By Motionlyd · · 1 view
Hi there,
“How much do you charge?”
It’s a reasonable question. It can also be surprisingly hard to answer when you don’t yet know what the person needs.
Maybe the price is fixed. Maybe it depends on the size of the job. Maybe you need to see the property before you can give an honest estimate.
You want to be helpful without guessing, writing an essay or making the customer work too hard just to get an answer.
Give them an answer they can work with
A useful first reply does three things:
- Answers what you can.
- Explains what you still need.
- Makes the next step easy.
Here’s what that can sound like in a real conversation.
The examples below are fictional. The prices illustrate the replies; they aren’t recommended rates.
When you know the price
Imagine a cleaning business with a fixed-price oven cleaning service:
“Hi Sarah, thanks for reaching out! Our oven clean is $95, including the racks and door glass. Are you looking for a particular day?”
The customer has the price, knows what’s included and has an easy question to answer.
If travel, materials or other charges apply, say so clearly. An important condition shouldn’t arrive after the customer agrees to book.
When the price depends on the job
For a house cleaning inquiry, the conversation might start like this:
“Hi Marcus, our home cleaning visits start at $150. The total depends on the size of the home and whether you’d like a standard or deep clean. How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you have?”
That’s more useful than “prices vary.” It gives Marcus a starting point and explains why you’re asking for more information.
Only use a starting price if you actually offer a service at that price. Be clear about what changes the total.
When you need to see more first
A painter might reply:
“Hi Elena, thanks for getting in touch. Could you send a couple of photos of the room you’d like painted and a rough idea of its size? That’ll help me understand the job and let you know whether we need a visit before I quote.”
There’s no invented estimate and no long questionnaire. Elena knows what to send and why it helps.
Ask the question that matters most
If you’re tempted to ask six questions at once, start with the detail that most affects your answer:
- Location: is the job in your service area?
- Size: how much work might be involved?
- Scope: what does the customer actually want done?
You can ask the next question once you’ve heard back.
AI can help draft replies, but it needs clear business information: your services, service area, pricing rules and when a person needs to prepare a quote. Review those details when setting up your services in Motion lyd.
Try it on your next inquiry
Answer what you know. Then ask one question that helps you give a better answer.
Some conversations will still go quiet. Give people room to consider their options. If you follow up, keep it relevant to their question and respect a request to stop.
What’s the one detail you usually need before you can quote a job?
Reply and tell us—or email team@motionlyd.com if you’re reading on the website. Your answer is probably a good place to start improving your first reply.
The Motion lyd team