Chasing up quotes

[csservices]

I follow up on quotes for the above reasons but have stopped knocking down my price as I was going in at rock bottom and they were still looking for a reduction, I did it initially to try and bring in the work, then I ended up doing a job for £1,250, took me a full week and when I added up the materials they came to £1,248. So now they get the quote and if they don't go for it so be it, if I end up working for free it might as well be at home in my own garden rather than some tight arsed customers. my opinion is following up doesn't look desperate, but reducing the quote does.

 

I did this the other week, priced a job at literally labour plus materials to get the job as had nothing g on that week and someone still went cheaper!

[Tom D]

I don't think dropping your price on the second bite of the cherry is necessarily a good idea, unless you change the job spec in some way, leaving the brash or timber for example. Otherwise if you knock off more than 5% I think you are starting to look like you were charging too much in the first place.

[Mark Bolam]

I wouldn't drop the price at all.

We're talking about a professional follow-up query, not a begging letter.

[Rich Rule]

I can't believe how many people don't follow quotes up. I will be the first to admit that I don't do it all the time, when you're rammed with work what's the point, but when things quieten down why wouldn't you. I don't just ask if they got the quote, I ask (if they have gone elsewhere) why they chose the other Co. and how much they paid, and who the other company was. Three vital bits of information, if you missed out by miles then fair enough, but if it wasn't by much then you have a chance of beating them next time. There's nothing dodgy about calling someone to ask this information, it's professional. Same as asking where they heard about you, how will you know where to advertise if you don't know where your jobs are coming from? There's a good chance that most of your old quotes will have gone elsewhere, but some will have just not done anything, remember that for people on a wage suddenly finding £3-500 can be tricky, maybe they are saving up, or maybe the cars mot was due that month.. Then your competitor calls to follow up his quote and they give him the job as they can't remember your quote or have lost your number..

On at least 3 occasions I have been rung by someone looking for another tree surgeon, they have dialled the wrong number or forgotten the name etc, 3 times I got the job too..

 

Like he so eloquently put.

 

Personally I only contract climb, but I will call clients back up if j do t here from them.

 

As for running a business, if you have put in the time and effort to visit site, put forward a proposal and sent it over and applied for permissions on the customers behalf... I would be following it up and if it pissed off the potential customer that much, would they really be the sort you want to be workng for I the first place.

 

It isn't rude to call back for a bit of feedback, it is how you deal with things when you initially speak to them...

 

I.e. Just as your leaving, tell them it might take a couple of days to put forward a proposal and that you will send it over. Tell them you will give them a week or so do go over the quote and then give them a call back to see how there getting on and to answer any further questions.

 

That way you have already announced to them to expect a call from you in a weeks time. If they refuse to answer or return your messages, they are the rude, cheeky ones that you may not want to work for.

 

It is all to do with the qualification process.

[Al Cormack]

I did this the other week, priced a job at literally labour plus materials to get the job as had nothing g on that week and someone still went cheaper!

 

 

Probably Hamdogg....

[Johny Walker]

Probably Hamdogg....

 

:lol:

[hamdogg]

Probably Hamdogg....

 

 

I'll only go as low as I dare, which isn't a lot under my initial quote, but knocking £50 off a quote isn't a lot! I'm not the cheapest in my area by a long shot!

[csservices]

Probably Hamdogg....

 

Happens all the time round here I seriously wonder how people are making a living at times, although the standard of some work I've seen, definitely proves the old adage that you get what you pay for.

[dan494]

Happens all the time round here I seriously wonder how people are making a living at times, although the standard of some work I've seen, definitely proves the old adage that you get what you pay for.

 

 

I can't see why people bother going out to make £80 a day or whatever while self employed. Better off getting a job and not having the stress

[eggsarascal]

I can't see why people bother going out to make £80 a day or whatever while self employed. Better off getting a job and not having the stress

 

I can see your point about £80/day, and I wouldn't do it, unless we were starving.

 

Some people, the likes of me don't want to work for someone else full time.

 

That's why I mix up my own work and subbing...... No more than three days a week if I can help it.

 

I'll never be rich, and have no desire to be. We get hold of enough for what we need and that'll do.