Following up on quotes

[cr0ft]

I think there might have been a similar thread about this before so apologies if there has been. I was wondering how many of you follow up on quotes and, if so, how you do it so it doesn't come across like you are desperate.

I am thinking as Ray said before that I could learn a lot from the quotes I don't get. Here is the template email I have drafted which I am thinking of sending 1 week after the quote: -

[CUSTOMER],

Further to our quotation email sent to you around a week ago, we haven't heard back from you and wondered if you would be able to give us some feedback on our quote? Preparing our quotes and visiting properties takes a fair bit of time and it is an area of our business we are always looking to refine as much as possible in order to make us efficient with the time we have available each week.

Experience normally tells us that if we don't hear back from a customer within a week of sending a quote then they have decided not to go ahead with us. I would be very grateful for any feedback you would be kind enough to give me on our quotation process.

Best wishes.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Doesn't sound desperate, if they are rude enough not to give you an answer to the quote, you may be peeing in the wind for an answer to that though.

 

[Leo21]

I honestly don't think many will respond apart from, "I got a cheaper quote"

 

[Nostrum]

I normally leave it until 3 weeks after, my quotes are valid for 30 days. I say your qoute is due to expire in 7 days as we cannot guarantee our prices for any longer than this. If you still wish to proceed then we would be happy to hear from you. If you have sourced the works from other sources we thansk you for allowing us to quote for the works. We are continuously looking for ways to improve our service so if you have any comments or suggestions we would be happy to receive them.

not quite word for word as I can't be bothered to move currently. I don't get many feedback replies at all to be honest, a few have followed up and had the work done but generally it's no response. Still , it's worth doing I think. 90% of our correspondence is through email.

 

[Linkyplumb]

I always chase up quotes either by email, if I have sent an email quote, or by phone if quote was posted to them.
Normally along the lines of "just after some feedback on the quote I gave you".

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I'll give them a buzz but don't delve as I think it makes you look desperate.

Then its onwards.

Their loss is the way I see it!

 

[Leo21]

I only ring them iff I'm annoyed, it makes them squirm.

 

[Masood]

I ring them a couple of weeks after sending the quote, and ask if they have any questions about any aspect of the work. At that point I'll quite often get a go-ahead as they've been meaning to call but forgotten, or they'll say they've got someone else.

 

[Roger Welton]

Never chase quotes up, never have, if they want me to do the work they can give me a call, if not I'll be getting on with something else.

 

[Dannypipe]

I don't chase up quotes. Generally you know within a day whether you are in with a shot, and if you haven't heard anything within a week it's really not looking good!

It is sometimes annoying as you spend a long time pricing, typing and researching for certain quotes, and then hear nothing back. Not even

"thanks, I received your quote, I'll get back to you"

But nothing from them ever again, sometimes they have been bugging you for the quote, and you send it off and never hear from them again. What happens is they get a cheaper price, go with it, and then can't be bothered to speak to you again.

I've had occasional work I have priced come in after a very long time of hearing nothing but it is rare.