Has anyone ever written a Quoting Process?

[al40]

Has anyone ever written a quoting process? I'm trying to do one and I'm at a loss at what it should contain other than the basic contract review items.

Thanks,
al40

 

[BradM]

Actually, that's a pretty decent question. From my construction days, the quote process could become pretty involved.

I would think it should have an expiration date on it. Also, it should have criteria for you performing the work.

For example, when I would quote calibration work, I would always need to include having ready access to the equipment. If it was a high temperature furnace, it would need to be cooled down. I would need to also note if I expected them to have a forklift available, did they provide a lift (or was I), etc.

Depending on your line of work, I would think a simple checklist to make sure all the basis are covered. Even if you're just selling equipment, noting what is included (not included), warranty, extended warranty, etc. might be things that should be addressed.
Just some thoughts.

 

[Wes Bucey]

Has anyone ever written a quoting process? I'm trying to do one and I'm at a loss at what it should contain other than the basic contract review items.

Thanks,
al40

Disclaimer:
The stuff I write here in the Cove worked for me primarily because we (our organization) were well-financed and NOT desperate for business and thus did NOT have to grovel before buyers.

Several years ago, I wrote about my quoting process (quoted below.) This type of process really is pertinent only for organizations providing custom products or services, not off-the shelf products or hourly based services where everyone understands the estimated number of hours is subject to adjustment based on conditions found on the job.

http://elsmar.com/Forums/showpost.php?p=101893&postcount=3
Contract Review

​

When I was in the high tech contract machining business, "comparison quoting" was a common practice for purchasing agents.

I saw the process as a wasteful intrusion on a supplier if (as in many cases) the purchasing agent was just blatantly looking for ammunition to beat his current supplier over the head and there was little or no hope of getting the job away from the current supplier.

We turned the process on its ear by countering a request for quotation (from a new prospect who was not a current customer) with an immediate phone call asking simple straightforward questions like

1. Do you currently buy this from anyone else?
2. If so, why are you seeking other quotes? Are you dissatisfied with quality? service? price?
3. If this is a new product, how many folks are you asking for quotes?
4. What are your true quantity projections per year? How do you know?
5. Would you like to engage in a concurrent engineering session to help your engineers work out the most inexpensive design to fit form, fit, function requirements?

If the prospect balked at answering the questions, we simply said, "OK! Our answer is NO QUOTE!" Always seemed much more efficient to weed out shoppers and fools BEFORE spending time and money on working up a quote. We also no quoted if the answers weren't to our liking.

(If we got past the initial questions, we always had more, but they were all focused on getting a clear understanding of requirements.)

 

[Jeff Frost]

Yes my organization wrote a quotation process instruction. Elements of the process include what is required by the QMS Standard, what are the known requirements of the product we sell, what does the sector we sell to require (or will be selling to require), and what do we as an organization need from the customer.

Our process involves the following:

- Review of quotation request
- Obtaining customer drawings
- Obtain and review specifications and standards listed on quote or drawing
- Comparison of customer requirements to company requirements (specification/drawings)
- Determination of additional requirements for product we sell that customer is unaware of but required for the product
- Determination of what customer requirements that we will take exception to
- Formal written response with TC of sale