Detailing quotes can get as simple as a one liner over DM. “It will be $280”. At some point that won’t cut it. They forget what they were quoted on, their significant other asks why it’s $280 or they come to you 2 weeks later and you can’t remember.
By writing your quote out you eliminate that problem. No need to get fancy with it. Just state what you will be doing, to their car, for what price. Here we will go over what to include, how to text your quote out and what to do after.
What to include
You want to keep it simple and cover all of their questions.
- Name of your business and contact info. Make sure they can reach you by phone.
- Customer’s name and vehicle. Year, make and model, or at least the type.
- Price each service. List them as separate line items. “Full detail $249, Pet hair $69” will be easier to accept than one price of $318. It’s also easier to remove one service if it’s too high for them.
- Total price. Tax if applicable.
- Add a note. State what you expect to be true when you’re pricing the vehicle and what you may need on site. “Price includes the 3rd row. Need about 4 hours to complete and an outlet near the driveway.”
- Quote valid until. If your pricing can fluctuate or you’re quoting for a certain time.
What to not include. Terms and conditions or all the products you may use. Things that require them to download something to view.
Quote vs estimate vs invoice
We think this gets blurred together a lot so we wanted to touch on each one.
- Quote. You are giving your customer a price to work on their vehicle. If the vehicle is as described then this is your price.
- Estimate. Your price can vary after viewing the vehicle. Maybe you are being given information about their vehicle without pictures. State it’s an estimate. “Price can vary when viewed on site.”
- Invoice. What you would send your customer after you completed the job. It will have the price and how to pay you.
These can be the same thing as well. You quote your customer. Do the work and send your invoice with any changes that were made.
Text your customer
Many customers respond to texts quicker than email so it’s usually a good idea to text your quote out. Simply send them a text with your link. Do not send a picture of your spreadsheet. A link will work on any phone and they can reference it later.
If your customer contacted you through email then reply via email. Meet them where they are.
After you send your quote
Follow up if you don’t hear back within a day or two.
If they say it’s too expensive. Don’t lower your price right away. Maybe they only want the interior or the full detail with out the pet hair. By breaking your quote down it’s easier to offer that.
If the vehicle is not as described you want to inform your customer and allow them to decide if they want to proceed. Change your quote to reflect this and your invoice will match your quote.
Quoting and invoicing with Bookr
When your customer sends a request you can open that up from your email and hit create quote. Your quote will already have their selections from your page, priced from what they saw. You can edit the prices or add custom line items, discounts and sales tax. Also feel free to add a note.
Once you’re happy with your quote hit send. You can text your customer from your phone. It will pull up your messages with the customers phone number and a pre written message similar to above. You can also email from Bookr or copy the link.
Your customer will have the ability to click on a link that will display your name and logo. They will see the line items. Their total and any notes you may have entered. Customer can also call or text you from this link. And have the ability to print or save as PDF.
Once the job is done you can change your quote into an invoice. Customer will have the same link from their quote. Just add how you want to be paid. Zelle, Venmo etc.
Questions
Do I have to include my price in my text message?
It’s your choice but sending the link is better. They will see what your quote includes.
How long should my quote be valid?
No rule on that. If your prices or schedule fluctuate you can state a date.
What if I don’t know what to charge until I see the vehicle?
You can send your customer an estimate or a price range. Tell them you will confirm the price when you’re on site. Ask for pictures if the condition sounds bad.