Following up after giving a customer a estimate.

[zappy]

I don't know really what to say without showing my hole cards, if you know what I mean. Here's what I was thinking of saying. Hi Mr.----. I haven't heard from you. The estimate included everything to complete the job. Please let me know how you feel about this price. May I ask what you feel this job is worth? What number do I need to be at? Thank you for considering ---- Electric for your project" I want to tell him I am flexible on the price. Not sure that's a good idea? What do you guy's say when you follow up? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wireguru]

I don't know really what to say without showing my hole cards, if you know what I mean. Here's what I was thinking of saying. Hi Mr.----. I haven't heard from you. The estimate included everything to complete the job. Please let me know how you feel about this price. May I ask what you feel this job is worth? What number do I need to be at? Thank you for considering ---- Electric for your project" I want to tell him I am flexible on the price. Not sure that's a good idea? What do you guy's say when you follow up? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

dont bend on price. all that does is say to the customer that you were ripping them off to begin with.

 

[ceb58]

dont bend on price. all that does is say to the customer that you were ripping them off to begin with.

Agreed, dont bend on price. If any thing give them a call to see if they want you to do the job. Tell them you are just checking so you can get them in your schedule book.

 

[jmsbrush]

May I ask what you feel this job is worth? What number do I need to be at? Thank you for considering ---- Electric for your project" I want to tell him I am flexible on the price. Not sure that's a good idea? What do you guy's say when you follow up? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Why in the world would you ask him what number you should be at?
Do you not know what your cost are? Do you not know how much you need to stay in business? Do you not want to run a successful profitable business that provides benefits, retirement and etc. Are you one of the guys that lives off his wives benefits and tells everyone that you have low overhead?

You will not close every deal, but try to close every deal the same day as you go out. If you do not close that same day, chances go down a little but does not mean that you are out of the game. There are really good training techniques you can learn to close the deal.
How much time has gone by since you gave the estimate?
How big of a job is it?
Simply call him and be very direct and ask him. What did you decide about the estimate that was given?

 

[mivey]

How about asking them if they have made any changes to the scope of the project that would necessitate your re-evaluating the estimate.

Also, have you had any decrease in material costs that would be prudent to mention? You might find that due to construction slow-down, some items have dropped in price due to a move on the supply-demand curve.

 

[LarryFine]

"Hi, welcome to Burger King! How much would you like to pay for your lunch today?"

 

[AV ELECTRIC]

Dont call me will call you . I dont think it makes much difference if you call. They either decided not to do the job or give it to someone else . I never call back move on to the next one.

 

[TOOL_5150]

"Hi, welcome to Burger King! How much would you like to pay for your lunch today?"

I want a wopper, and for you to pay me for it. :grin:

~Matt

 

[macmikeman]

Dear Sir, Madam, or some sort of Commerce passing as a Business.....
Our reserve scheduling window is once again closing in and I was wondering if you will be requiring our services. Please reserve early or we may not be able to service you in a timely manner. You can contact us dot.dot.dot.dash.dash dash. from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday thru Friday, but as we said, the workload is growing fast, so please contact us right away if you are still needing our services.

 

[zappy]

Dont call me will call you . I dont think it makes much difference if you call. They either decided not to do the job or give it to someone else . I never call back move on to the next one.

You maybe right. But I guess it can't hurt?

 

[CopperTone]

You maybe right. But I guess it can't hurt?

I think it is annoying to call about a quote you sent. Yes they got it and no they are not hiring you if they didn't call you back.

I just bought a new truck and the dealers kept calling me asking if there is anything they can do to sell me a van after the fact. Well, they said they gave me the best price at the time- I guess they didn't or I would have bought from them.

Move on from this job - you should have lowered your price if you wanted the job before you gave them your price.

People don't have you do the work for many reasons - found someone cheaper, they didn't like you, they just lost their job, decided against it, were just kicking tires, was much more than they thought it would be, or they weren't seroius about it in the first place.

 

[Kdog76]

To be the devil's advocate here, you can usually tell if the customer is just looking for a little break right off the bat. I've gotten pretty good at reading those type of people, so I've found that if I say something like "off the cuff, I normally would charge X, but this one doesn't look as involved as the last one I just did, so I could do this one for say X-$50 (or $25, whatever)". It doesn't matter if X is the exact price on that "other one" or not. Believe it or not I've landed a lot of jobs that way without lowering my price. I don't ever call back saying that, mind you. Only when "landing the deal" right on the spot.
You can sell them on illusion alone just by the thought that they were getting a deal. Happens all the time in business...Also, if they try to get you to lower the price again, you can always remind them "remember I already shaved X off my price for you.". I only do that on smaller jobs that I can bid right on the spot.
(O.k, I'm ready for retribution & rebuke coming my way :grin

 

[satcom]

Dear Sir, Madam, or some sort of Commerce passing as a Business.....
Our reserve scheduling window is once again closing in and I was wondering if you will be requiring our services. Please reserve early or we may not be able to service you in a timely manner. You can contact us dot.dot.dot.dash.dash dash. from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday thru Friday, but as we said, the workload is growing fast, so please contact us right away if you are still needing our services.

