Customer story:

From “major headaches” to doubling the amount of proposals produced: Franklin Energy’s transformation with XaitPorter

By blending streamlined collaboration, airtight compliance support, and an intuitive interface, XaitPorter has helped Franklin Energy transform its proposal process. This is boosting output, cutting stress, and delivering more wins in a demanding market. 

When Franklin Energy goes after new contracts in the energy efficiency sector, they face strict public procurement requirements, state-by-state legal nuances, and large cross-functional review teams.

Franklin Energy logo

Region
Global

Company size
1100

Industry
Business Services

Solution
XaitPorter

For years, managing these demands using manual tools was a major headache—until they discovered a “lifesaver” in XaitPorter.

Erin Guthrie, Proposal writer at Franklin Energy, explains how her team went from juggling manual formatting and version control nightmares to delivering double the amount of proposals with the same resources and far less stress.

“Herding cats”: The challenges of complex proposal work

Before drafting even begins, Franklin Energy runs a thorough go/no-go process. They ask:

  1. Do we have the right resources?
  2. Is there a strong financial justification?
  3. Can we realistically win?

“Once we confirm we have the bandwidth and the opportunity aligns with our goals, we bring in everyone—from Business Development and Engineering to Marketing and Legal. Coordinating that many people is like herding cats, but each perspective is essential,” Erin says.

This cross-functional approach ensures every section of the proposal—from pricing to legal terms—reflects Franklin Energy’s best thinking. But it can also create chaos: teams share drafts, comment on different versions, and scramble to meet tight deadlines.

About Franklin Energy

Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Port Washington, Wisconsin, Franklin Energy specializes in delivering turnkey energy efficiency and grid optimization programs.

With a workforce exceeding 1,000 experts, the company serves over 60 utility and government partners across the United States and Canada.

Their comprehensive services encompass program implementation, technology solutions, and product offerings aimed at achieving carbon reduction and energy productivity goals. Clients include utilities, municipalities, and government bodies seeking to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability.

“XaitPorter has been a lifesaver for us, enabling the management of multiple complex proposals simultaneously.”

Erin Guthrie, Proposal Writer, Franklin Energy

Erin-Guthrie-Franklin-Energy-headshot-bw-1170x1384

Major headaches: Manual formatting and compliance risks

Before XaitPorter, Franklin Energy relied heavily on Microsoft Word. That meant:

  • Labor-intensive layouts: They had to align margins, manage headers, and track changes across multiple files.
  • Looming risk of errors: A single slip—like forgetting to mark confidentiality under California’s Public Information Act—could make private information public.
  • Stressful version control: “If we accidentally deleted something, it might be gone for good, or buried in a different version,” Erin recalls.

According to Erin, “creating a compliant, visually appealing proposal in Word was a tedious ordeal. Keeping headers, margins, and metadata consistent was a constant struggle. Xait, has helped us streamline the process.”

She adds that, “with predefined headers, margins, and metadata, we no longer have to worry about maintaining consistency manually. This automation saves valuable time and ensures that every proposal is visually appealing and compliant with company standards.”

The team also had to manage a massive Excel workbook, juggling calendars, deadlines, and assigned tasks. Coordinating 20+ contributors across various departments felt overwhelming, especially when each proposal had unique formatting rules.

About Erin Guthrie

Erin Guthrie has been a Proposal Writer at Franklin Energy since June 2022, bringing extensive media experience to the role. Previously, she worked as a News Producer at KTLA and served as Executive Producer at KRNV News 4 in Reno, Nevada. Erin holds a Master’s degree in Sports Science and Education from The University of Akron and a Bachelor's degree in Communication Arts from Malone University.

“A lifesaver”: How XaitPorter turned it around

When Franklin Energy adopted XaitPorter, the difference was immediate. Erin credits several features for simplifying the entire operation:

1. Pre-built layouts
“We can just focus on the content. XaitPorter automatically keeps fonts, formatting, and graphics in place. The efficiency gained allows us to focus more on delivering high-quality content and meeting our clients' needs.”

