written quotes

[Marlene]

I am a lover of written quotes that spell out everything. we do that for all our customers and since we do there are no surprises for them or us. what about vendor quotes? how many still get a phone quote from a vendor or a dashed out e-mail. anyone have issues when it comes time to order? how about those who get a written quote and when it comes time to order the vendor claims that what you want to order isn't what they quoted and will cost a lot more even if they wrote out exactly what you are buying? do you hold them to it? are there legal avenues to make them give you what you asked for at the price they said they would?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

In this day and age, a quote bare minimum should be in an email with everything spelled out. I haven't had an issue when showing either my vendors or my customers a quote via email.

Now, the more general the email/quote, they less wiggle room you have. Need to make sure everything is spelled out. If your vendor just shoots off a price, I would respond with "And that's for......" and give a specific list. Once they give a response, even if it's a dashed off one, typically you'll have the previous email further down so you have a chain to show what they were responding yes to.

Phone quotes, I just wouldn't accept.

Now with them going back on a written quote. Did it stipulate how long that quote was good for and if so, was your order within that given time frame? If there was no time period given (and your order was within a reasonable time period from the quote) or you were within the given time limit, I would hold them to it.

 

[ddarlak]

with the internet there really isn't a need for vendor quotes, 99.99% of the time you just tell a vendor your going somewhere else or you have xx price from someone else and they match it/beat it...

 

[Gino]

I know for us, we pretty much spell everything out, as long as we know all of the particulars on our quotes. We'll also give some alternatives if we think it might help them. Nothing worse than being blindsided after the project is in progress.

Recently, we just had this happen to us, but in reverse, where a vendor did go back on what he said and had in writing. I don't think it's right, but it happens. It seems to be the way many people today do business. Oops, I made a mistake..... oh well, sorry. Sh!t happens. No, it doesn't, not in business. Mistakes happen, but you must be accountable for them, if it's on your watch. You or your business is what you say and do...... not what you make excuses for. We just had this conversation last week I believe where a department manager thought his boss was being hard on him for making mistakes.

The problem is..... how do you hold someone accountable for their mistakes..... if they don't care or even own up to them ??

 

[Billct2]

Depends on the details involved. And can always be clarified when the order is actually placed.
I had a vendor follow up on a (large) quote I had requested, and they offered a discount to help sell the job, on the phone.
So just to be sure I had it right I emailed them a note saying I was going to discuss it with the client and offer
them a new price based on the number they gave me. They replied with best wishes for a sale.
Now it's in writing and acknowledged. And when i place the order I will again confirm the price..
Now if it was a $100 banner I might not be so careful.