Five messages. One quote tracker. A clearer next step.
A practical starter kit from SkillsDock for Australian trade businesses.
Use this to organise the enquiries and quotes you already have. You can use the whole kit yourself; buying SkillsDock is optional. It does not generate new enquiries or guarantee that a quote will be accepted.
Start with a ten-minute check
Take a sample of up to ten recent enquiries and open quotes. Record what actually happened rather than guessing lost revenue.
| Check | Your answer |
|---|---|
| Where did the enquiry arrive: phone, email, form or another channel? | |
| Who owns the next reply? | |
| Has the customer received the information they requested? | |
| If a quote was sent, when was it sent? | |
| Is it still open, or has the customer already accepted or declined? | |
| Has the customer replied, asked you to stop, or moved to another conversation? | |
| Is a follow-up appropriate, and what question should it answer? | |
| What is the next action and its due date? |
Pick one gap to fix first. For example: every open quote gets an owner and a next-action date. You do not need to change all your software to start.
Five editable messages
Replace every bracketed field. Read the complete message before sending. Use the customer's actual situation and your business's preferred tone. Include the appropriate sender details and unsubscribe option for the channel and message type. Only contact people where you have the necessary permission; receiving this kit does not create permission to contact anyone.
1. After a missed call
Hi [first name, if known], it's [name] from [business]. Sorry we missed your call. What work do you need help with, and which suburb is the job in? We'll review your reply and get back to you during [business hours]. [Opt-out wording if applicable]
Use only when it is appropriate to respond through this channel to that caller. If you do not know the person's name, start with “Hi”. Do not promise an immediate callback, a booking or emergency attendance unless your team can provide it. Repeated calls should not trigger repeated messages.
2. First quote follow-up: confirm receipt
Hi [first name], it's [name] from [business]. Just checking that quote [reference] for [brief job description] reached you. Let me know if you need anything clarified. [Opt-out wording if applicable]
Suggested starting point: around two business days after sending, if still open and there has been no reply. Adjust to the quote's actual decision window. This is a proposed cadence, not a rule for every job.
3. Second quote follow-up: make questions easy
Hi [first name], checking in about quote [reference]. Is there anything about the scope or next steps you'd like me to explain? If your plans have changed, let me know and I'll update our notes. — [name], [business]. [Opt-out wording if applicable]
Suggested starting point: several business days after the first message, only if the quote remains open and the customer has not replied. Do not invent a discount or claim availability that has not been checked.
4. Final quote follow-up: close the loop
Hi [first name], one last check on quote [reference]. Would you like to keep it open, or should I close the enquiry for now? Either is fine. You can contact [business] when you're ready. — [name]. [Opt-out wording if applicable]
Send only if a final check is appropriate. Then end that sequence. “Close the enquiry” means update your records; it must not silently cancel an accepted contract, promised work or agreed booking.
5. After a completed job: ask for an honest review
Hi [first name], thanks for choosing [business] for [job]. If you'd like to share your experience, you can leave an honest review here: [verified review link]. We welcome your feedback. — [name], [business]. [Opt-out wording if applicable]
Invite eligible customers consistently. Do not ask only customers who give you a high satisfaction score, write their review for them, or require a positive review in exchange for a benefit. Check that the link belongs to your business.
One simple open-quotes tracker
Keep customer details in a suitable private business system. A public spreadsheet or advertising audience is not the place for job notes.
| Quote reference | Sent date | Status | Owner | Last contact | Reply received? | Next action | Due date | Stop reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXAMPLE-001 | [date] | Open | [owner] | Quote sent | No | Confirm receipt | [date] | |
| EXAMPLE-002 | [date] | Accepted | [owner] | Customer accepted | Yes | Arrange agreed next step | [date] | Quote accepted |
| EXAMPLE-003 | [date] | Closed | [owner] | Customer declined | Yes | None | Customer declined |
Suggested statuses: New enquiry, Awaiting details, Quote sent, Customer replied, Accepted, Declined, Closed. Adapt these to your quoting tool. Do not maintain conflicting quote statuses in two systems without deciding which one is authoritative.
Before sending a reminder, check the authoritative status. An old spreadsheet row must not restart reminders for a customer who has already accepted elsewhere.
Four stop rules
- A reply arrives: stop the automated quote reminders and assign a human response.
- The quote closes or is accepted: stop the quote sequence and follow the relevant agreed next step.
- The person opts out: stop the relevant messaging, record it and honour it across the connected process.
- A team member takes over: pause the automated sequence until someone deliberately reviews the next step.
Also prevent duplicate enrolment, respect the agreed local sending hours, and make sure someone owns failed deliveries. A completed job should not automatically revive a stopped quote sequence.
A weekly fifteen-minute routine
Review open quotes with no owner, enquiries waiting for a reply, overdue actions and failed deliveries. Close stale records only after checking the actual conversation. Count what you can observe: open quotes, follow-ups sent, replies received, accepted/declined quotes and time spent managing the process.
Do not call all accepted work “recovered revenue”. You usually cannot know whether the customer would have accepted without the reminder.
Want SkillsDock to set up and manage it?
Trade Enquiry Follow-up covers an agreed process for one business location: approved missed-call replies, up to three quote follow-up messages, honest review requests and a clear enquiry pipeline. SkillsDock checks compatibility, agrees the messages and handover rules, tests the setup and provides ongoing monitoring, a monthly report and one small monthly adjustment.
Current price: A$750 setup + GST (A$825 incl.) and A$299/month + GST (A$328.90 incl.). Setup plus the first monthly fee totals A$1,049 ex GST (A$1,153.90 incl. GST). Ongoing service is A$299 ex GST (A$328.90 incl. GST) per month, with phone, SMS and email usage extra. We confirm the service start date, setup milestones, final scope and separate usage costs in writing before payment. Your team handles customer advice, quotes, decisions and work.
Review trade follow-up. Review the fees and prepare your business details. Payment is disabled in this review.
SkillsDock · Adelaide, South Australia · [email protected] · Privacy
Using this resource
You may copy and adapt these message templates and the tracker for use in your own business. Do not resell this kit or imply SkillsDock endorses your messages. Your business remains responsible for accurate wording, appropriate permission and actual sending.