Are Your Production Teams Following Up on Estimates

The missing link between estimating and actually winning the job.

 
Let’s talk about something that quietly costs restoration companies real money . . . following up on estimates.

Your sales team’s job is to get opportunities in the door. Production teams focus on delivering great work. But what happens after the estimate goes out? That’s where communication often breaks down and jobs quietly slip away.

Here’s a story.

One of my clients’ sales reps landed a big chance with a property manager for a $200,000-plus project. The production manager scoped the work, wrote the estimate, and emailed it out. Days went by. The sales rep asked, “Did we hear back?” No response.

Then he called the property manager directly and found out the estimate never arrived. It went to the wrong email address.

One quick fix and follow-up later, the job was back on track and heading for approval. That brief check-in saved a six-figure opportunity.

I know this story because I lived it. When I started in restoration, I did every mold estimate myself . . . meeting homeowners, scoping work, writing bids, and following up until I closed or lost the job. I was a follow-up machine and I was closing about 65 to 70 percent of my bids.

But then I stepped out of the field to focus on leadership. I handed estimating to production managers and watched our close rate drop sharply.
One sales rep told me, “Scott, the production managers aren’t closing the jobs. We’re missing commissions. Let me learn how to do mold estimates and follow up.”
I was skeptical because he had no production experience, but I created a process for him to gather info and write bids. He followed up consistently and his close rate hit 70 to 80 percent regularly.
Here’s what this means for you. If production folks are bidding but not following up, you’re leaving serious money on the table. Maybe sales reps need to take over follow-ups. Maybe sales needs to check that production actually follows up. Either way, you need a system that connects estimating with accountability.
Because no follow-up means no sale.
If this sounds familiar, don’t worry . . . you’re not alone. There’s a real fix, and I’m here to help.