How to write a business proposal and advocate for your team of EAs
As Executive Assistants, you make everyones’ lives easier but what about your own? Oftentimes, EA teams aren’t given much of a budget and need to go through IT or their Executives to get budget allocation. You are as deserving as any other team to have resources and tools to support your day-to-day lives, but convincing your organization to invest in new software can be challenging. This is where a well-crafted business proposal comes in. They are a very persuasive, professional and empowering way to ask for what you and your team need and why!
Throughout the years, we’ve met executive assistants looking for guidance on how to gain buy-in for resources for their team. And we’ve had the privilege of working with some amazing EAs and Admin Managers who know exactly how to advocate for their team. We’ve partnered with TriNet, a full service HR solution provider and power user of Cabinet, to show you what a successful business proposal looks like. TriNet has been using Cabinet for over a year, and they recently renewed their license with a killer business proposal. They have an incredible team of executive assistants, and like Cabinet, were excited to help other EAs thrive and ask for what they deserve.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the main ingredients to a successful business proposal.
(Note: if you want to jump directly to the Business Proposal Template TriNet used to get approval for Cabinet, scroll to the very bottom.)
1. Problem Statement:
Start by clearly stating the main challenge your team is facing and go into detail on the factors that have been contributing to the problem. Describe the impact of these challenges on the business and outline what kind of solution is needed to solve the problem (the new tool!). Specify the features of the ideal solution and mention any actions you might’ve already taken and/or the next steps.
(Here is an example from TriNet Below)
In our company, the complexity of scheduling for our leaders and executives has become a significant challenge due to the multitude of priorities and tasks in play. Our team of executive assistants is responsible for coordinating meetings, appointments, and events for numerous executives, each with their own distinct priorities and time constraints. This complexity is exacerbated by:
- Frequent last-minute changes and urgent requests.
- Conflicting schedules and overlapping commitments.
- The need to coordinate with external partners and stakeholders.
- Managing various time zones for global operations.
- Ensuring all scheduled activities align with strategic objectives.
Our executive assistants have had to rely on manual processes and basic calendaring tools, which are inadequate for managing the dynamic and multifaceted nature of our scheduling needs. This results in inefficiencies, errors, and missed opportunities that can impact the productivity and effectiveness of our leadership team.
To address these challenges, we need an advanced scheduling software solution designed to streamline and automate the scheduling process for our executive assistants. The ideal solution would offer:
- Real-time availability tracking and automatic conflict resolution.
- Integration with existing tools and platforms used by our team.
- Advanced features for managing priorities and setting scheduling rules.
- User-friendly interface.
- Robust reporting and analytics to monitor scheduling efficiency and identify improvement areas.
We have already implemented a scheduling software solution aimed to enhance the productivity of our executive assistants, ensure seamless coordination of our leaders' schedules, and ultimately drive better outcomes for our company.
2. Qualitative Outcome:
In this section, start with a high-level statement summarizing the positive impact the new solution will have on the business. Then, break it down into specific qualitative improvements. Finally, tie your argument together by including a concluding summary that relates these qualitative outcomes to the larger business strategy.
(Here is an example from TriNet Below)
With this advanced scheduling software, our company will achieve significant improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of our scheduling processes, leading to several key qualitative outcomes:
- Enhanced Productivity of Executive Assistants:some text
- With automated scheduling and real-time availability tracking, executive assistants will spend less time on manual coordination and more time on strategic tasks. This shift will increase their overall productivity and allow them to better support our executives.
- Improved Executive Coordination and Collaboration:some text
- The software's ability to manage conflicting schedules and align priorities will ensure that our leaders have more coherent and coordinated schedules. This will facilitate better collaboration, more productive meetings, and timely decision-making.
- Increased Responsiveness and Agility:some text
- The dynamic nature of the software will enable our team to handle last-minute changes and urgent requests more efficiently. This increased responsiveness will help our company adapt quickly to evolving business needs and opportunities.
- Optimized Use of Time and Resources:some text
- Advanced features for managing priorities and setting scheduling rules will ensure that our leaders' time is used optimally, focusing on high-impact activities. This will lead to better resource allocation and higher strategic alignment.
- Increased Employee Satisfaction and Reduced Stress:some text
- A user-friendly interface and automated conflict resolution will reduce the stress and workload on our executive assistants, leading to higher job satisfaction and retention. Satisfied employees are more likely to be engaged and perform at their best.
- Data-Driven Insights for Continuous Improvement:some text
- Robust reporting and analytics capabilities will provide valuable insights into scheduling patterns and efficiency. These data-driven insights will enable us to continuously refine our processes and identify areas for improvement, driving long-term operational excellence.
