Send your quote before the other tradie does — the real speed-to-win math

Here's the uncomfortable truth about residential quoting: in 65% of AU jobs, the customer hires whichever tradie quotes first, even if they're not the cheapest. Here's the math, and what to do with it.

The conversion data

• Quote delivered within 2 hours: ~62% conversion
• Quote delivered same day (2–12 hrs): ~41% conversion
• Quote delivered next day: ~25% conversion
• Quote delivered 2+ days later: ~12% conversion

Each step down is roughly half the conversion. A tradie who quotes in an hour wins ~5× more than one who takes two days — without changing the price.

Why speed beats price

Customers aren't rational about price. They're rational about decision fatigue. When they call three tradies and the first one sends a professional quote in 45 minutes, they mentally close the job — even if quote #2 is cheaper, the customer has already moved on to the next decision in their day. Speed is a commitment device.

Where typing costs you the win

If quoting takes you 30 minutes on a laptop at 10pm, you're losing jobs. If it takes 45 seconds in the ute before you drive away, you're winning them. The difference isn't talent or knowledge — it's input speed.