The cost of unfollowed-up estimates
Aggregate data across service businesses: only 30-40% of estimates ever get a follow-up call. Of estimates that get followed up, 25-35% close. Of estimates that don't, 5-10% close. The math is brutal — for every 100 estimates you write, ignoring follow-up costs you 15-25 booked jobs.
At a typical $1,500 average ticket, that is $22,500-$37,500 of lost revenue per 100 estimates. For a contractor writing 30 estimates a week, that's $350K-$580K of lost annual revenue.
The sequence that actually works
We have tested dozens of follow-up sequences across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and home remodeling businesses. The pattern that consistently outperforms:
Day 0 (estimate sent): Confirmation
Send the estimate. Include a one-line note: 'Let me know if you have any questions — happy to walk through it.' Then text the customer 30 minutes later: 'Hey [Name], just sent over the estimate for [job]. Let me know what you think.'
Day 3: Soft check-in
Text: 'Hey [Name], wanted to check in on the [job] estimate. Any questions I can answer?' This is the highest-converting touch. Most decisions happen here.
Day 7: Value reinforcement
Text or email: 'Hey [Name], if you're still considering the [job], wanted to mention [unique value point — warranty, urgency, scheduling availability]. Happy to talk through it.'
Day 14: Direct ask
Text: 'Hey [Name], are you still planning to move forward with [job]? If timing changed, no worries — just want to free up the slot on my calendar.' The implied scarcity moves a lot of fence-sitters.
Day 30: Closing the loop
Text: 'Hey [Name], following up one last time on the [job] estimate. If you've decided to go another direction, totally understand — would love a quick note so I can close out my notes.' Most respondents at day 30 are warm leads who got busy and forgot.
Why most teams cannot run this manually
The math on a 5-touch sequence at 30 estimates/week:
- 30 new estimates × 5 touches = 150 touches/week per salesperson
- Each touch needs to be personalized (estimate number, job type, customer name)
- Each touch needs to be timed correctly
- If you miss a touch by 2 days, conversion drops sharply
A human can do this for maybe 50% of estimates before the system breaks down. After that, follow-ups slip, conversions drop, and you stop trusting the process.
How to automate the sequence
Option 1: Roll your own
If you have a CRM like ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, or Jobber, you can build sequences using their automation features + Zapier. Pros: maximum control. Cons: takes 20-40 hours to set up, requires ongoing maintenance, no AI involvement (so personalization is template-based).
Option 2: Standalone tool
Tools like Followupwise, Closely, or similar can run sequences for $50-$150/month. They do messaging only — you still have to manually mark estimates won/lost and trigger the right sequence.
Option 3: AI-powered automation
RunBy's estimate follow-up automation runs the full sequence automatically. It detects new estimates from your CRM, triggers the right sequence, personalizes each message based on the job details, and stops the sequence when the customer responds or marks the estimate accepted/declined. Bundled into the platform — no extra fees.
What to track
Three metrics to watch after turning on follow-up automation:
- Response rate per touch (Day 0, 3, 7, 14, 30). Day 3 is usually highest.
- Close rate on estimates with vs. without follow-up enabled. Industry benchmarks suggest a 25-40% lift is achievable.
- Average time to close. Automated follow-up typically cuts this from 14 days to 4-6 days.
Industry-specific tweaks
- HVAC + plumbing: Lead with availability — 'We have a Tuesday slot open this week.' Urgency works.
- Roofing: Lead with weather/season — 'Want to get this scheduled before [next weather event].'
- Home remodeling: Lead with design questions — 'Did you have any thoughts on the materials we discussed?'
- Cleaning + recurring services: Lead with their pain — 'Did you decide on a service frequency that works for you?'