Best fit: HVAC, plumbing, roofing, pest control, landscaping, cleaning, restoration, remodel, appliance repair, electrical, handyman, and property-maintenance teams that send estimates and then hear “I’m checking another quote,” “someone else said it is cheaper,” or “can you match this?”
ESTIMATE-SECOND-OPINION-CARD-READY
STOP AUTOMATION: do not let AI invent competitor facts, lower prices, discounts, warranty coverage, financing, code/safety diagnosis, arrival windows, or “same scope” claims. Route pricing, warranty, safety, and technical comparisons to an owner, estimator, or qualified manager before sending.
Second-opinion source card
| Field | What to verify | Safe note |
|---|---|---|
| Original estimate | Estimate number, date, scope, exclusions, photos, diagnosis limits, expiration, and estimator. | Only compare against the approved estimate actually sent. |
| Customer concern | Price, urgency, trust, warranty, material, timeline, diagnostic disagreement, or “not ready.” | Name the concern without arguing. |
| Competitor/second-opinion claim | What the customer said, whether proof was shared, and what is unknown. | Do not state competitor scope or credibility as fact unless documented. |
| Scope comparison | Materials, labor, warranty, disposal, permits, access, safety, cleanup, and follow-up included/excluded. | Use “may differ” language until the estimate is reviewed. |
| Approved next step | Review call, estimator callback, revised scope, manager review, close quote, or wait for customer. | Never promise a match, discount, or financing option unless pre-approved. |
Copy/paste customer replies
1) Neutral second-opinion acknowledgement
Thanks for letting us know, [First Name]. It makes sense to compare options. If you would like, we can review our estimate with you and make sure the scope, warranty, materials, and next steps are clear before you decide.2) Apples-to-apples scope check
When comparing quotes, the biggest differences are often scope, parts/materials, warranty, disposal, permits, access, and timing. If you send any specific question about our estimate, we can explain what is included without guessing about another company’s quote.3) Manager/estimator review handoff
I do not want to guess or promise the wrong thing by text. I am routing this to [estimator/manager] to review the scope and approved options. We will follow up with the confirmed next step.4) Customer chooses another provider
Thanks for the update, [First Name]. We will close this estimate for now so we do not keep following up. If you need us to revisit the scope later, reply here and we can review the record before reopening it.CRM labels
- second_opinion_open — customer is comparing another recommendation or quote.
- scope_compare_needed — estimator/manager should explain included vs excluded items.
- competitor_claim_unverified — customer mentioned another provider, but facts are not documented.
- manager_review_price_policy — any price match, discount, warranty, or financing issue needs approval.
- quote_closed_compared_elsewhere — customer chose another path; stop nurture unless they re-engage.
AI prompt for a safe draft
Act as a cautious local-service office assistant. Draft one SMS under 500 characters and one email under 140 words for a customer comparing our estimate with a second opinion.
Use only these verified facts:
Business: [company]
Service: [service]
Estimate number/date: [estimate]
Approved scope: [scope]
Known customer concern: [price / timing / warranty / diagnosis / competitor quote / other]
Approved next step: [review call / estimator callback / revised scope review / close quote / wait]
Rules:
- Do not invent competitor facts, price matches, discounts, warranties, diagnosis, safety claims, financing, or availability.
- If scope comparison is needed, ask for a review instead of claiming the other quote is incomplete.
- Include STOP AUTOMATION if pricing, warranty, safety, diagnosis, or policy language is unclear.For more follow-up assets, use the Price Objection Response Text Templates, Estimate Approval Follow-Up Templates, and Customer Declined Repair Checklist. The paid Local Lead Rescue System expands these into lead response workflows, quote follow-up scripts, CRM labels, and human-review guardrails.