Follow one quote from enquiry to customer

A quote is rarely produced in one step. An enquiry arrives, someone classifies it, technical questions are answered, availability or pricing is checked, an estimate is approved and a response reaches the customer. Each handoff can add delay or lose context.

Trace one request, not the whole CRM

Choose a recent request with a clear outcome. Record when it arrived, when it was acknowledged, who reviewed it, what information was missing, when the quote was approved and when the customer received it. Follow the actual records in inboxes, CRM, ERP or spreadsheet. Do not infer a handoff from a status label if the message or record says otherwise.

At each transition ask: what triggered the next step, what information moved with it, who accepted responsibility and how would another person know it was waiting? Distinguish active work from a request waiting for a customer, supplier or internal approver.

Make the missing information visible

Some requests are not quote-ready. State the exact information needed, why it matters and who will ask for it. If technical review depends on a part number, site condition or specification, assign that task rather than leaving “needs checking” in a shared inbox.

Close the loop with the customer

The process continues after the estimate is prepared. Confirm who sends it, what happens if it is not accepted, how revisions are linked to the original request and who records the result. A quote sent without a follow-up owner is a handoff with no final step.