Sending the quote “later”
The customer called other tradespeople too. Often, whoever gets a written price to them first gets the job.
What to doSend the quote before you start the engine. Three lines on WhatsApp now beat a perfect quote tonight.
What a service visit quote should include
A customer calls, describes the problem, and you agree a price and a time. What gets written after the call decides whether you arrive to a smooth job or an argument. Here's what to write, what people forget, and what it looks like in practice.
Checklist
9 things every quote should cover
Not every visit needs a long document. But every quote, even a short WhatsApp message, should answer these questions.
- 1
Business name and contact
The customer needs to know who the message is from, especially if it comes from a number they haven't saved.
- 2
The job, in the customer's words
“Blocked kitchen sink”, not “fault repair”. That way you both know what it's about when you arrive.
- 3
Visit fee, separate from the repair
The amount agreed for coming out and inspecting. It's the only price you can fix before you've seen the problem.
- 4
What the visit fee covers
Diagnosis only? A simple fix included? How much time? One sentence here prevents most disputes.
- 5
What happens if a repair is needed
Say that further work is priced after inspection, and only with the customer's approval. If you gave a range on the phone, write it as a range.
- 6
VAT
Say whether the price includes VAT. VAT-exempt business (osek patur)? Say so, so the invoice holds no surprise.
- 7
Day and time, or an arrival window
“Mon 10:00” or “Mon between 10 and 12”. What you agreed, not what's easy to remember.
- 8
Full address
Street, number and city, plus floor, entrance and building code if needed. A missing detail here costs you driving time.
- 9
Cancellation and rescheduling
What happens if the customer cancels or isn't home. Even one short sentence beats nothing.
Common mistakes
4 things that get lost after the call
None of these happen because you're unprofessional. They happen because you're already on the next job.
A visit fee that looks like a final price
You wrote “₪350” with no explanation. The customer assumed it covered the repair, and the visit ends in an argument.
What to doWrite “visit fee” next to the amount, and below it: “Further repairs priced after inspection, with your approval.”
The address stays in your head
You wrote it on a scrap of paper, or not at all. Now you have to call back, or find out at the door that you don't have the code.
What to doAsk for the full address on the call and put it in the quote. If the customer isn't sure, note that a detail is missing.
No record of what was said
The customer remembers a different price. Without something in writing, it's your word against theirs.
What to doAsk the customer to confirm with a short reply such as “Confirmed”. That records that they read it and agreed.
Example
What it looks like in practice
A plumber's visit quote after a two-minute call. The blue numbers point to items in the checklist.
Visit quoteDanny Levi Plumbing050-•••-••12
1
- Job
- Blocked kitchen sink, inspection 2
- Visit fee
- ₪350 incl. VAT 36
- Included
- Call-out, diagnosis and clearing a simple blockage 4
- Further repair
- Priced after inspection, only with your approval 5
- When
- Mon 12 Oct, 10:00 7
- Address
- 10 Herzl St, Tel Aviv, 3rd floor 8
- Cancellation
- Free until Sunday evening 9
To confirm, reply “Confirmed”.
This is the quote JobRelay writes for you
You agree the details on the call as always. JobRelay builds a quote in this shape from the call and sends it to the customer on WhatsApp under your business name. A detail that wasn't said is flagged, never invented.
How it worksTemplate
A template to copy
Paste it into WhatsApp, replace what's in brackets, and send. You can also print it or save it as a PDF.
Visit quote · [Business name] Job: [what the customer described] Visit fee: ₪[amount] [incl. / excl. VAT] Included: [call-out, diagnosis, ...] Further repair: priced after inspection, only with your approval When: [day, date, time or arrival window] Address: [street, number, city, floor, code] Cancellation: [until when it's free to cancel] To confirm, reply "Confirmed". [Name] · [Phone]
Questions
Questions about quotes
This guide is general information, not legal or accounting advice.
Do I need a written quote for a small visit?
It isn't required, but it pays off. Three lines on WhatsApp with the price, time and address save a callback and a misunderstanding.
Is a WhatsApp message enough, or do I need a signed PDF?
For a service visit, a clear message with the customer's confirming reply records what was agreed. For a large job with many line items, a detailed signed document fits better. For a specific legal question, ask a lawyer.
What if the customer wants a final price on the phone?
Fix a price only for what you can know in advance, like the visit fee. For the repair, give a range and write that the final price is set after inspection.
How long is the quote valid?
When a time is booked, the quote holds until the visit. When it isn't, state a validity period, say a week, so the customer doesn't come back six months later with the old price.
JobRelay
Want this quote to go out on its own after every call?
JobRelay listens to the service call, builds a quote like the example from it, and sends it to the customer on WhatsApp under your business name.
Talk to us directly
hello@getjobrelay.app