Emails for Quotes Unanswered

[Diggin It]

I need to do some roof work and put together a small sketch with measurements and materials needed. Last week I sent that in an email to three local merchants via their contact/sales/quote links posted on their websites. By today, I had not received answers from any of them, so I made some phone calls. Two of them indicated they do not generally check those email addresses and the messages were probably deleted or purged by now. They gave me different addresses on the phone and I resent the request while they checked to see if they received them. The third could explain why he didn't see the message sent to his direct email (his name @ vendor) but asked that I resend it and he'd look for it.


I guess I don't understand why they post emails address for sending quote in or asking about sales information and then never check the mailboxes.

 

[3Ts]

I've experienced that also. I suspect they got so few email responses initially, they just quit checking them.

The other problem I have is that I get someone to come out to look at a project and give me a bid. He comes out, takes notes & measurements, says he'll get me a quote in a couple of days and I never hear back from him.

 

[Code54]

I've experienced that also. I suspect they got so few email responses initially, they just quit checking them.

The other problem I have is that I get someone to come out to look at a project and give me a bid. He comes out, takes notes & measurements, says he'll get me a quote in a couple of days and I never hear back from him.

That happens a lot nowadays and I don't get it. Why waste the time coming out if you really don't want the work. We wanted to get some concrete work done years ago, I called 10 places, 2 showed up. The first guy could not figure out the sq footage so basically we only had one person to chose from....

 

[PILOON]

Quite common and very frustrating.
I have to believe it is upper management that wants to join the hi tech era but that the staff is still in low tech mode.
Staff age probably also comes into play.
Then comes 'not my job'.

Next comes that today most phone calls go to a recording "your call is important, please leave a message"
Yeah, sure, so is my time and I don't plan on sitting by the phone all day in case you do call.

LOL, my message often says "My time is too important so sit and wait so leave a message as to when you will be calling back"

 

[Zebrafive]

I had the same experience. I called for a quote for plumbing job.

It had to be licensed plumber, I was not allowed to do the work, not my house.


One guy that answered said it was his son's business, tell me what you need and if he wants to do the job he will call you back...…………………….

 

[muddstopper]

I absolutely will not partake in a text fest. I aint typing out a conversation on a cellphone pad. If someone has the time to type out a message, they have time to dial the phone. Send me a text or email and I might get around to seeing or answering in a day or two. my phone is always in my pocket, give me a call and I will answer and talk to you then. I had a new techie boss once, he wanted to send me text all day giving me instructions of the work he wanted done that day. He would get pizzed when I wouldnt reply and the work didnt get done. He went so far as to order me to read his text messages. I laughed at him and asked him who was paying my phone bill. Now if the company wanted to pay for me a phone then I might look at it every now and then to see if I had a message, other wise *** off. Needless to say, he started calling me after that.

 

[shooterdon]

I believe most are rather poor business people. There is a reason so many companies fail.

 

[Fallon]

Personally I prefer text or Email. That way I dont have to take notes or rember what I quoted. If my tractor work was more than a side gig I'd invest in CRM software to track that stuff, but I dont do enough work to justify it. No excuse for shoddy communications though. If you are going to post a way to communicate, you need to respond promptly. Otherwise you are just pissing off potental customers.

 

[Doofy]

I absolutely detest ringing phones. eMail is my preferred form of business communication. Chubby fingers and tiny keypads on cell phones are a non-starter too.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Same reason Web sites are so lousy. Out of date, don't reflect current products or valid dealers. You click on products and the first thing you see is "Out Of Stock".

Everybody likes the "idea" of alternative sources of business and revenue, but con't want to give them the support they need.

I want an 800 number front and center in any ad. They know their web site. Let them look for the stuff I want and send me a link . I tell companies and banks what I think of their on line offerings when they try and direct me there.

 

[Diggin It]

After hearing nothing for a few days, I sent another inquiry yesterday and I finally got two back today. Now I have to review them and see how they were figured because they're so much different from each other. Hopefully the third will come tomorrow.

 

[JK22]

Yea... I agree this is frustrating. I work the same hours that “vendors” do. I don’t have time to talk and explain on the phone. But my quote requests often go unanswered.

 

[Howling]

I went through it last year getting roofs done. Some don't even return the initial (or second) phone call or email. Some come look but never send the quote.

Most of the roofing companies are run by a roofer running his own crews. The business side is a secondary skill to them. Assistant/wife in the office to help keep scheduled and organized. Outside marketing companies providing website, 800 numbers, etc. One was a marketing guy getting jobs and outsourcing to roofing crews. His coupons and marketing turned me off ($1000 discount if deposit in 2 days).

