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Replies
If I do a written quote I always try and put a two month time limit on it's validity.
Why spend time, effort and money advertising, taking calls, visiting site, attaining prices, compliling estimate sheets and Bills Of Quantities etc. to be 'stuck in limbo' as to wether or not your in the running to get the work.
What's the worst the customer can say? Yes, No or Can you adjust the price slightly to fit my budget of 'x' etc ?
I take this attitude to my domestic garden design and build quotations. I have no qualms about contacting the customer after sending them a price and if this sounds 'desperate', good, maybe we should all sound 'desperate'/keen for work in this economic environment. I know my phone's not ringing off the hook at the moment and any lead is a 'firm' one to a self employed person.
Also, a lot of my customers/clients are business owners themselves (quite a few builders!) so they understand what it is like to be self employed/a small business and don't mind/respect the fact that I phone them to ascertain if my quote is acceptable/somewhere near.
I give it about a week before making contact again unless we've agreed otherwise.
On several occasions the client didn't receive the quote for whatever reason and I have re-sent it. You can't rely on Royal Mail and neither can you rely on Spam filters.
In order to weed out (no pun intended) timewasters, I will, whilst on site give a verbal estimate of the work and then ask them if they still want me to provide a written quotation based on that figure. Often you can tell by their expression whether they are genuine or whether they can afford it.
Exceptions are when I'm buried with work or when it's a small job and then it's a lower priority of course.
david beasley said:
I do as Stuart does: ask for feedback in order to improve our service in future. Shows you are always striving to improve your business. That can only be a good thing and smacks positivity to potential customers.
I am in process of having a lot of work done on my house. When central heating system was going in at begnning of year one of the most impressive businesses from a first impression/organised/well-presented point of view didn't get my customer. They did though follow up the quote. This impressed me. I am now in process of taking more quotes for some other work and they are on the list of companies I have asked to quote. I will add that in Ayr they have the best reputation among the plumbers and heating engineers. They are not desparate in the slightest (they do a large share of local authority installation ans servicing) but do have staff to ensure continue to have a job and presumably want to grow as a successful business.
One of my weaknesses is being concise!!
sale of goods act 1979 !! BEWARE totally illegal......consumer protection will not like this printed steve.
Dan Tarleton MSc, BSc (Hons) said:
it is good practise to do so - but i do if i need work.
otherwise i leave them to e-mail me back to confirm or they are keen on site anyway and i go on instinct.
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