How to follow up on a quote and turn silent quotes into sales

Updated: 2 November 2026 · 6 min read · Xaly Editorial Team

Quote follow-up means giving every quote an owner, an expiry date and a dated next step, then contacting the customer on that schedule. Quotes are not only lost because customers say no; they are also lost because nobody asked, the information needed to decide was missing, or the validity quietly ran out. Good follow-up tracks whether the quote was opened, uncovers objections, reminds before expiry and closes unresolved quotes with a recorded reason.

Why do quotes go unanswered?

Behind a silent quote there is usually not one reason but several small gaps. Knowing them turns a follow-up from “did you get a chance to look?” into something genuinely useful.

There is no specific person or date for following up.
The customer never opened the quote; it got lost in the inbox.
The decision maker was not on the call and the quote was passed on incompletely.
The quote is unclear: scope, options or terms were not understood.
The customer is comparing quotes and waiting for something from you.
Timing has changed; the need was postponed but nobody told you.

How do you make follow-up easier when sending the quote?

Effective follow-up starts before the quote is sent. At the end of the conversation, agree the next step and its date with the customer: “I’ll send the quote today; shall I call you on Thursday to go through any questions?” That one sentence turns the next call into a promise rather than an interruption.

The quote itself should make deciding easy: a short summary, clear scope, two or three options if relevant, an expiry date and a one-step way to accept. Sending international customers the quote in their language and a currency that suits their region also makes it easier to forward internally.

A sample quote follow-up schedule

The schedule below is only a starting point; intervals shrink for short sales cycles and stretch for large B2B projects. Tune it to your own data, for example the average decision time of accepted quotes.

Day sent: the quote plus a short summary message; confirm it arrived.
If not opened within a few days: a short reminder, through a different channel if needed.
On the date agreed in the call: a follow-up call to discuss questions and the decision process.
Before expiry: an expiry reminder and a final call.
After expiry: ask for the outcome and close the quote as won or lost, with a reason.

What should you say on a quote follow-up call?

“Did you get a chance to look at our quote?” usually ends with “not yet”. Ask questions that reveal the decision process instead: Is there anything in the quote we should clarify? Who else is involved in the decision and what might they ask? By when do you plan to decide? If you are considering other options, what matters most to you?

When you hear an objection, try to understand it rather than defend. A price objection sometimes means the scope was misunderstood, a timing objection may reflect a budget cycle, and silence can mean the decision maker has not been reached. End every call with a new date and step, and record it.

When should you close a silent quote?

Quotes that sit “pending” forever distort your forecast and distract the team. When your planned follow-up steps are done, send a polite closing message: say you are closing the quote for now and can prepare an updated one if the need returns. A message like this is sometimes also the way to get an honest answer from a silent customer.

A sample closing message: “Hi Emma, the quote we sent on 12 October has now expired. Assuming your priorities may have changed, I’m closing the file for now. If the need comes back, I’d be happy to prepare a new quote with current prices, and if something affected your decision, it would be really helpful to hear it.”

Close every lost quote with a reason: price, timing, chose a competitor, no longer needed, unreachable. After a few months, the spread of reasons shows the real problem in your quoting process. If you later want to contact old quote recipients again, make sure you have valid consent to do so.

Which numbers should you track in quote follow-up?

A few simple measures show where follow-up breaks down. Tracking them monthly lets you decide based on data rather than instinct.

Win rate = accepted quotes ÷ closed quotes (won + lost)
Open rate = quotes opened by the customer ÷ quotes sent
Average decision time = average days from sending to acceptance
Unfollowed rate = quotes with no follow-up contact ÷ quotes sent
Loss-reason mix = each loss reason’s share of all lost quotes

How does Xaly automate quoting and follow-up?

Xaly prepares a quote from the services and prices discussed on a call and sends the customer a PDF with a one-click acceptance link. Customers in Turkey are quoted in TRY, in Europe in EUR and elsewhere in USD, with the document in Turkish, English, German or Arabic. If the quote is not opened a reminder goes out, an expiry warning is sent and the assistant calls the customer. Acceptance or rejection appears in the panel immediately, and quotes can be edited before or after sending.

For bulk follow-up of past quotes where you hold contact consent, you can set up an outbound call campaign: the assistant calls the people on the list, asks whether the need still exists and records each call with an outcome such as interested, call back or not interested, plus a short summary. Commercial calls require prior consent and a check against the national consent register.

Frequently asked questions

How many days after sending a quote should you call?

Ideally on the date you agreed with the customer at the end of the conversation. If there is no such date, confirm the quote arrived soon after sending and plan a follow-up call within a few days, adjusted to your industry’s decision time.

How many times should you follow up on a quote?

Rather than a fixed number, plan a few contacts spread across the validity period and a final reminder before expiry. Each contact should add new information or a question; repeating the same message wears customers out.

Is email or phone better for quote follow-up?

They do different jobs. Email and messages suit reminders and sharing documents; the phone is better for uncovering objections and understanding the decision process. Good follow-up uses both.

Is it legal to call old quote recipients again?

Following up a quote process the customer started is treated differently from a promotional call. Campaign or promotional calls need prior marketing consent and, in Turkey, a check against the national consent register; ask your legal adviser if unsure.

Which currencies and languages does Xaly use for quotes?

TRY for customers in Turkey, EUR in Europe and USD elsewhere, with documents in Turkish, English, German or Arabic. For pricing, see the Xaly pricing page.