20+ Must-Have Questions for an Intranet RFP

Selecting a new intranet solution for your organization requires meticulous consideration and a profound understanding of your needs and the capabilities of potential intranet vendors. If your company requires an RFP (request for proposal) process for software, this is the guide you need. 

Let's dive into an in-depth exploration of the frequently asked questions regarding intranet solutions, focusing on LumApps' distinctive approach to these vital aspects. 

This comprehensive RFP guide offers both general advice and specific insights into how LumApps adeptly addresses these critical concerns. If you're preparing an intranet request for proposal, this article is a must-read.

When your organization grows, your intranet must grow with it. Scalability is a critical factor in choosing an intranet solution, ensuring that as your business expands,  your intranet can grow with you. 

You should look for the ability to add new users, multi-site functionality for new brands or locations, and content efficiently, scale up features and functions, and maintain high performance under heavier loads. Plus, you should look for an intranet with a product roadmap with interesting growth and new or enhanced features coming in the near future. 

Questions to ask: 

1. How can your intranet solution be customized to meet our specific business needs?
2.  How does the platform support scalability as our company grows?
3. How many users can the platform support? 
4. Do you offer multi-site functionality? 
5. Can you connect employees who do not have a Microsoft or Google account? 
6. How does your platform support deskless workers or frontline employees?
7. What languages does your platform support?
8. What level of governance do you provide?
9. Can a LOB or a department manage their own intranet space/page?
    

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

LumApps understands that scalability is the backbone of a successful intranet project. Our platform is built on cloud technologies that offer unmatched flexibility and scalability. This means that whether your company doubles in size, expands internationally, or increases its operational complexity, LumApps' intranet solution effortlessly scales to meet these evolving needs. If you acquire a company using a different platform (i.e.: collaborative suite), we can connect your employees; we are built to support large enterprise companies, which positions us to support complex organizations with features like multi-site capabilities.  

Our cloud infrastructure ensures that additional resources are available on-demand to handle increased traffic and data storage requirements, guaranteeing a seamless user experience at all times.
 

Modern organizations use a plethora of systems and software, from CRM and ERP to HR management systems. An intranet's ability to integrate with these existing tools is paramount, as it reduces information silos, enhances productivity, and creates a more cohesive digital workspace. Effective integration facilitates seamless workflows and ensures that employees have access to the tools and information they need without constant platform switching.

Questions to ask: 

1. What existing systems and software (like HR, Support, CRM, and ERP systems) can your intranet solution integrate with?
2.  How does the integration and implementation process work, and what are the typical challenges?
3. Do you integrate with Microsoft or Google?

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

At LumApps, we place a premium on integration capabilities. Our intranet platform is designed to be the central hub of your digital workplace, with an open platform that offers a portfolio of built-in connectors that integrate deeply with a wide array of systems and software, including Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, and a no-code studio for any company to develop their own integrations when needed. 

Our approach is not just about data sharing but creating a unified workspace where information and tools from these systems are integrated directly into the user's daily workflows. This reduces friction, enhances efficiency, and ensures that employees have immediate access to the resources they need.

 

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An intranet's success largely depends on its adoption by employees. A user-friendly experience, characterized by intuitive navigation, personalized content, and accessibility across devices and operating systems, is crucial. It ensures that all employees, regardless of their tech proficiency or location, can fully engage with the platform, fostering collaboration and communication across the organization. 

You should look for personalization features to ensure that employees see relevant content and tools based on their role, location, and preferences, making the intranet more relevant and useful for each user. LumApps features also contain automated translation in different languages, text-to-speech functionalities for visually impaired employees, among others.

Questions to ask: 

1. How does your Intranet software ensure a user-friendly experience for all employees? 
2. Is the platform accessible on various devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, PCs) and operating systems?
3. Do you have a mobile app?
4. Can this mobile app be branded (app name, icon, and push notifications)? 
5. What languages do you support?
6. How do you support deskless employees, frontline workers, or employees on the go?
7. What types of personalization and notification features do you include for employees? 
    

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

LumApps prioritizes the user experience above all else. In fact, our user experience was highlighted by Gartner in the Magic Quadrant for Intranet Packaged Solutions. Our intranet is simple and intuitive for anyone to use without advanced technical skills. 

We include a variety of personalization features such as the ability for employees to designate their preferred method of contact. Taking that a step further, you can create employee segments that allow you to send company announcements based on profile factors so employees always receive timely, relevant information. 

