Don't follow up on quotes....

[highspark]

I learnt something yesterday. Not to follow up on quotes!! - it seems pushy and some people just like to be left to think and get other quotes, just because they don't ring within 2 days doesn't mean you havent got the job!. I quoted a fuseboard change 3 weeks ago and left with the feeling I hadn't got it. It needed bonding upgraded and the customer questioned it. Needless to say I walked away. Got a phonecall yesterday. "Hi, you have got the job, would like to discuss some things with you could you come around". So I went today and ended up with a few extras on top of the board change. Sometimes we like to know what the customer is thinking but at the end of the day if they want to use you they will follow it up afterwards and thats a fact they don't need a kick up the butt!

 

[Dave 85]

Totally agree. Leave the aggressive sales tactics to the salesmen.

 

[Octopus]

About 95% of my estimates are emailed to the customers - and often there is some ping pong of emails before agreeing a date.

I can't remember the last time I called or emailed them to follow up.

 

[tonycoysh]

I only follow up a completed job to ensure customer is happy or that everything is working as they think it should (more so with repairs.) I figure it makes me look me interested in the service I give them.

 

[oldtimer]

I have never chased a quote and when I get "What if I get a cheaper quote than yours" I always say take it as and they say "thats a bit arogant" I say not at all I quote to do the job right at a fair price so I cannot compete with another quote that has undercut me because you will expect me to go lower.

 

[mackers]

i agree with oldtimer, i never chase quotes .if customer asks if i can knock x amount off i explain that if i can knock that off i was robbing u in the first place!

 

[DaveyD]

i agree with oldtimer, i never chase quotes .if customer asks if i can knock x amount off i explain that if i can knock that off i was robbing u in the first place!

I have made that mistake on one my jobs. Diddn't want to pay VAT but I insisted I have to charge so they asked me to come down £400, like a fool I did. Occupied house, Nighmare. I have overrun by three days. Who's laughing now ......
Still, learn from my mistakes I guess.

 

[oldtimer]

I am not VAT registered but these clowns who may say that they dont want to pay the VAT. HMRC are unforgiving with this my uncle went out of business years ago because he had a cashflow problem HMRC said they would wait for the PAYE and NI but the VAT man said no pay now or you will lose the lot and he did.

 

[Bubblecraft]

I send about 90% of my quotes via email using invoice2go on my iPad. Quotations are valid for 30 days. If I have not converted the quote to invoice after 28 days, it will send an automatic email to the customer just to let them know they have a few days left of there quotation. No pushy emails are sent at any time & I never phone to chase a quote.

I really can't grumble as I generally get on average about 98% of the quotes sent out.

 

[mackers]

NEVER I SAY NEVER incure the roth of the VAT MAN! lol

I actually thing everyone in the trade should be vat registered so to make a level playing field!

 

[oldtimer]

NEVER I SAY NEVER incure the roth of the VAT MAN! lol

I actually thing everyone in the trade should be vat registered so to make a level playing field!

NO NO lets all calm down here thats the reason I am in business ie I dont chase big jobs because I dont want them and I am not tooled up for it plus the VAT registered boys dont want these jobs because they are too small. Forget playing fields its horses for courses .

With my business model I do work for young proffesional who want the work to suit their lifestyle and they want to pay you via internet banking and I asked them why chose me and they say recommended no VAT which means I would get a couple of jobs done instead of getting one job because I have to

 

[mackers]

i'm vat reg and we take on anything if everyone had to be reg customers would not have a choice!

 

[DaveyD]

I am not VAT registered but these clowns who may say that they dont want to pay the VAT. HMRC are unforgiving with this my uncle went out of business years ago because he had a cashflow problem HMRC said they would wait for the PAYE and NI but the VAT man said no pay now or you will lose the lot and he did.

Sorry - I've made a tangent again ....
Well, I have to say you may (or may not) be suprised how many "honest" people ask for cash price. I understand - to be honest if I had a quote for private work of £3k or £3.6k I know who I would get to do the job. I have never done cash jobs BUT I would be suprised if the increase from 17.5 to 20% has generated the expected revenue.

 

[Guest111]

once had a friend of a friend who was a tax inspector said he wanted some work done and did I do foreigners,no vat etc as he didnt like paying tax if he could help it.Told him the company I worked for took a dim view of doing jobs out of work,did he think I was thick or what.

 

[Knobhead]

Give the required information and leave it to the customer to make their mind up.