When a client says no, ask once, politely, with three short questions, and write the answer down. A lost quote is the cheapest market research you will get, and most builders never collect it.
This is different from a quote that goes quiet. Here the client has told you the answer. If you are not hearing anything back at all, start with why quotes go quiet.
A no is information
It is easy to take a lost quote personally and move on. The better move is to treat it as data about your price, your scope, your speed or your fit.
The reasons are usually few: the price was higher, the scope was different, someone else replied first, the client changed their mind, or they did not feel confident in you. You cannot fix any of them if you do not know which one it was.
Know what you will hear before you ask. Some clients will not tell you the truth, and some do not know it themselves. One answer proves nothing. A pattern across ten answers does.
The message to send
Send it by text or email within a few days of the no, while the job is still fresh. Keep it short and make it easy to answer. Here is one you can adapt:
Hi [name], thanks for letting me know, and no hard feelings. If you have a minute, I would value a quick note on what made the difference, so I can price better next time. Was it the price, the scope or something else? Either way, all the best with the job.
A few rules for the message:
- Do not argue, defend or discount. The job has gone.
- Do not send it after a heated exchange.
- Ask once. If there is no reply, leave it.
- Keep the door open. Say you are happy to look at it again if things change.
Three questions that get an answer
People reply to short, specific questions. Pick the three that suit the job:
- Was it mostly about price, or about something else? It lets them say yes to price without feeling rude.
- Did the other quote cover the same work? Often it did not. The Queensland regulator tells homeowners to make sure each quote covers the same scope, materials and finishes, labour and timeline, and to check for contingencies and fees. A lower price can be a smaller scope.
- Is there anything you wished I had explained better? This one catches the quiet reasons: unclear exclusions, a slow reply, a confusing document.
If the client volunteers who they chose, do not ask for their price. It is not yours to push for, and it puts them on the spot.
Logging lost quotes and the reasons
Keep a simple sheet or a list in whatever system you use to keep track of enquiries and quotes. One line per lost quote:
- Date, job type and rough size.
- How the enquiry came in.
- How fast you replied and how fast you sent the price.
- The reason given, in the client’s words.
- Your own guess at the real reason, kept separate.
Review it every month or two. If five of ten say the other quote was cheaper and the scope was the same, that is a price signal. If five say someone called them back sooner, that is a speed problem, and no price change will fix it. Our guide on follow-up email after a quote and the one on reopening quiet quotes cover the other end of the same problem.
Do not turn this into win-rate statistics from a handful of jobs. A small list tells you what to look at, not what is true across the market.
Changes worth making and ones that are not
Worth making:
- Say what is excluded, in writing, in plain words. It stops your price looking higher than a quote that left things out.
- Reply to enquiries faster, and send the price sooner.
- Explain the price. Break it into stages or sections so the client sees where the money goes.
- Quote the scope the client asked for, then offer options separately.
- Qualify earlier. Ask about budget, timing and who decides before you spend hours pricing.
Not worth making:
- Dropping your price across the board because one client chose a cheaper quote.
- Matching a price you cannot see the scope of.
- Cutting corners the client cannot see yet.
The QBCC also notes, on its page on comparing quotes, that accepting a quote below fair market value may reduce a homeowner’s compensation if they later claim under the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme. That is a Queensland rule. The cheapest quote is not always the best one for the client, and you can say so calmly without running the other builder down.
When to stop
Stop when you have asked once and had no reply. Stop when the client has told you they have signed. Stop when a reply turns into a negotiation on a job you do not want at that price.
If many quotes are going out and few are coming back signed, check what is going into the top end: are you pricing enquiries that were never likely to proceed? PreBuild Systems rings every homeowner who enquires and checks six things before sending them to one business, so more of your quotes go to people who want the job done. And for the quotes you do send, see how we follow up quotes.
Common questions
Is it rude to ask why I lost a quote?
No, if you ask once, briefly and politely, and take the answer without arguing. Most people accept the question as professional.
Why do I keep losing quotes to cheaper builders?
Often the other quote covers less. Compare scope, exclusions and allowances before you assume it was price. If scope is equal and you are consistently higher, that is worth knowing.
Should I lower my price to win the job back?
Not by reflex. If the client reopens the conversation, price what they now want. Do not cut a price you cannot support.
How long should I wait before asking?
A few days after the no, while the job is still fresh. Ask once.