The Importance of Tradies Following Up After Quoting

Typically, tradies run across the following scenario: A reliable client gets in touch with you to request a quote for a job they have available. If it is a straightforward task and you are already aware of the price, you may provide a quick estimate; if not, you will likely go to the site to take a look at the extent of the work that needs doing. You will subsequently generate a quote. 

You then wait.

A few days or weeks later, you either come to the conclusion that the client wasn’t genuinely engage in completing the assignment, or you forget about the task.

This may be acceptable if your trade firm is consistently busy and you don’t actually need to accept new jobs (or don’t want expansion), but what happens if business is slow or you want to grow and enhance it?

Following up on quotes, whether you do so immediately or in the near future, can help you obtain work. You have already invested your time and effort in quoting, after all. Any business must communicate effectively in order to succeed, and if you keep in constant, engaged contact with your customers, your sales are likely to increase.

Similar to a salesperson abandoning you in a store and failing to return to seal a deal, failing to follow up on quotes is a common reason for losing jobs to competitors.

Here are a few justifications for clients not responding to you, along with remedies.

While you’re here:

Are you adequately insured as a tradie?

Trades insurance is a specialized form of commercial insurance that offers protection against the dangers that experts in skilled trade industries must deal with. Tools insurance, public liability insurance, employers’ liability insurance, and other types of coverage can all be incorporated into a custom insurance policy that is specifically designed for tradies.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned, and you may be unable to work until the situation resolves due to a dissatisfied client, accidental property damage, or an injury to you or an employee. You can continue working without any additional hassles if you have the appropriate insurance. Hiscox tradesmen’s business insurance offers protection against the unforeseen by paying for things like compensation expenses, legal fees, tool repair or replacement, and more.

“I overlooked it”

They might have forgotten, just as you might have forgotten to offer them a quote. This is often the case.

Most serious clients are looking for the work to be done as soon as possible; however, there may be cases when they become distracted and fail to get in contact. It’s possible that the quote you sent them through email or hard copy got lost in a stack of papers or resigned to the junk mail. 

As a follow-up, make a call or send a text message or email. It doesn’t take long, and it can prompt a memory, allowing them to proceed and accept the quote straight away.

“I never got a quote,”

A quote might have accidentally ended up in junk mail or, if you sent it by mail, it might simply have become lost in the post.

In many situations, a straightforward digital or postal blunder could hurt your chances of landing a job. A subsequent call or text message could, however, easily resolve this problem.

“I can’t currently afford that.”

If it’s a big project like a redesign, some clients might not have the money for it yet.

You don’t follow up, you will not have an insight into the client’s situation. They are simply securing quotes for a job they wish to complete at a later date, you can keep in touch by email on a regular basis, and will subsequently be their first port of call when they do have the funds in place for the project. 

“I chose an alternative supplier.”

People will likely obtain quotations from a few tradies, and while many may select the one with the lowest cost, others may favour the one with the best customer service since they want a person they can trust to carry out the task expertly.

Although price is important, most consumers prefer dependability and customer service and are reluctant to accept the lowest offer because they fear it will be of poor quality.

Before starting work, you must establish a relationship with the client in order to gain their trust. By addressing their worries or inquiries, you can reassure them and set yourself apart from other tradespeople by demonstrating that you offer first-rate customer service.

Create a Follow-Up Process.

It is evident from the above that, if you do nothing, you are highly unlikely to be hire.

If you spend a few minutes contacting a potential customer via phone, text, or email, your chances of making the sale will be higher. Don’t just sit around and wait for the consumer to reply. Do something now!

Put a basic follow-up process in place:

• Follow up with the client to ensure they received the quote 24 hours after submitting it.

• Be sure to follow up after a week to see if they still want to proceed.

•If they haven’t given you a “hard no,” follow up with them once more within 14 days.

• If they don’t respond after that, put them on a list for long-term follow-up and follow up with them in a month or two.