How to follow up quotes without losing jobs

Send a quote and wait, and you lose jobs. Not because the quote was bad, but because the customer lost track of it somewhere between work, family and three other quotes. Following up is not being pushy. It is part of selling.

This post is practical: when to follow up, how often, what to write, and how to automate it so it happens even in a busy summer.

Why quote follow-up matters: quotes go quiet

A veranda, new windows or an extension is a big spend. Homeowners usually get several quotes, talk it over at home and put the decision off. Meanwhile life happens: holidays, work, another installer who happens to ring.

The installer who gets in touch, politely, at that moment is often the one who wins the job. That is less about pressure and more about being there.

Timing that works

A simple rule for homeowners:

The last step matters. If you record why quotes are lost, after a few months you will see whether it is price, lead time or product.

What a good reminder looks like

• Short. Three sentences are enough.
• Specific. A link to the quote, not "our quote from last month".
• One next step. A call, a showroom visit, or signing straight away.
• No panic discount. Discount at the first reminder and you teach customers to wait for discounts.

An example:

“

Hi Sarah, just checking you received our quote for the veranda. If you have any questions about the glass or the colour, I'm happy to give you a call. You can also approve the quote online from the link.

Follow up after the survey, fast

After a survey, the customer is at their warmest. They have met you, you have seen their garden or house, and they have a clear picture. The final quote should reach them within one or two working days. Say at the end of the survey when it will arrive, then make sure it does.

Automating the follow-up

The best rule does not help if nobody has time to write reminders in June. That is why the first step is worth automating.

In meetpiloot it works like this:

1. The quote goes out as a link to sign online, automatically or after your check.
2. You get a notification when the customer signs or declines.
3. If they do not respond, a reminder email goes out after the number of days you set (1 to 90, on Pro).
4. In the pipeline you can see which quotes are open and how old they are.

Your team then only handles the cases where a phone call really helps. 792 quotes have been signed through meetpiloot so far.

Following up on WhatsApp

Many customers read WhatsApp faster than email. In meetpiloot, WhatsApp conversations sit in the same system as the quote, so everyone on the team can see what has already been discussed. Use a business account rather than a personal phone. More in WhatsApp for tradespeople.

Three numbers to watch weekly

• Open quotes and their age. Anything older than two weeks needs a call or a decision.
• Won versus lost. Your win rate shows whether your price and follow-up are working.
• Why you lost. Price, lead time, product or silence. Patterns show up quickly.

Three mistakes that cost jobs

1. A PDF attachment only. A PDF has to be printed, signed and sent back. A link to sign online is one tap.
2. Only the owner follows up. Then it only happens when the owner has time. Decide who does it, or let the first reminder run automatically.
3. No overview. If you cannot see which quotes are open, you follow up at random. A pipeline shows you where to call.

For how follow-up fits the whole sales process, see CRM for tradespeople. The features are on the follow-up page.