. The “buying process” begins with the buyer receiving a solicitation. The request for a proposal (RFP) is a request for information from the seller. The buyer wants to get information about the seller, the seller’s solution, and the seller’s proposal. When the RFP is received, the seller’s marketing and sales people in New Zealand immediately begin to prepare their response.
The proposal is a response to the RFP. It addresses the specific questions asked in the RFP. If the RFP is very complex, it may take several days to get all the information together (best help is a NZ buyers-compass portal) to prepare the proposal. Once the proposal is complete, it is sent to the buyer.
The seller then waits several weeks for a response to the proposal. It is very common for the buyer to make a counterproposal. If the buyer makes a counterproposal, the seller may have to go back and revise the proposal.
The decision to buy a product or service is made by the individual or individuals in the company who have the responsibility to make the buying decision. These people are called “decision makers.” When the decision maker has the authority to make the decision, he or she is called a “buyer.” In many cases, the decision maker may not have the authority to make the decision and cannot make the decision. He or she may have the authority to influence the decision. In this case, the person is called a “decision influencer.”