LumApps offers a mobile app that is accessible on any device, ensuring that employees can stay connected whether they are in the office, working from home, or on the go. Our web and mobile interface is compatible with the following languages: Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. We support content contribution in more than 50+ languages.
 

In an era where data breaches are rampant and privacy concerns are paramount, the security measures and data protection protocols of an intranet solution are of utmost importance. A robust intranet platform should employ advanced encryption, comply with international data protection regulations like GDPR, and provide comprehensive access control and auditing capabilities to safeguard sensitive company and employee information. 

With generative AI empowering the most advanced intranets with new automation capabilities for employees and contributors, it’s also important the intranet vendor guarantees your intellectual property and sensitive company information doesn’t go outside of your walls when used in prompts.   

Questions to ask: 

1. What security measures and data protection protocols does your intranet solution employ?
2.  How do you handle data privacy and compliance with regulations like GDPR?
3. How secure is your generative AI technology?
    

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

Security and data protection are foundational elements of LumApps' intranet solution. We implement state-of-the-art encryption, both in transit and at rest, and our platform is designed from the ground up to comply with GDPR and other international data protection standards. 

We offer granular access controls and auditing features, allowing organizations to meticulously manage who has access to what information and track how that information is used. This comprehensive security approach ensures that your data is protected at all levels, giving you peace of mind and safeguarding your organization's most valuable assets.

LumApps employs artificial intelligence (AI) with a keen focus on maintaining strict data privacy and security measures. Within the framework of LumApps' intranet, employees frequently engage with AI-driven features to streamline their workflows and enhance productivity. However, it's important to note that the prompts and interactions initiated by employees on this platform are carefully contained within the company's private infrastructure. 

 

An intranet should be more than just a repository of information; it should be a dynamic platform that facilitates collaboration and communication among employees. Features such as social networking capabilities, team spaces, chat functions, and video conferencing integration are essential for supporting a collaborative culture, especially in today's increasingly remote and hybrid work environments.

Questions to ask: 

1. What tools and features does your intranet offer to facilitate collaboration and communication among employees? 
2. How do these tools support remote and hybrid work environments?
3. Do you support video announcements and video management?

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

LumApps is committed to fostering a connected and engaged workforce. Our intranet solution is equipped with a rich set of collaboration and communication tools designed to bring teams together, no matter where they are located. 

From integrated social networking features that encourage sharing and interaction, to team spaces that facilitate project collaboration, LumApps ensures that your employees have a comprehensive suite of tools at their fingertips to collaborate effectively and build a strong corporate culture.

Effective internal communication is not just about sharing information; it's about ensuring that the right people receive the relevant information at the right time in a format and channel that appeals to them. LumApps enables organizations to deliver targeted, media-rich communication campaigns, ensuring that messages reach their intended audiences efficiently. The campaigns feature allows you to segment employees based on various criteria, such as role, location, department, and more, making it easier to tailor communications and drive engagement across the organization.
 

Effective search functionality is critical for an intranet's usability. Employees should be able to quickly find the information they need, whether it's documents, contacts, or specific content within the platform. Advanced AI-based search capabilities, including filtering options and natural language processing, enhance productivity and ensure that the intranet serves as an efficient knowledge base for the organization.

Questions to ask: 

1. How effective is the search functionality within your Intranet? 
2. Can it easily retrieve documents, conversations, and other content types from across the platform? 
3. Can it connect to and index content from 3rd-party platforms such as Workday or ServiceNow? 

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

LumApps recognizes the importance of powerful search functionality. Our search engine is built with advanced algorithms and natural language processing to deliver fast, accurate results. 

We provide sophisticated filtering options that allow users to narrow down their searches based on various criteria, ensuring that they can quickly find exactly what they need. 

LumApps is also focused on improved search with AI features, such as the possibility to use natural language (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLM) for a various number of uses, such as: 

• Summarized answers
• Predictive search
• Personalized recommendations
• Knowledge discovery
• Content generation
• AI-based search adapted to customer context 

All of those features have been added to provide the best employee experience and an intranet platform aligned with today’s technologies and work environment. 

This capability is more than just a convenience; it's a critical tool for enhancing productivity and ensuring that the wealth of knowledge within your organization is fully leveraged.

 

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A robust content management system (CMS) is a key feature of any intranet solution, allowing for the easy creation, management, and distribution of content. This includes not just text and documents but also multimedia content like images and videos. Effective content management systems offer granular permissions and access controls, content scheduling, and version control, ensuring that the right content reaches the right audience at the right time.

Questions to ask:

1. How does your Intranet solution support content management? 
2. Is there a way to control permissions and access to sensitive information?

