# Closing a Customer that is waiting on other bids



## csv (Aug 18, 2009)

How do you all handle this? When you give a bid no matter what you do or say, or how good of a salesman you are, they still want to wait on other bids to come in? 

Thanks


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## Bob Kovacs (May 4, 2005)

Ummm....I handle it by waiting. The one-call close just isn't going to work with some folks.


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## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

Ask why?, then either answer the objections again or move on.

Most likely you haven't done a good enough presentation for them to make the decision to go with you.

People have learned through experience that this tends to get contractors to leave.

Take your chose. Ask why or pack up and leave.:thumbsup:


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## dsconstructs (Jul 20, 2010)

Usually, it's because they really do want to explore options.....compare prices/methods/materials and personalities. I never sweat it when they want time for other estimates to come in. That's their right as a consumer, typically means they don't have a referred contractor to deal with, and aren't ready to buy the first car, on the first lot, from the first salesman they talk to. I would however be a little upset/perplexed if someone called me stating "so and so" referred you and then was told they're shopping around before deciding though.


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## MikeGC (Dec 6, 2008)

Follow up at the appropriate time and try to close it


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## csv (Aug 18, 2009)

Thanks, I am meeting with a potential customer in the morning and I know they are waiting on at least one other bid.


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## Angela_H (Oct 21, 2010)

I wait. I want our customers to be educated, informed and comfortable with their decision. I provide them with as much education as I can, and point them to our blog for more information. When I follow up with them later I offer to look at the other estimates with them. I do this from a no pressure educational perspective. They need to know how each bid is different, and they need to know what to ask the other roofers. 9 times out of 10 they are so thankful for the help and the low pressure environment they go with us :thumbup:


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## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

I will wait them out. Some people will try to act like you are bothering them or desperate, even though that probably is not the case.


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## Wayfarer Doors (Feb 2, 2010)

My brother in law, a lumber saleman, taught me that if you're selling a commodity, be the last one to give a bid. His biggest deals were cut at 10:00 the night before the final deadline. If you're not selling a commodity, most of us aren't, be patient, explain what you can when you can and wait.


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

Bob Kovacs said:


> Ummm....I handle it by waiting. The one-call close just isn't going to work with some folks.



So your girls are a tough sell, huh Bob? Nice.._.real_ nice. :w00t:


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## Aaron Tritt (Feb 4, 2011)

High pressure sales techniques do not belong in construction. The clients that would succumb to those tactics would probably not be good to work with anyways...

I find that it is best to give a professional presentation, follow up to make sure you are not forgotten, and get jobs because you are THE professional in your area.

I generally submit my bids to the potential customer through email, and ask for a response to confirm that they can open all files. A couple days later, I will ask them if there is any way I can make the process easier for them.

I close overall about 9/10 jobs (most are reference though)...


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## pcplumber (Oct 12, 2008)

*Two ways to increase your odds of getting the job*

When you know in advance, or when you feel fairly certain the customer is getting more estimates (I hate the word 'bid) you give the customer a very logical reason why you don't want to quote your price. 

Look at the job, make the customer feels confident that your prices are reasonable, and tell the customer you need the time to get an exact cost for materials and labor so you can give them the best price. 

Make the customer feel that waiting for the price and a professionally written estimate is going to be a tremendous benefit for them because you don't want to overcharge them, you don't want to undercharge them, and you want to make sure your the scope of your type-written estimate covers every detail so there are no problems.

Then, call the customer midway before they get their last estimate to make them feel you are on top of your game.

The second way to increase your odds is to quote a price and write the estimate. Then, tell the customer you are going to draw some diagrams, type the estimate, maybe even shave the price, but you need a few days to do this and make sure they know the wait is going to be beneficial. After the customer gets their estimates you call and tell them you shaved the price, typed the estimate and you need a few minutes to sit with them to explain the exact scope of the work. When sitting at the table with the customer you tell the customer you want to compare apples to apples and you attempt to get them to show you their estimates. I tell customers that they should show me other estimates because one tiny word in a contract can make a huge difference regarding the way the work is done. I will in a friedly way keep on insisting that I need to see the estimates to compare the work and tell the customer they can put tape over the price. Eventually, a high percent of customers will cave in and show you their estimates because this is really the right thing for the customer to do when they want the best deal because most customers are not qualified to make informed decisions regardless of how many estimates they get.