I like this approach, it has follow up, good customers like to see you remember them, even if you don't get the job you just quoted, you may just remain on their call list, that guy they did hire may turn out to be a disaster.

 

[AV ELECTRIC]

You maybe right. But I guess it can't hurt?

Your wright it cant hurt. You must do whats best for you in the end.

 

[growler]

I don't know really what to say without showing my hole cards, if you know what I mean. Here's what I was thinking of saying. Hi Mr.----. I haven't heard from you. The estimate included everything to complete the job. Please let me know how you feel about this price. May I ask what you feel this job is worth? What number do I need to be at? Thank you for considering ---- Electric for your project" I want to tell him I am flexible on the price. Not sure that's a good idea? What do you guy's say when you follow up? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

This sounds like you are trying to sell a residential job directly to a homeowner. When trying to sell to a residential customer the time to make the sale is when you are there looking the job over. Don't think of it as just a chance to beat the other guy's price.

When making a sale it's time to convince the customer that you are the right man for the job and price is secondary. If it's a big enough project to make you some money don't just run in and do a quick estimate. Try to meet with both the husband and wife when they have at least an hour to discuss the project. This is your one chance to show that you are a professional and really do know what you are doing.

Ok, when homeowners start an extensive project there is always a bit of fear and anxiety over the project and cost is one of the major concerns but the idea that they will hire an incompetent contractor is another. When you can sell them on the fact that you are a competent contractor with much experience this starts to eliminate the fear over price and shoddy workmanship. They start to see what they are going to get and how much it will cost. Fears are normally about an unknown.

Now if you start to act like you don't know what the project will cost you start to put doubts in the mind of the homeowner. Dig out all the information you will need to quote a firm price when you meet with the customer. Let them know you can schedule a firm start date and even a tentative completion date ( based on factors beyond your control, other trades involved).

Sales is a confidence game and it doesn't matter if you are selling vacuum cleaners, cars or electrical work. The customer must think that you have confidence in the product that you are attempting to sale.


No matter what the product you are still selling one thing and that's yourself. If you can sell yourself you can sell any product.

 

[zog]

Don't bend on the price unless the scope changed but a follow up call is good for several reasons. Keeping touch with your customer base, find out if it is still being considered or not, if you lost the job was it price based or another reason? Keep records of jobs you lost just as well as the ones you win and look at the trends, if you are losing them all on price you may be too high. Or could be something else. Ask who was awarded the job, they may or may not tell you but that can be valuable info too.

 

[zappy]

This sounds like you are trying to sell a residential job directly to a homeowner. When trying to sell to a residential customer the time to make the sale is when you are there looking the job over. Don't think of it as just a chance to beat the other guy's price.

When making a sale it's time to convince the customer that you are the right man for the job and price is secondary. If it's a big enough project to make you some money don't just run in and do a quick estimate. Try to meet with both the husband and wife when they have at least an hour to discuss the project. This is your one chance to show that you are a professional and really do know what you are doing.

Ok, when homeowners start an extensive project there is always a bit of fear and anxiety over the project and cost is one of the major concerns but the idea that they will hire an incompetent contractor is another. When you can sell them on the fact that you are a competent contractor with much experience this starts to eliminate the fear over price and shoddy workmanship. They start to see what they are going to get and how much it will cost. Fears are normally about an unknown.

Now if you start to act like you don't know what the project will cost you start to put doubts in the mind of the homeowner. Dig out all the information you will need to quote a firm price when you meet with the customer. Let them know you can schedule a firm start date and even a tentative completion date ( based on factors beyond your control, other trades involved).

Sales is a confidence game and it doesn't matter if you are selling vacuum cleaners, cars or electrical work. The customer must think that you have confidence in the product that you are attempting to sale.


No matter what the product you are still selling one thing and that's yourself. If you can sell yourself you can sell any product.

Your exactly right. Thanks everyone for the advice. I just e-mailed Mr.---- and said " Hi, sorry to bother you, I was just checking in to make sure you received my estimate I e-mailed you. If you have any questions about it, please let me know I would be happy to explain. Thank you for your business" He e-mailed me back saying "when can you start"? The best four words a contractor can hear!

 

[RH1]

If it's a homeowner or commercial business I'll call and say "Just touching bases to see if you have any more questions or concerns". It shows you're interested in getting their business. If the customer is a GC, I don't call, GC's are stupid and interpret your calling as you're desperate for their business, this feeds their egos enormously and has no upside.

 

[jzadroga]

I just completed an estimate tonight. Because things are getting competitive I decided rather than lower my price I would increase the warrenty from 1 year to 5 years. I figure it shows that I stand behind my work and the products I install. Reality is (for me at least) its no big deal for me as I try do good reliable installs with quality materials. I have had very few call backs for warrenty issues so I figure if it lets me stand out and make a better profit.

Now lets see if it works.

 

[macmikeman]

I just completed an estimate tonight. Because things are getting competitive I decided rather than lower my price I would increase the warrenty from 1 year to 5 years. I figure it shows that I stand behind my work and the products I install. Reality is (for me at least) its no big deal for me as I try do good reliable installs with quality materials. I have had very few call backs for warrenty issues so I figure if it lets me stand out and make a better profit.

Now lets see if it works.

Your going to make us wait 5 years to find out aren't you.....