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

LumApps' intranet platform includes a powerful CMS that empowers your organization to create, manage, and share content with ease. Our CMS is designed to support a wide variety of content types, from traditional documents to rich multimedia. Granular permissions and access controls ensure that sensitive information remains secure, while content scheduling and version control features allow for the efficient management of content lifecycles. This comprehensive approach to content management supports your organization's communication strategy, ensuring that employees are informed, engaged, and aligned with corporate objectives.

LumApps addresses the need for video by providing organizations with full control over video content management, without the need for technical skills. This feature enables companies to easily create, manage, and distribute video content, making it an invaluable tool for training, announcements, and engaging employee communications. With LumApps, every employee becomes a potential content creator, enhancing the richness and diversity of your company's internal communication.

 

The performance and reliability of an intranet solution are crucial to its effectiveness. Employees expect fast load times and minimal downtime, as any delay or disruption can significantly impact productivity. An intranet provider should offer guarantees regarding uptime, backed by a reliable infrastructure and proactive support to address any issues that arise.

Questions to ask:

1. What are the typical performance metrics (like load times and uptime percentages) of your Intranet solution? 
2. How do you ensure reliability and address downtime?

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

Performance and reliability are non-negotiable for LumApps. Our platform is built on a robust, scalable cloud infrastructure that ensures high availability and fast load times across the globe. We monitor our systems around the clock to proactively address potential issues before they impact your organization. Our commitment to reliability is reflected in our SLAs, offering peace of mind and ensuring that your intranet is always available when your employees need it.

 

The implementation of a new intranet solution is just the beginning. Ongoing training and support are essential to ensure that employees can make the most of the platform and that any technical issues are quickly resolved. A comprehensive support package might include onboarding training, user documentation, and access to a dedicated support team.

Questions to ask: 

1. What training and ongoing support do you offer to ensure successful adoption and usage of the Intranet solution? 
2. Are there additional costs for these services?

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

LumApps offers a range of onboarding and training options designed to fit the unique needs of your organization, from online tutorials and documentation to personalized training sessions. 

Our dedicated support team is available to assist with any technical issues, ensuring that your intranet solution operates smoothly and effectively. Plus, we have a customer success team that can work with your intranet manager 1-1 to ensure your ongoing advancement in the platform. Plus, we have a social community for intranet managers to learn about recent LumApps updates and best practices to increase adoption, engagement, and employee experience.

 

Understanding the cost structure of an intranet solution is essential for budgeting and assessing the return on investment. Pricing should be transparent, including not only the initial setup and licensing fees but also any costs associated with customization, ongoing maintenance, and future upgrades. A clear understanding of the pricing model helps organizations make informed decisions and ensures that the intranet solution delivers value over the long term.

Questions to ask: 

1. Can you provide a detailed breakdown of the pricing structure for your Intranet solution? 
2. What are the costs associated with setup, customization, ongoing maintenance, and future upgrades?
3. Can you share your product roadmap? 

LumApps' Vision and Perspective:

At LumApps, we believe in transparent and straightforward pricing. Our pricing model is designed to provide clear value for your investment, with no hidden fees or surprises. We offer a variety of pricing plans to suit organizations of all sizes, ensuring that you only pay for the features and capabilities you need. 

Our team works closely with you to understand your specific requirements and tailor a pricing plan that fits your budget and objectives. As your organization grows and your needs evolve, we offer flexible options to scale your intranet solution, ensuring that you continue to receive value and support your organization's success.

 

LumApps is not just an intranet platform; it's a comprehensive digital workplace that enhances employee engagement, streamlines communication, and fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement. 

We also offer micro and nano learning so your employees can grow in their roles. This set of functionalities supports a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging employees to engage in learning activities that are tailored to their needs and interests, thereby enhancing their capabilities and career progression.

And, of course, we have integrated AI functionality to help employees navigate the complexities of modern digital workplaces. LumApps acts as a digital workday assistant, providing timely reminders, personalized notifications, and quick access to frequently used tools and information. This helps employees manage their tasks more effectively, reducing information overload and streamlining their daily workflows. 

By guiding employees through their inquiries and seamlessly initiating automated processes, LumApps reduces the workload on support teams and enhances employee self-service capabilities. Whether it's submitting a help desk ticket, requesting time off, or accessing operational procedures, LumApps makes it easier for employees to find the information and support they need, when they need it.

Ready to consider LumApps in your RFP? Book a meeting with a LumApps expert today. 

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