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## FHS (Apr 24, 2010)

I have used thet line,"If your still waiting on their bid, dont you think you might end up waiting for them to do the job?"


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## pcplumber (Oct 12, 2008)

*Bad question.*



FHS said:


> I have used thet line,"If your still waiting on their bid, dont you think you might end up waiting for them to do the job?"


This is a perfect example of why you need to be in control and not ask questions that create arguments.

Never ask a question where you can create an argument and never ask a question where you can get an answer you don't want to hear. Ask this question and I can instantly think of 10 reasons why estimates are worth waiting for and these include things like:

As the customer, I chose the date to meet the other contractor.
No, the contractor said he is not busy and can start immediately.
I need time to ponder over the project
I need time, anyway, to get the money together
Time is not an issue
I don't intend to start the job for a while, anyway.
I sincerely want to hear other opinions. 
I have to get more estimates so I have a solid benchmark
I think your price is too high and more than I expected
My friend got his job for 1/2 the price you quoted me. How will I know.

It is better to tell the customer the reasons to wait for you rather than
ask because you need to be in control and you lose control when you create unnecessary arguments.


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## FHS (Apr 24, 2010)

Different strokes for different folks, but I rarely use it and have never had it backfore, Anymore i am usually recommended to the HO and I am the only guy submitting a proposal, about 1 in 4 estimates are actually bids the rest its just me and the client, they have already decided to go with me. 

But hey, i see validity on all your points and i never rush a HO to a decision.


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## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

FHS said:


> Different strokes for different folks, but I rarely use it and have never had it backfore, Anymore i am usually recommended to the HO and I am the only guy submitting a proposal, about 1 in 4 estimates are actually bids the rest its just me and the client, they have already decided to go with me.
> 
> But hey, i see validity on all your points and i never rush a HO to a decision.


You seem to be very agreeable until you make the statement about "rushing" a customer.

With gas prices going up every day, i don't want to go back to a customer's ho.

Someone said something about closing 8 out of 10 estimates.

Might I suggest you raise your prices, you ARE LEaving money on the table.


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## FHS (Apr 24, 2010)

I was in sales for 8 years and know when a customer is in the buying state of mind, now I dont rush but I do put a sense of urgency in our conversations. Usually it has to do with their timeline I am typically booked out at least 2 months in advance so if they want me to do it they know that I need to get them on the schedule asap.


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## welterweight (Nov 10, 2009)

knowledge is the most important thing..customer needs to feel that you are an expert and everything will work out just fine because you know exactly what you are doing. you need to BUILD CONFIDENCE AND TRUST.
remember, a customer is letting you into his/her home and they want to be rest assured that you can be trusted in their bedrooms,around kids, home alone with the wife ect...
i've had customers tell me that x,y,or z company had a knowledgeable sales guy but there was something about him they did'nt like. lots of times they say it was arrogance or he put down another company. never put down the competition.
i always tell a customer this if they ask about another company:
"i don't want to comment on company abc but i will tell you that you will be very happy you chose our company".
Company A is alot lower than you--" I know they said they will do the job cheap,they always do.they are a different kind of company than we are. however, i can guarantee our cost will be much lower".


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## Molson (Apr 14, 2011)

9 times out of 10 they are so thankful for the help and the low pressure environment they go with us :thumbup:[/quote]


Wow! Closing 90%....


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## Angela_H (Oct 21, 2010)

After I wrote that I thought you know with all the smarties around here someones going to take it literally instead of as a well known expression. I should have known :laughing: I wouldn't have this board any other way.


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