Local lead rescue • estimate follow-up • no-decision pipeline
Use this worksheet when a customer received an estimate, quote, or proposal but has not accepted, declined, or asked a clear next question. The goal is to restart the conversation without pressure, fake scarcity, or invented pricing promises.
Use this when: an estimate has been open for a few days, the customer has gone quiet after receiving options, a technician or estimator needs a clean handoff, or the team is unsure whether the opportunity is still active.
Human-review rule: before sending any follow-up, verify the exact estimate, scope, date sent, price, financing/payment terms, expiration language, warranty notes, access requirements, and the last customer message. AI can summarize; it cannot create a discount, deadline, financing approval, diagnosis, warranty promise, or customer intent.
Customer / job: [name, address or CRM id]
Estimate sent on: [date/time]
Estimate amount / range: [exact approved amount]
Scope included: [exact approved scope]
Decision maker(s): [known / unknown / needs confirmation]
Last customer response: [exact wording or none]
Last team promise: [callback date, hold, discount, option, warranty, financing, none]
Open question: [price / timing / access / scope / financing / competing quote / unknown]
Risk flags: [expired quote, safety issue, permit/HOA, financing not approved, warranty, refund, legal/policy]
Recommended status: [needs-friendly-check-in / needs-scope-clarification / needs-owner-review / not-ready / closed-lost]
Owner/reviewer: [name]
Next safe message: [copy/paste script below]
Next check date: [date]STOP AUTOMATION: do not let AI mark the estimate lost, invent a reason, offer a lower price, create urgency, promise a financing result, or change scope without human approval. NO-DECISION-FOLLOW-UP-READY means the record is ready for a reviewed follow-up, not automatic sending.
Hi [Name], just checking whether you had any questions about the estimate we sent for [project]. If you are still considering it, I can help clarify scope, timing, or next steps.
Review: confirm the estimate is still valid before sending.
Hi [Name], I wanted to make sure the estimate was clear. The current scope includes [approved included items] and does not include [approved exclusions]. If you want, we can review whether anything needs to be adjusted before you decide.
Review: use only approved scope language from the estimate.
Hi [Name], if someone else needs to review the estimate, I can resend the summary or answer specific questions. We want to make the decision easy without duplicating messages.
Review: do not share private customer/job details with a new contact until the team confirms permission.
Hi [Name], I do not want to keep bothering you. Should we keep this estimate open for a later date, adjust the scope, or close it out for now?
Review: only use a final closeout after the approved follow-up cadence and consent rules are met.
You are helping a local service business summarize an open estimate that has no clear decision.
Use only the facts provided. Do not invent customer intent, price, discount, scope, urgency, financing approval, warranty, diagnosis, availability, permit/HOA approval, or prior conversation.
Return:
1. One-line neutral status.
2. Missing decision facts.
3. Risk flags needing owner review.
4. Best status label from: NEEDS-FRIENDLY-CHECK-IN, NEEDS-SCOPE-CLARIFICATION, NEEDS-DECISION-MAKER, NEEDS-OWNER-REVIEW, NOT-READY, CLOSED-LOST-WITH-REASON.
5. One safe follow-up angle for human review.
6. What not to say.
Estimate record:
[paste estimate, CRM notes, and last customer messages here]Pair this with the estimate approval follow-up templates, quote expiry reminders, and the free stale lead reactivation mini-pack.
The paid Local Lead Rescue System expands this into missed-call scripts, callback ownership, stale-lead cadences, lead-source tracking, CRM labels, and safe AI-assisted follow-up workflows.