What the measurements show
≈50%of conversations where price came up at all
8-11the message it was quoted on, on average
The second figure matters more than the first. Eight messages before a price means the customer spent more time on the conversation than it takes to work out whether this is their budget.
Why reps put price off
- fear the customer will leave: but somebody who leaves over price would have left on message eight too
- the habit of «showing value first»: in practice value gets shown together with price, not instead of it
- no authority: the rep does not know the range and is afraid of getting it wrong
- the price genuinely is complicated: then you need a range, not silence
How to quote when a calculation is needed
- Give a range: «jobs like this come out around such and such».
- Say what the exact figure depends on.
- Name the deadline for the calculation as a specific date and time.
- Agree when you will come back with the exact figure.
«We will send you a quote» with no deadline attached is one of the most expensive phrases in a written thread. It closes the conversation from both ends: the rep thinks the work is done, the customer waits.
What to put in the rules
- price, or a range, gets quoted no later than the third message, once the job is clear
- a calculation carries a deadline stated specifically
- after agreement, the summary and bank details go out immediately, two messages back to back
What to measure
- the share of conversations where price was quoted
- the number of the message it was quoted on
- the time from agreement to bank details going out