Reduce email back-and-forth with leads: help customers make the right

An enquiry that only says, ‘How much does a patio cover cost?’ may look like an opportunity, but it often creates mostly work. To reduce email back-and-forth with leads, start with one change: let customers provide the information you need to create a quote straight away.

That means you do not have to guess at measurements, materials or extra options. The customer does not need to work out which details you need either. Your first conversation can be about the project itself, rather than a long list of questions.

Why does a vague price enquiry create so many emails?

Customers usually do not know which information determines the price. They are thinking about a veranda for the garden or new window frames, while you need to know the size, specification and extras involved. Those differences matter a great deal to your pricing.

That is why the same chain of messages often follows. You ask for the width and depth. Then it turns out the roof material or colour has not been decided yet. Next comes the question of whether installation, side walls or finishing should also be included.

That is not anyone’s fault. The customer is not a tradesperson and cannot be expected to know which choices appear in your price list. But every extra email is a moment when an enquiry can stall or a customer can look elsewhere.

A complete enquiry form will not remove every conversation. In an unusual situation, you will often still need to measure up or visit the site. But it does remove the messages that are only needed to get the basics on the table.

What information should you ask for in a quote?

Do not ask for everything you could ever want to know about a job. Start with the choices that genuinely determine the price. For most made-to-measure products, that means five to eight questions.

For a patio cover, for example, these could be:

• width and depth;
• frame colour;
• type of roof material;
• side walls and gable panels;
• awnings, lighting and installation.

With these details, you can create a complete enquiry for an initial price and a useful follow-up. Details that only become relevant during a visit are better left out of the required fields at this stage. A long list of questions puts people off, especially on a phone.

That is why it helps to use clear choices instead of open text fields. ‘About four metres, not sure about the colour yet’ is difficult to price. Choosing a size range or a colour gives you something you can work with immediately.

Want to decide which questions matter most for your product? In offerteformulier maken met vijf keuzes, you can read how to use price-determining information as your starting point.

How do you ask for measurements and options without overwhelming customers?

Put questions in a logical order and divide them into short steps. Start with the basics, then move on to the specification and only then the extras. That way, customers do not have to think about dimensions, material, colour and installation all at once.

A step-by-step form works well because every question has a clear purpose. The customer first sees, for example, which dimensions are possible. They then choose a roof material and see which options are available with it.

Leave out questions that are not relevant too. Someone who does not choose lighting does not need to select a light colour. Someone who chooses a particular specification should not see options that do not apply to it. This keeps the journey short without leaving you short of information.

A configurator can do this on your own website. Visitors choose their product step by step, see the price update as they go and then submit their enquiry. See how a configurator voor offertes op je website helps visitors make their choices clear in advance.

A practical example: from four emails to a useful conversation

Imagine a customer emails a veranda company to ask how much a patio cover costs. The salesperson asks for the width, depth, preferred roof type, colour and any side walls. Two days later, the customer replies with the measurements and colour, but not the roof type or installation details.

After another email, the customer chooses glass, but later it turns out they also want an awning. Only after several messages can the salesperson calculate the price and prepare a quote. In the meantime, the customer has mainly had to wait and repeat what they meant.

In a step-by-step form, that same customer first chooses the width and depth. They then choose the frame colour, roof material, side walls and any awning. At every step, they see what that choice does to the price.

Once submitted, the enquiry arrives with the measurements, selected options and calculated price. The salesperson does not need to calculate everything again or copy over details. They can call with a focused question, for example about the wall the cover will be attached to or to arrange a measuring appointment.

That is the benefit of reducing email back-and-forth about an enquiry: not less personal contact, but less contact that only exists to collect missing details.

What happens when a complete enquiry comes in?

Once you have all the basic information, you can handle an enquiry faster. You know what the customer is looking for, which price range they are in and which choices they have already made.

In Klantly, a configurator enquiry can arrive as a contact with a fully specified quote. The choices, measurements, VAT and calculated price are already together. You check the enquiry and decide for yourself what to send to the customer next.

This also helps when several colleagues handle customer contact. The information stays on the customer card, alongside conversations, quotes and appointments. A colleague does not need to ask the customer again what they were looking for. Find out more at klantinformatie op één plek beheren.

A complete enquiry also makes a quick confirmation possible. The customer knows their request has arrived, while you still have room to check the details. If anything is unclear, you ask one focused question instead of starting again from scratch.

When do you still need to ask questions personally?

Not every project fits fully into a form. A renovation with an unusual structure, difficult access or a situation that needs to be seen first requires trade knowledge and a conversation on site.

That is not a reason to ask for nothing in advance. The basic details help you make a better-prepared call. You already know which product, size and requirement the customer has in mind.

So do not see a form as a replacement for advice. It is the preparation for it. The customer chooses what they can already choose, and you use your time for the questions that genuinely require trade knowledge.

Want to see how you can receive enquiries more clearly and handle them faster? Start your trial and discover what Klantly could mean for your business.