How to reply to enquiries faster (and win more work)
When someone asks several businesses for a quote, the first good reply often wins. Here’s how to answer faster without being glued to your phone.
Updated 29 September 2026
Bring every enquiry into one place
Enquiries arrive by email, website form, WhatsApp, text, Facebook and phone. When they’re scattered, some wait for hours. Put them in one shared inbox the team can see.
Make someone responsible for each one
“Someone will reply” means no one does. Give every enquiry an owner and a reply-by time, and make it obvious when one’s waiting too long.
Save the answers you give every day
Prices, availability, areas you cover, what happens next, write good answers once and send them in a click, adjusted for the person.
Cover evenings and weekends
Many people get in touch outside working hours. An AI reply that answers from what you’ve told it (or a friendly acknowledgement with what happens next) keeps them from asking elsewhere.
Follow up, politely
Plenty of enquiries go quiet. A follow-up a day or two later (by email, then WhatsApp or text if you have their number) often gets the reply.