A quote that took an hour
A family of four enquires. The caseworker opens the firm's price list, then the official fee table, works out which fees apply to each person, adds priority options the family asked about, notes that one child's fee is different, and types it all into an email. An hour later it is sent. The next day the family asks how much it would be without the priority option, and the whole thing is done again.
Sometimes a fee is missed. Sometimes an old fee table is used. Occasionally a quote goes out with a total that does not match the lines above it.
Quoting is arithmetic on moving figures
Official fees change from time to time, and each route has different fees for main applicants and dependants, plus optional services. Your own professional fees vary by service and complexity. Putting them together correctly for a household is a small calculation with many ways to get it wrong.
Because there is no tool, each caseworker does it their own way, from their own copy of the price list. Some are more generous with discounts than others. The firm has no record of what was quoted to whom, or which quotes turned into instructions.
Quotes also carry the firm's reputation. A clear, accurate quote tells the client the firm is organised. A quote that has to be corrected tells them the opposite, before any work has started.
What slow quoting costs
| Problem | Effect |
|---|---|
| Quotes take a long time | Prospects instruct whoever replies first |
| Outdated fee tables | Quotes that have to be corrected later |
| Arithmetic mistakes | Awkward conversations about the real cost |
| Inconsistent pricing | Different prices for similar work |
| No record of quotes | No view of conversion or follow-up |
Enquirers often ask several firms at once. The firm that replies first with a clear, correct figure is often the one that gets the call back.
The quote builder we build
- Your professional fees are set up per service, with any options, such as additional dependants or urgent handling, priced by your firm.
- Official fees are held in a table your firm maintains and updates, with an effective date on each change so old quotes can be traced.
- The caseworker picks the service and adds each person with the details that affect the quote. The builder applies your fee rules and shows each line.
- Options can be switched on and off to show alternatives side by side, so the client can see the difference in one document.
- The quote is produced as a branded PDF or web page with clear notes that official fees are set by the government and may change, and it is sent with an option to accept and pay a deposit.
- Each quote is logged, with reminders for follow-up, and accepted quotes open a matter with the details already filled in.
We do not look up or advise on which fees apply to an application. The builder uses the fee rules and tables your firm sets and keeps up to date.
Quotes without the arithmetic
Caseworkers produce accurate, consistent quotes quickly. Alternatives are easy to show. Fee changes are made once in the table, not in everyone's copy. And the firm can see how many quotes are sent, how many are accepted and which need a follow-up call.
Partners gain a clearer view of pricing as well, because every quote and discount is recorded, rather than each caseworker quietly working to their own version of the price list.
Is quoting slowing you down?
- Family quotes take a long time to prepare
- Quotes have gone out with outdated or wrong fees
- Each caseworker quotes slightly differently
- You do not track which quotes become clients
- Clients ask for alternatives and each one is a new calculation