Streamlining the writing process and speaking with one voice at Suez Environnement Group

One of the biggest challenges with bid-writing is that there are often multiple contributors involved, which can make it difficult to maintain a unified voice.

The challenge

Recycling and Waste Recovery UK of Suez Environnement Group (formerly SITA UK) recognised they had an issue with an inconsistent writing style.

The organisation works with businesses and local authorities to reduce the impact of waste on the environment, and staff regularly compose large bids that require input from various areas of the company. Clarke O’Gara, Assistant PPP Project Manager, contacted Emphasis for help.

‘The main purpose of our department is to compose very large bids that include elements from the technical side to the more creative,’ he says. ‘As these are written by different people in different departments, we were struggling to maintain a consistent voice. We wanted to make sure that our core people had the same core writing values.’

The solution

Emphasis ran a one-day bid, tender and sales-proposal writing course, specifically tailored to the company. It was structured in two parts: the first focusing on planning, the second on technique. ‘That structure was really helpful, because it reminds you to plan effectively before you start writing,’ explains Clarke.

A few weeks after the course, the trainer returned to hold a follow-up coaching clinic with each delegate, having analysed fresh writing samples to monitor their progress. ‘The clinic was really helpful for reinforcing the overall messages,’ says Clarke. ‘It was great to have a consolidation of the overall course.’

The results

The training has made a big difference within the department, streamlining the bid-writing process and cutting down the time spent reviewing and revising.

‘We’re planning more carefully before the pen hits the paper,’ says Clarke. ‘We’re spending much less time writing and much less time reviewing, and the overall process is much quicker than before.’