following up estimates

[jackfrosty]

Hi, id say i get about a good 90% of work i price up, i was wondering if you chase up clients who dont get back to you giving you the go ahead in the way of a phone call say? Ive found the small amount of jobs i dont get, just dont get done ( outside lights etc) but some you just never hear from again and didnt know if it is common to phone them up, if only to ask why maybe.

cheers

 

[PC Electrics]

No, (almost) never.

 

[Cirrus]

I always do - am from a sales background in a former life so my paperwork and customer contact is first rate. I tend to close all of my business before leaving the prospective customers place so that the estimate just becomes a formality to be emailed through that evening. I have had the odd customer whom you just cannot seem to close or tie down and they don't accept your calls / respond to emails. People buy people so I guess that when that happens I failed to win them over. On occasion the price may have been an issue and some people are to embarrassed to discuss it with you and would rather retreat into their shell.

 

[jackfrosty]

do you give prices in person or in the estimate you send to them? Also obviously depending on exact situation is there normal price for earth bonding the gas and water with a reasonable run?

---------- AUTO MERGE Post added at 18:10 ---------- Previous post was at 18:06 ----------

someone i know charges

 

[Cirrus]

Depends, sometimes I price there and then to win the business - about 90% of the time. If I send them a quote I have usually got the business because I have sold it to them properly. As for gas / water bonds, I price it according to the job / difficulty / length of run but normally around

 

[binky]

but normally around

 

[Badger]

Please come and sell my jobs for me :^O

:slap :slap:x

 

[sellers]

I never ring up, its not my thing. I always put, 'please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any queries or questions regarding this estimate'

 

[Manator]

Follow up and staying in contact can be a very usefull tool in sales. Not only with new clients but past clients as well. A follow up telephone conversation to a past client could take the form of say, Hi I was in your area yesterday and was thinking about the job I did for you last year, how is everything going? I hope you have not had any problems, do you have my direct contact number incase you need any advise?

It is amazing how many will return a call.

 

[Cirrus]

Please come and sell my jobs for me :^O

Ah, the joy of the Cotswolds!

 

[PC Electrics]

When I first went self employed I was told by several people that once you've given your price it's best to leave it in the hands of the client to make contact back. I was told that chasing quotes makes you look "desperate" for the work and is a put off.

It's interesting to see a different viewpoint emerging. However, I've enough on my plate dealing with clients who do want work doing without 'chasing' those who might.

 

[binky]

Ah, the joy of the Cotswolds!

and the downside of living in skint cities like Plymouth.

---------- AUTO MERGE Post added at 09:52 ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 ----------

When I first went self employed I was told by several people that once you've given your price it's best to leave it in the hands of the client to make contact back. I was told that chasing quotes makes you look "desperate" for the work and is a put off.It's interesting to see a different viewpoint emerging. However, I've enough on my plate dealing with clients who do want work doing without 'chasing' those who might.

It is actually good sales practice to chase up quotes even if the answer is 'no'. I used to do it, but like yourself I'm busy enough without doing so, which is lazy really. The secret is not to let it lay for too long, so that sometimes you can sway a final decision because it makes you look keen and interested in doing the work. It also gives you a chance to check out the competition for price and work quoted for, especially if like me you like to do a proper job and not a lash-up, which can make you look a bit expensive sometimes.

 

[Riggy]

Very interesting thread!

Highlights the difference between those of us (not me!) who are good at selling, and those who aren't.

I suspect that Cirrus' customer who is sold bonding for 180.00 feels good about it whilst Dan's mate's customer feels a bit aggrieved at having to pay 96.00.

I wish I could sell!

 

[M107]

I dont chase quotes unless it's a biggy, then in a roundabout way I ask reasons for not getting the job.

 

[batty]

The way I see it you give a customer a quotation to do the work why should you need to chase them then to get the work but as others have said I have more than enough work so do not have to chase quotes.

 

[Theorysparky]

Only time i chase is if the customer is desperate to get the job done within a timescale

With work coming in all the time i would feel i have let them down if i cant fit them in

as most of my work is word of mouth i need to keep people happy even if they think i am too expensive.

 

[Cirrus]

Thing is, mine is a fledgling business with two full time salaries to cover (as well as the usual associated business overheads) so I do all I can to get work in. If I have too much to do between two of us then I get subbies to cover the rest.

 

[Bwy]

I chase up quotes all the time and I have a reason for doing so.

If I lose a job I would like to know why I lost it so I can learn for the future.

If I lost it on price then I can learn about my competitors pricing.

If I lost it on presentation then I can brush up my paperwork or whatever it was.

The one thing which would upset me most is what happened to my mate the Plumber.

He quoted for a job and put in a good price thinking he would get the job no problem.

After two weeks he called the company asking if the job was still open.

He was told the job had been given to another company as they always obtained five quotes. They then select three of the five and inform the other two they lost the work.

They do NOT inform the three telling them nothing at all they just wait.

The first of the three to phone gets the job !!!!

Now please don't ask me what they do if non phone I am not in the company concerned.

Anyway, for what it's worth, I follow up every time it is a great learning curve and helps me to improve.