Find the question behind “too expensive”
A price objection does not always mean your rate is wrong. The customer may have a smaller budget, expect fewer services or be comparing your proposal with a quote that leaves out part of the work. Ask one useful question before defending the total: “Is the concern the overall budget, or a difference between this proposal and another option?”
Listen for something you can resolve. If timing is the concern, explain the available appointment. If the work is unclear, restate the included areas and outcome. If the budget is fixed, decide whether a smaller scope would still make sense for the customer and your business. Avoid promising the same result for less time without changing anything about the job.
You do not need to criticize a competitor or ask for their confidential paperwork. Invite the customer to describe what is included, then explain your own agreement clearly.
Compare the scope on the same basis
| Check | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Areas | Are both proposals covering the same rooms, surfaces or property? |
| Tasks | Which preparation, cleaning, removal or finishing tasks are included? |
| Conditions | Are access, condition and customer preparation assumptions the same? |
| Extras | Are optional services included in one total but excluded from the other? |
| Terms | Are taxes, disposal, materials and payment timing explained? |
Use the comparison to explain value in concrete terms. “Our proposal includes the interior glass and screens” is more useful than “We are premium.” If the quotes are equivalent, check your costs and positioning rather than inventing a difference.
The estimate intake checklist helps resolve these assumptions before you send the first proposal.
Worked example: reduce work, then recalculate
In a fictional window-cleaning proposal, exterior glass is $240, interior glass is $180 and screen cleaning is $60. The full package is $480 before any applicable tax. A customer has a $300 budget. Removing the interior service creates a $300 exterior-and-screens option; simply discounting the full job to $300 would leave the original workload in place.
Recheck the reduced job against your minimum charge, travel, setup and actual costs. Removing one task may not reduce overhead, and not every package can be separated. Offer an option only if the revised scope is workable.
Write which areas remain excluded and obtain approval before booking. Keep the original proposal and the accepted revision distinct so the crew is not sent with the old instructions. Use a scope-change record if the agreement changes again at the property.
A reply that keeps the conversation useful
Thanks for letting me know, [name]. Our [amount] proposal includes [specific work]. If your budget is [amount], we can review a smaller option covering [revised scope], with [exclusions] left out. I will confirm the revised total and send the updated proposal before we schedule. If you are comparing another quote, let’s first check that both include the same areas and tasks.
Do not offer an expiring discount unless the deadline is real. If the customer declines, record the reason without labeling them a bad lead. Review patterns across similar jobs later: unclear scope calls for clearer proposals, while repeated unprofitable quotes call for a pricing review.
narra’s quote workflow keeps the proposal and customer response together. It does not decide your margin or negotiate the price for you.
Frequently asked questions
Should I match a cheaper competitor?
Only after checking comparable scope and your own costs. A lower price is not enough information to know whether the jobs are equivalent or whether matching it would be profitable.
What can I offer instead of a discount?
Offer a smaller, clearly described scope if it remains useful and viable. Review the new price and exclusions with the customer; do not leave the original tasks in the crew’s instructions.
Should I show customers all my internal costs?
You can explain the work and price basis without sharing every internal cost. Keep the customer proposal clear while using a separate cost review to decide what your business can accept.
How do I record a changed quote?
Keep a dated version of the revised scope, total and customer approval. Update the job instructions from the accepted agreement so the office and crew use the same proposal.