Roofing, like other trades, is seeing a lack of new workers. The younger generation want to go in to technology and computers, not physical work. Heading towards a sellers market where the roofer gets to pick the jobs they want to do.

 

[Diggin It]

I'm doing the work. No roofers involved. These were all large, long term companies- two lumberyards and one supplier to contractors. Due to the differences, I now have to go visit each one of them in person to find out why they quoted how they did. Plus, I now have to check a fourth company a bit father away that rolls their own metal roofing to customer order to see what their current pricing is.


Quotes are running close to $2.50 per linear foot for standard 5 rib metal. Not too long ago, I was paying more like $1.80 or so.

And why would the same piece, a W valley 10'6" long run $23.25, $21.48 and $34.70? The first two are close to what I expected, so why is the third so much higher?

 

[3gunr]

look at menards.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I keep thinking that half the people don't work and the other half are over-worked!

Called the Guy a month ago that did the Steel Shake Roof on my house a couple of years ago. Great guy, great helper and great job. Said he would come by the next week to give me a quote on my garage roof. Have heard nothing of him.

NO big deal. I understand. It's NOT EASY actually having to WORK (And I mean the four letter work) for a living. Many people don't have to, it seems. I will call him again.

Also, having been a contractor for thirty years, it's sometimes valuable to see how peoples attitudes can change, when they don't immediately get what they want, and you can get rid of them before even bothering to quote. Leave the irritation for the important stuff.

 

[Gator6x4]

I'm doing the work. No roofers involved. These were all large, long term companies- two lumberyards and one supplier to contractors. Due to the differences, I now have to go visit each one of them in person to find out why they quoted how they did. Plus, I now have to check a fourth company a bit father away that rolls their own metal roofing to customer order to see what their current pricing is.


Quotes are running close to $2.50 per linear foot for standard 5 rib metal. Not too long ago, I was paying more like $1.80 or so.

And why would the same piece, a W valley 10'6" long run $23.25, $21.48 and $34.70? The first two are close to what I expected, so why is the third so much higher?

If you provided the same metal specs to each why visit each one? Why not just purchase the item from the vendor that gave you the $21.48 quote. Sale done and over with.

 

[EddieWalker]

When I first started out as a contractor I had a webpage, email address and ads out in several different newspapers. I quickly learned that the people that are serious are the ones that call you on the phone, talk to you about what they want and schedule an appointment to come out to their place and see what they want.

If somebody sends me an email, I might respond by asking where the house is and when would be a good time to meet and look at it. I NEVER trust a clients description of what they want, or how easy thing think it will be for me, or what somebody told them it would take to do the job. I only bid a job after I've seen it first hand.

Time is limited and if a contractor wants to last, he has to learn to avoid the tire kickers and those that are more curious then serious. Nothing says that you are serious more then a phone call. Emails that do not respond to my invite to call me will never get another look. I also do not call clients, they call me. This is to eliminates time wasters.

If you send a contractor an email, and he doesn't respond, it's because he's not interested. If he says one thing on the phone and still doesn't respond, he's still not interested. I decline half of the jobs that people call me about just from the call. Then when looking at a job, I probably turn down another half. I have a 3 to 6 month waiting list. If somebody is willing to take a job that everyone else is declining, you gotta wonder why? Then you have to ask why are they not wanting to respond? Is it the job, is it the client? or is it just not worth the effort to get paid doing it?

 

[Diggin It]

I NEVER trust a clients description of what they want, or how easy thing think it will be for me, or what somebody told them it would take to do the job. I only bid a job after I've seen it first hand.

This wasn't 'I want this done this way, what will it cost?' This was a specific list of parts, dimensions and colors using their own part names:

10'6" Residential 'W' Valley Forest Green, Qty 3
10'6" Eave Trim in Forest Green, Qty 4
12'8" 5 Rib Roof Panel in Forest Green, Qty 8

And so on.


Would have taken them 15 minutes at most to price and reply. Same time it did with me standing at the counter waiting for them to do it after they didn't reply by email.


I always get at least 3 quotes, even if I know what the prices should be. I don't single source most things.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's not the way the world works anymore. People call me from time to time and want to know what a security system costs. Ask me why I don't have a WEB Site, becaue that should have told them what it would cost. I just usually tell them, oh , thousands! I don't do lick and stick systems.

Or they want cameras! I thought they wanted a SECURITY system! If you have security guards on site, YES cameras would be a good idea.