Customers that slip away...

[Martyn Leeds]

Thought I'd best post in the Arms...


One of the things that annoys me the most is unreliable customers / customers that can't be bothered to confirm yes or no.


Last year I had a few quotes that went well. You visit the job, disucuss everything needed, sometimes have a few emails/conversations re different things, then you give your price. You think all is going wel, I've got this one in the bag - but then nothing. Customer then doesn't reply to your calls/messages/emails etc.. So you're left hanging.

A couple of times I'd politely ask them to confirm yes or no, just so I know where I stand and so I can plan my work diary.. but then still nothing.

I usually have a 1or2 chasing calls maximum cos I don't want to be a pest. I'll leave a message and leave them to it... But I'm wanting to try and get a more definite conclusion to my quotes - even if its No's - just for feedback & my own development etc..

Even if they say no, you're too expensive, they preferred another guy, they didn't like me etc... at least I'd know where I stand.

But its starting to really cheese me off that some customers don't have the manners or decency to be honest. Just a simple "thanks, but no thanks".
It would be different if its the tradesman being unreliable, not answering his phone etc...


Most recently for me a guy who wanted a 30m2 kitchen floor doing 1st & then a large bathroom to do in the same house. I visit, measure-up, explain everything, we speak on the phone a few times re materials, we email a few times, he replies saying happy with me, my price, materials, my procedures etc. Originally we said end of January - he replies saying he's happy for me to do the job..
Great I think, so I then try to get a start date out of him, but no reply.
I've not been able to arrange my plumber to price the bathroom either 'cos i've had no contact from the guy.


The Kitchen floor needed doing for now ish, cos his new kitchen is getting fitted anytime soon (2nd wk of feb).
Last contact was a week ago when I emailed to say I've tried calling you a few times & can he call me, he replies by email saying no probs speak tomorrow. Tomorrow came, i phoned, no reply. So I left him a voicemessage saying call me...

So,
Do I stalk him & keep calling??!?
Do I email again?
Do I give up?

I've been past the house twice & seen no vans on site, so I'm guessing he might not have had it done yet.

I want to try cut down on the amount of jobs that slip away, I want to be more pro-active, but I don't want to come across as pushy..


Is it only me that this happens to ??!?!!?

 

[Saltire69]

Part and parcel of the job m8. I never phone/email after i've put my price in. Ask them to confirm they have recieved my quote and if they have any question to e-mail/phone me. If they want you to do the job they will contact you.

 

[Bubblecraft]

I never chase a job. I send my quotation which is valid for 30 days. They get an "Automated" text when sent which they generally reply that they got the quote or didn't. If I don't hear from them within the week, it generally isn't going ahead. After 30 days, they get an "Automated" email saying their quotation is expired & if they wish to discuss anything regarding the quotation or would like to arrange a re-visit, contact me.

I've never phoned a customer to see where I stand. I feel it comes across as desperation. That's when they feel they can start trying to bump your price down. The only time ill contact the customer is if the quotation was posted just to make sure they got it. As soon as I hear yes, I just say, "that's great. I'll leave it with you & you can let me know. End of phone call.

 

[Ian]

I know this isn't quite the case in your situation Martyn but, I've had it a few times where certain email hosts (mainly hotmail and BT Internet for some reason), seem to put my mail straight into the junk inbox! Fortunately I'm aware of this and as a result, give them a quick call to say that a quote has been sent. I always put something along the lines of, "please could you let me know either way if you wish to proceed with this quote, to allow me to organise materials and other trades if necessary", at the bottom of a quote. 95% of people have never been self employed so have no idea how hard it is to organise your time/run a small business, so don't think it's a big deal if they don't get back to you or waste loads of your time changing their minds! You seem to be doing everything right so, I'd not be too concerned, just accept that some people are inconsiderate.

 

[Andy Allen]

been there, got the t-shirt as they say, way i look at it now is if customers mess you about this much when your just quoting the job, imagine what its going to be like when/if you start, somtimes it can be a lucky escape...

fact of the matter is some people just cant be bothered, and i really wouldnt waste your time, i just give a quote and leave it with them, tell them if i can help them in any other way or if they want to book the job in to just give me a call or email, i find the genuine customers book the job in there and then or get back to you with in a week..

Bubble, the way you do your quotes is spot on mate, how do you set up all that automated stuff...?

 

[dave l and l]

people can tend to be a bit useless. in most situations i would be inclined to book other work on,however in this situation i would go to the guys door. you have spoken to him on a number of occasions and talked about a start date, your excuse for going to see him is to confirm exact date, and you want to book other work on if this job is not going ahead, at that point you can ask him what the problem was and why he is an ignorant ,,,, at least that way you will get a bit of feedback

 

[Bubblecraft]

been there, got the t-shirt as they say, way i look at it now is if customers mess you about this much when your just quoting the job, imagine what its going to be like when/if you start, somtimes it can be a lucky escape...

fact of the matter is some people just cant be bothered, and i really wouldnt waste your time, i just give a quote and leave it with them, tell them if i can help them in any other way or if they want to book the job in to just give me a call or email, i find the genuine customers book the job in there and then or get back to you with in a week..

