What Every Sales Team Gets Wrong About RFPs

From Fire Drills to Forward Motion

For many sales teams, RFPs still feel like a fire drill. They’re something to survive—fast, chaotic, and reactive. But here’s the truth: when rushed and treated as a last-minute task, RFPs don’t just risk deals. They erode trust.

I’ve heard the line more times than I can count. I’ve said it myself:
“Just give them anything.”

I still remember the last time a sales rep came to me and said,
“Hey Ben, can you help me with this RFP—just one last time?”
I nodded—but I knew there wouldn’t be a last time. Because there never is.

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The RFP Loop: Patchwork, Pressure, and Burnout

The cycle is always the same:

• Pulling content from six different teams
• Filling gaps while someone’s out on PTO
• Piecing together outdated answers
• Missing deadlines
• Losing momentum

Eventually, it doesn’t feel collaborative—it feels like being nagged to “finish your part.” It’s exhausting. And somehow, we keep doing it. Again and again.

When RFPs are treated this way, responses feel generic. Buyers notice. And the opportunity to actually differentiate is gone.

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We Needed Jetsons-Level Solutions for Flintstones-Era Problems

That’s been my line for years, and it still holds up.

My grandfather used to complete RFPs for Lockheed Martin—on a typewriter. Decades later, we’re doing them with AI.

But here’s the catch: most RFP tools don’t feel like the future. They’re new tech duct-taped onto the same broken workflows. Flashy UI, same chaos behind the scenes.

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Why Iris Is Different

We built Iris because we’ve lived through this mess. We know what it’s like to chase down subject matter experts at midnight. We’ve scrambled through Slack threads trying to get something—anything—over the line.

We didn’t want to just automate RFPs. We wanted to fix the process entirely.

Unlike generic AI tools or fragile custom builds, Iris delivers:

• Deterministic AI trained only on your internal, approved content
• Zero hallucinations, and no risky web-sourced data
• Real collaboration—tag teammates, assign reviews, and track progress
• Clear audit trails for every answer, so compliance isn’t a blocker
• Dynamic knowledge base that evolves with every response

Iris isn’t a new layer on top of an old problem—it’s a different foundation altogether.

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Leave the Fire Drill Behind

RFPs don’t have to be a burden. When done right, they become a strategic advantage. At Iris, we’re helping teams move from chaos to clarity—and finally make RFPs work the way they’re supposed to.

👉 Ready to see how Iris can help your team win faster and work smarter? Schedule a demo

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