Why quotations go quiet
You send a quotation on Sunday. The client said it was urgent. By Thursday there is no reply, and you are not sure whether to write again or wait.
Most of the time the silence is not a "no". The client is busy, the quotation is waiting for a manager, a competing offer came in, or your message simply slipped down a long chat list. A short reminder at the right time often brings the conversation back.
The problem is not knowing what to do. It is doing it every time. When you send many quotations a week, follow-up is the first task that slips, and deals close somewhere else without anyone noticing.
A follow-up rhythm that respects the client
There is no perfect number for every trade, but a clear rhythm beats guessing. The one we build into our follow-up employee is simple:
- After about 2 days: a short check that the quotation arrived and an offer to answer any question.
- After about 7 days: a gentle reminder, with one useful detail, for example the delivery time or what the price includes.
- After about 14 days: a last, polite message that leaves the door open, for example asking whether the need has changed.
After the third message, the follow-up stops. A client who did not answer three polite messages over two weeks has heard you. More messages after that start to feel like pressure.
The most important rule sits above the rhythm: stop the moment the client answers. A reply of any kind, even "not now", means a person should take over the conversation, not an automatic message.
What each message should say
A good follow-up is short enough to read on a phone in a few seconds. It does not repeat the whole quotation, and it does not push.
| Message | Goal | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | Confirm it arrived, offer help | Friendly and brief |
| Day 7 | Remind, add one useful detail | Helpful, not selling |
| Day 14 | Close politely, leave the door open | Calm and respectful |
Write it in the client's language. A client who wrote to you in Arabic should get the follow-up in Arabic, and a supplier or buyer who works in English should get it in English. A message in the wrong language feels like a mass mailing.
Avoid phrases that create false urgency or guilt. "We have not heard from you" sounds like a complaint. "Is there anything we can clarify?" sounds like service.
What the AI follow-up employee does
The AI follow-up employee is one of our AI employees for the front desk. According to its package on our site, it does five things:
- Follow-up after 2, 7 and 14 days for every quotation and enquiry you add.
- In the client's language, so the message matches the conversation.
- Stops the moment the client answers, and the chat is back in your hands.
- A weekly list of open deals, so you see who went quiet and can decide whether to call.
- Works with WhatsApp and e-mail, depending on how your clients reach you.
You can see the full package and the current price on our services page.
It does not negotiate, change prices or promise delivery dates. Those decisions stay with you. Its job is to make sure no quotation is forgotten.
Setting it up for your business
We start with one session to understand how you send quotations today and who your clients are. In that session we agree on:
- The wording of each of the three messages, in your tone and in each language you use.
- Which deals to follow: every quotation, or only those above a size you choose.
- The channel for each kind of client, WhatsApp or e-mail.
- Who gets the weekly list of open deals, and on which day.
Before anything goes to a real client, we test the messages with you. After launch, you can change the wording at any time, and we adjust it when a pattern appears, for example when many clients ask the same question after the first reminder.
The follow-up employee makes sense when you send quotations every week and some of them disappear without an answer. If you send only a few and can follow each one yourself, a reminder in your own calendar may be enough, and we will tell you so.
If you would like every quotation you send to get a polite follow-up, send us a message on WhatsApp and tell us how you work today.