10 Quotation Mistakes That Lose You Customers (and How to Fix Them)
A quotation is often the first serious impression a customer has of your business. These ten mistakes quietly cost orders and cause disputes. Each has an easy fix.
1. A vague scope
"Interior work: โน5,00,000" invites arguments. List what is included and what is not. Customers trust detail.
2. No validity date
Material prices change. Say "valid until" with a date. See validity clauses.
3. Hidden or missing GST
Show GST clearly on each line and in the total, so there is no surprise at invoice time. Use the correct rate (see GST rates).
4. Calculation errors
A wrong total destroys trust. Use a tool that calculates automatically, such as our quotation generator.
5. No payment terms
State the advance, milestones and credit days. Customers who know the terms rarely argue about them.
6. Sending it late
The first quote often wins. Reply within a few hours when possible, and send a PDF, not a photo of a handwritten sheet.
7. An unprofessional look
No logo, mismatched fonts and a missing address make you look small. A clean one-page format helps. See the quotation format.
8. Pricing below cost
Winning an order that loses money is not winning. Check the margin with the margin calculator and read how to price.
9. No follow-up
Most quotes are lost to silence, not to price. Follow up in two or three days. See how to follow up and email templates.
10. No next step
End with a clear action: "Reply 'OK' to confirm and pay the 50% advance to book your slot." Give your phone number and make it easy to say yes.
Quick checklist before you send
- Customer name and project are correct
- Items, quantities, rates and GST double-checked
- Validity date and payment terms included
- Your contact details and bank details are visible
- Sent as a PDF with a clear file name