The price question is where most plumbing calls are won or lost. A CSR who says "it depends" and stops there sounds evasive, and a CSR who guesses a number creates a problem for the plumber on site. This workshop gives your team honest, approved words for both situations, and a follow-up routine for estimates that are quietly going cold.
We are a consulting service, not a contractor, and we never set your prices or quote work. Owners decide what things cost. We help the office explain it well.
What the workshop is
It is one 90-minute live session plus a follow-up review two weeks later. Before the session, the owner and office manager fill in a one-page price sheet: the service fee, what it covers, whether it is credited against the repair, and any ranges you are happy for the office to share.
The session teaches a three-part answer to "how much?":
- Acknowledge. "Good question, and I'll be straight with you."
- Explain what you can. The service fee, what it includes, and any approved range.
- Move to the booking. "The plumber will give you the exact price before any work starts. Would this afternoon or tomorrow morning suit you better?"
Being clear about the full price matters for legal reasons too. The Competition Bureau warns against drip pricing, where an advertised price leaves out mandatory fixed fees. We summarise; we don't give legal advice, so check your wording with your own adviser.
Who it is for
It suits offices where callers often go quiet after hearing the service fee, or where CSRs avoid the topic and the plumber then faces a surprised customer at the door. It also suits companies that write a lot of estimates for water heaters, repiping or drain work but never chase them.
What is included
The workshop covers both ends of the price conversation:
- A one-page approved price sheet the office keeps at the desk
- Practised wording for the service fee, ranges and "why so expensive?"
- An estimate follow-up rhythm with call and text templates, using placeholders such as [Customer first name] and [Estimate number]
- A simple tracking list for open estimates, with a status column
- A review session two weeks later to listen to price calls and adjust
Follow-up texts and emails are commercial messages. Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation sets rules on consent, identification and unsubscribing; the CRTC's CASL FAQ is the place to start.
Timeline
Plan on three weeks. Week one is the price sheet and the session. Weeks two and three are practice, a follow-up review, and the first full cycle of estimate follow-ups.
How results are measured
We look at two numbers. On the phone side, we track how many bookable callers who asked about price still booked, using the scorecard from booking rate tracking. On the estimate side, we track the share of estimates that received every planned follow-up, and how many were accepted.
A worked example shows why follow-up matters. Say your plumbers write 30 estimates a month averaging $2,400, and 10 are accepted without any follow-up. If a steady rhythm adds three acceptances a month, that is about $7,200 of extra work from estimates you already paid to produce. Your numbers will differ; the point is to count them.
Mistakes to avoid
Price conversations go wrong in predictable ways:
- Quoting a job price for work nobody has seen. The plumber inherits a promise they can't keep.
- Hiding the service fee until the end. Callers feel tricked, and they are right.
- Apologising for the price. Explain it, don't defend it.
- Following up without a plan. Random calls feel like pressure; a rhythm feels like service.
- Texting people who didn't agree to it. Ask how the customer prefers to hear from you.
Next step
Call, text or email and tell us your service fee policy and roughly how many estimates you write each month. Compare with the other workshops, or read our call scoring guide to see how price calls get scored.
Frequently asked questions
Should CSRs quote prices over the phone?
They should quote what your company has approved, and nothing else. Usually that means the service fee and how it is applied, plus a range for a few common jobs. Exact job prices belong to the plumber who sees the work.
Do you set our prices?
No. Owners set prices. This workshop is about how the office talks about them. If you want help building a price book, our sister service Plumber.Consulting works with owners on that.
How often should we follow up on an estimate?
A common rhythm is a call or text two days after the estimate, a second touch about a week later, and a final note at three weeks. Fit it to your jobs, and respect the customer's choice about how to be contacted.