Bubble, the way you do your quotes is spot on mate, how do you set up all that automated stuff...?

I say "Automated" because I do it manually lol. Once I've done the quote ready to send,
Example:

I have the text ready
Example:
"Dear Mr. Cochrane,

Just to let you know your quotation -
Quote - Cochrane - Bathroom
has been emailed to you.
If you have any questions regarding your quotation, please feel free to contact me.

Regards, Gus www.coupleatools.com

This is an automated text message."

Once The email is sent, I send the text. Simples!

After 30 days they get this email
Example:

"Dear Customer

This is an automated email regarding your quotation. Your quotation has now expired. Should you wish to discuss your quotation, arrange another viewing or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Your original quotation has been attached for your reference. If you have any problems viewing the document, please let me know at your earliest convenience.

If you have already contacted us regarding this, please disregard this email."

As I said though, the text is a prompt & to be honest, you've either got it or not with the next 48hrs

 

[Andy Allen]

lol......thought you had some fancy set up that did it for you......good idea though...

 

[dave l and l]

thats a good idea. my preference is telling the customer then writing the price down. to be honest thats mostly to do with my ineptitude with computers,
think on this occasion the op shoul go to the customers door after all the correspondence with him

 

[peteablard]

Looks great that quote, think I might send him one for £749 though:lol:

 

[Bubblecraft]

Looks great that quote, think I might send him one for £749 though:lol:

Lol, already booked in for the 27th February

That job is a good example though. I got the phone call @ 5.12pm, went to see it at 6pm, was back home by 6.30pm, sent quote & text at 6.40pm.

He replied to the text sayin "Thanks for the quick quote. Will get back to you shortly" By 11.53am the next day, got a confirmation from his Missus

Result! Don't get me wrong, they don't all go that smooth but if I don't get it, it wasn't for me!

 

[Bubblecraft]

lol......thought you had some fancy set up that did it for you......good idea though...

See, made you think didn't it? That's the whole idea. Quick, efficient & to the point. Only takes a min to send a text but I feel it all makes the difference. I always try to make myself stand out from everyone else & go that extra mile!

 

[Martyn Leeds]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Yes its good when the process goes nice & smooth and the customer confirms straight away.

But its the slippery ones between quoting and doing the job. I want to increase my quote:win ratio. & this is the area that needs attention.

I always give them a quick ring the day after giving a quote by e.mail - so i've already got the initial prompt/acknowledgement thing going on.

It would be nice to have the luxury to be able to just sit back & wait for them to come. But unfortunately there will be very few of us in that position. With chasing less is more sometimes, but then chasing could win or lose you the quote. It can be desperate, or maybe its enthusiasm?

When I look through last years diary there's quite a few that I didn't get, but I was never told no. So for all I know, maybe it was my fault it slipped away.

Its only nagging me because it seems to be happening more & more, and each time, I'm getting more cheesed with the customers (which isn't healthy!!)

Think I might send a message saying the original quote is due to expire or something along those lines...


Thanks

 

[Saltire69]

It's not that i have that luxury Martyn, it's just that customers that are keen will let u know as soon as. You can bend over backwards for some customers and still not get the job. So for me, i quote the job and then leave it up to them. Spent 4hrs pricing a job and all the goods they wanted,sent quote and they replied price was abit more than they expected, told them it was alot of work involved in what they were wanting and told them that was my best price. Left it with them. Now i probaly wont get the job and thats 4hrs spent on it with nothing to show. I just put it down to being part of the joys of being self employed

 

[Sean Kelly]

Martyn,

Yes, it is very annoying and it happens to us all. My current customer is a ‘project manager’. He replied to my quote about 3 months after receiving it. I told him the quantity of tiles to order. He contacted me at 20:30 the night before I was due to tile his kitchen. When I arrived I found a piece of paper with a drawing of the kitchen. He had (in pencil) drawn every tile. He also told me that he ordered 2 extra tiles (6x6’s). When I broke 3 tiles trying to do the sockets (that he was supposed to have removed), that left me 1 tile short. I have now bought 1 extra tile and sent him an email & text asking him if I can finish the job tomorrow. I’m still awaiting a reply.

Only 2 customers had the decency last year to get back to me via email to say that they would not accept my quote.

Personally, I would like feedback. Was I too expensive (or not). Was I not knowledgeable enough etc etc.

However, sometimes I am glad some customers do not get back to me. One customer and his Wife and their Son sat at the kitchen table chain smoking whilst I was trying to measure up. They did not get back to me – thankfully!!!