By leveraging the advanced scheduling software, our company will not only streamline its scheduling processes but also achieve a higher level of operational efficiency, improved collaboration, and enhanced overall performance. This will support our business goals and drive sustainable growth and success.
3. Spend:
This is where to lay out how much this tool is going to cost. Contracts can range by price per seat, monthly cost, or annual or multi-annual contracts. You could also outline the total spend for the entire duration, and break it down into relevant time periods. If you’re renewing a contract, providing context of past spend will show you did your due diligence. Is the price lower this year? Amazing! Did the price go up? Why? Is this going to cost the same as last year? Great. If you have any discounts or savings you can take advantage of to reduce costs, mention that here.
(Here is an example from TriNet Below)
__ year renewal – $_____/per license/year totaling $_____ or $_____ per year. We’d like to take advantage of a 2-year renewal, to lock in our rate with an applied 10% discount.
4. Business Impacts:
You’ve outlined the positive impact your team will have by using this tool in the Qualitative Outcomes section. This is where you explain the potential negative impacts the business will experience from not using this tool. Some examples of impacted areas may include productivity, efficiency, and collaboration. And don’t forget to be specific and data-driven, emphasizing the operational and strategic costs of not implementing the tool.
(Here is an example from TriNet Below)
- Decreased Productivity of Executive Assistants:some text
- Without the advanced scheduling software, executive assistants will revert to manual processes and basic calendaring tools. This will significantly increase their workload, reducing the time they can spend on strategic tasks and diminishing their overall productivity.
- Increased Scheduling Conflicts and Errors:some text
- The lack of real-time availability tracking and automated conflict resolution will lead to more scheduling conflicts, overlapping commitments, and errors. This will result in missed or double-booked appointments, causing frustration and inefficiencies.
- Reduced Executive Coordination and Collaboration:some text
- Manual scheduling processes make it more challenging to coordinate and align executive schedules effectively. This will hinder collaboration, slow down decision-making, and negatively impact the overall coherence of leadership activities.
- Slower Responsiveness and Agility:some text
- Handling last-minute changes and urgent requests without the support of advanced scheduling features will be more time-consuming and error prone. This will reduce the company's ability to respond quickly to evolving business needs and opportunities.
- Inefficient Use of Time and Resources:some text
- Without the software's advanced features for managing priorities and scheduling rules, the use of executives' time may become less optimized. This will lead to suboptimal resource allocation and potentially lower strategic alignment.
- Increased Employee Stress and Decreased Satisfaction:some text
- The additional workload and stress associated with manual scheduling will impact the job satisfaction of executive assistants. Increased stress can lead to burnout, higher turnover rates, and reduced overall employee morale.
- Lack of Data-Driven Insights:some text
- Without robust reporting and analytics, the company will lose valuable insights into scheduling patterns and efficiency. This will hinder the ability to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to enhance operational processes.
- Potential for Strategic Misalignment:some text
- Inefficient scheduling can lead to misalignment of executive activities with strategic objectives. This misalignment can impact the company's ability to execute its strategic plans effectively, ultimately affecting its competitive position and growth.
- Negative Impact on Company Reputation:some text
- Frequent scheduling mishaps and coordination issues can damage the company's reputation, especially when dealing with external partners and high-profile stakeholders. This can affect the company's credibility and reliability.
[For Renewals]
5. License Structure:
If your business proposal is for relicensing an existing tool, explaining how the tool has been used is valuable information for your case. Start by outlining the current number of people using the tool, specifying the roles or departments and the percentage of utilization. Keep it simple and factual, focusing on how the tool is currently deployed across the organization. You could even estimate the future demand for licenses based on projected growth, new hires, or expanded use of the tool. If the tool allows for flexibility, like reallocating licenses when team members leave or change roles, highlight how you would manage the licenses efficiently. And don’t forget to state any processes or teams involved in regularly evaluating license needs, as this can help build trust in your proposal.
(Here is an example from TriNet Below)
Current Licensing: 29 licenses for Admin and Sr. Executive Assistants, with 100% utilization.
Need for Additional Licenses: Anticipating 3-5 more licenses over two years due to SLT growth and headcount increases.
Challenges: Leaders are on a waitlist for admin support due to current bandwidth limits.
Growth Plan: Working with PBP and People Org Design to assess headcount needs.
License Flexibility: Licenses can be reassigned in case of attrition or team changes.
Now you’re ready to go and advocate for you and your team! I hope this gave you lots of ideas on what to include in your business proposal. Remember, each proposal is specific to your team and company, so don’t be afraid to give context and shape the proposal to reflect YOUR use case.
And finally, here are the templates from TriNet for First-Time Purchasers of Cabinet and Cabinet Renewals.
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