Quotes that go out and are never heard of again
Nobody knows which quotes are still open.
Quotes go out, some come back as work, and nobody keeps track of the rest.
Not every business has this problem, and some should leave it alone.
Most of these can be handled better. Whether it's worth doing is a separate question. What follows is one common form of the problem, described in general terms, because your version will differ. These are possible challenges, not a description of your business, and some should be left exactly as they are. If it sounds like your week, that's worth a conversation.
Sound familiar?
- Nobody could say how many quotes are waiting for an answer.
- Follow-up depends on who sent the quote.
- A customer says yes weeks later, and nobody remembers the details.
- Nobody knows how many quotes turn into work.
What it looks like
A quote goes out by email. If the customer says yes, it becomes a job. If they say no, sometimes somebody hears about it. Often nothing comes back at all.
The quote sits in a sent folder. Whether anyone asks again depends on the person who sent it remembering, and having time.
What it costs
Open quotes are invisible. There is no list of what is waiting, so there is no way to see how much work might be coming.
A late yes arrives cold. Weeks later, the details have to be found again, and the prices may no longer hold.
Patterns stay hidden. Without knowing which quotes were won and lost, nobody can see patterns worth asking customers about.
Where it goes wrong
- Quotes live in sent folders. Each person's are separate.
- No outcome is recorded. Won, lost, and never heard back all look the same.
- There is no date on the question. Nobody decides when to check in.
- Expired quotes are not marked. An old price can be accepted after it no longer holds.
What a better version looks like
Every quote goes on one list with its date, amount, customer, and status: waiting, won, lost, or expired. The list shows which are waiting and for how long. A person decides which ones are worth a check-in, and the outcome is recorded when it is known.
Over time the list shows how quotes turn into work, from the business's own records.
What still needs a person
A person decides whether and how to follow up, and respects a customer who has said no. A person decides whether an old price can still be honored.
Questions worth asking about your own operation
- How many quotes are waiting for an answer right now?
- Where would you look to find out?
- What happens when a customer says yes to an old quote?
- Do you know how many of your quotes turn into work?
If this sounds familiar
Bring me the version you actually have. I'll learn how the process really works before I suggest anything. If it isn't worth changing, or isn't a fit for me, I'll say so. Talk through a problem