The problem
A single price for the whole house is easy to say no to. A decorator sending 12 quotes a month at around $2,394£1,800€2,142A$3,456C$3,384 with about 4 accepted, loses customers who wanted the work but not at that price. If a smaller option turned just 1 more quote a month into a $1,862£1,400€1,666A$2,688C$2,632 job, that's $1,862£1,400€1,666A$2,688C$2,632 of extra work.
What the AI does
ServiceM8 lets you produce several quote options and send a link for the client to view and choose, then accept online. A typical set for a decorator: walls and ceilings only; walls, ceilings and woodwork; or all of that plus a wallpapered feature wall. The customer picks the one that fits their budget, and the accepted quote becomes the job in the same app. Quote options and online acceptance are on every ServiceM8 plan.
A worked example
A decorator in Bath working with one employee sends about 12 quotes a month, around $2,394£1,800€2,142A$3,456C$3,384 each, for whole-house and multi-room work. They move quoting into ServiceM8 Starter ($33£25€30A$48C$47 a month excluding VAT, 50 jobs) and send three options on every quote.
Before
One price per quote; about 4 of 12 accepted
After
Three options per quote; 5 of 12 accepted, the extra one on the cheapest option at about $1,862£1,400€1,666A$2,688C$2,632
What it's worth
About $559£420€500A$806C$790 a month in profit, at an assumed 30% margin on $1,862£1,400€1,666A$2,688C$2,632 of extra work from 1 more accepted quote a month. That is against $33£25€30A$48C$47 a month for ServiceM8 Starter.
How to set it up
- Price each room or area separately in your own costing, so options are quick to put together.
- Set up two or three standard option sets, such as walls and ceilings, plus woodwork, plus a feature wall.
- Spell out in each option exactly what's included: prep, number of coats, filling and who supplies the paint.
- Send quotes from ServiceM8 as a link, so the customer can compare the options and accept online.
- After two months, look at which options customers pick and adjust your sets.
What goes wrong
- Too many options slows people down. Two or three is plenty.
- Make the cheapest option one you're still happy to do at that price, or you'll win work you don't want.
- Starter covers 50 jobs a month and each new quote uses one, though accepting it doesn't use another. A firm sending 60 quotes a month needs Growing at $78£59€70A$113C$111.
- Card payments through ServiceM8 have their own fees: 1.65% + 20p for standard UK cards on the vendor's fee page.