Think of yourself as a customer. You work as a purchaser. You’re really stressed, the project is late, and you can’t sleep because the quality has been terrible with your current PCB supplier, and you desperately need help to get new PCBs as soon as possible. You are doing several projects at the same time, and for this project you have actually sent our RFQs to ten different suppliers.

One supplier calls you. Which of these questions would you like them to ask you?
1. Have you had time to look at my quote? What did you think about the price?
or
2. How is it going with your remote control project? We are ready to get your PCBs into production on Friday. Shall I call the factory and pursue the order?

There’s a huge difference, and to make that difference you need to understand the situation. Remember that we are needs analysts. We want to HELP the customer to solve their needs – not really give them a quote. Customers are usually not interested in the quote per se – they are interested in solving a problem.

To call and only ask about a quote or a price shows that
a) we focus on us, and
b) the terms are up for discussion.

By showing interest in the customer’s project or their business, and showing initiatives to help the customer, eliminates an initial discussion about price that might not even be the most important part.