2. Robust version control
“I never worry about accidental deletions anymore. With version control, we can always recover lost content, giving our team immense peace of mind. This assurance has boosted our confidence in managing documents.”

3. Metadata tags
“Metadata tags have improved our workflow by allowing us to update client names and other key data across the entire document automatically. This automation not only saves time but also significantly reduces the risk of errors, ensuring our proposals are accurate and consistent.“

4. Collaboration tools
“We rely heavily on the comment tool. People can drop notes or questions right where they’re needed, rather than managing long email chains. This efficient communication ensures clarity and productivity, making our workflow smoother and more effective. ”

With the heavy lifting of formatting handled automatically, the Franklin Energy team can invest more energy into the content’s quality. That means crafting better narratives, incorporating more visuals, and fine-tuning messages for each potential client.

“We rely heavily on the comment tool. People can drop notes or questions right where they’re needed, rather than managing long email chains. This efficient communication ensures clarity and productivity, making our workflow smoother and more effective.”

Erin Guthrie, Proposal Writer, Franklin Energy

65% more proposals—with the same resources

“We went from around 50 proposals a year to around 80,” Erin notes. “ XaitPorter has been a lifesaver for us, enabling the management of multiple complex proposals simultaneously. Its efficiency and collaborative features have streamlined our workflow, allowing writers to balance multiple opportunities successfully and deliver high-quality proposals.”

They not only submit more bids; they do so at a higher level of polish. Clients consistently praise:

  • Improved readability: “It’s not just an instruction manual anymore.”
  • Visually engaging designs: “We love infographics and graphics that break up the text. They not only make our documents visually appealing but also help convey complex information in a clear and engaging way. With Xait, adding these elements has become much easier, allowing us to enhance our proposals effortlessly.”

These improvements have contributed to Franklin Energy’s overall growth, leading to stronger relationships with utilities, government agencies, and other stakeholders.

XaitPorter screen mockup with logo

From chaos to confidence: Compliance made simple

For public-sector contracts in states like California, messing up requirements can be catastrophic—accidentally revealing confidential pricing or sensitive data can sabotage future negotiations. XaitPorter helps by:

  • Embedding compliance steps right into each section. Franklin Energy can insert invisible notes that remind writers about specific RFP requirements.
  • Ensuring consistent markup of confidential details so everything is properly labeled in the final output.

“Because we handle so many proposals, we need to be absolutely sure we’re hitting every legal and formatting requirement,” Erin explains.

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“XaitPorter simplifies this process, making it easier and less stressful for the team. Its internal and collaborative tools help us maintain compliance and consistency, allowing us to focus on delivering high-quality proposals without the worry of missing critical details.”

Erin Guthrie, Proposal Writer, Franklin Energy

Better proposals, less stress—and a strong ROI

By freeing teams from manual drudgery, XaitPorter has become essential to Franklin Energy’s workflow. In Erin’s words:

“When you realize how much time and stress it saves, the value becomes clear. We’re submitting more proposals, and the quality has gone up. That leads to better client relationships—and ultimately more wins.”

New hires can also learn the software quickly:

“New team members quickly get up to speed with XaitPorter. The intuitive interface makes learning easy, and if we ever have questions, Xait's support team is always quick to respond. This ensures a smooth onboarding process and keeps our workflow efficient.”

What’s next?

Franklin Energy is excited to see how XaitPorter might evolve, especially around:

AI integrations: “Generative AI could be a game-changer. It has the potential to streamline the creation process, enhance content quality, and ensure consistency across documents.” Erin says.

Enhanced comment tools: So individual contributors can be directly tagged without spamming the whole team.

Still, for Franklin Energy, XaitPorter already feels indispensable:

“If a friend at a competing firm asked me for a recommendation, I'd confidently tell them that XaitPorter is the ultimate tool for reducing stress and crafting standout proposals. Its efficient and collaborative features make the entire process smoother and more effective.”

Erin Guthrie, Proposal Writer, Franklin Energy

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