Transparency is everything when it comes to cosmetic procedures. Going under the knife is always going to be a big deal and the more you can build trust with a client, the better.
This doesn’t just relate to the treatment itself, it can also be applied to pricing.
A lack of transparency in such situations can quickly break the trust a client has for the business they’re purchasing from. That’s why, particularly with higher cost services such as cosmetic surgery, it’s important to set clear prices for your services and products.
This is where custom quotes, sent following a consultation, play a vital role.
Quotes are all about transparency
Surgical quotes help businesses provide clients with accurate information about the services and products that will be used for their treatment and the price they’ll have to pay. This helps clients to make an informed decision — whether to book the treatment or not.
At this point, you might wonder why you need to create quotes when your prices are already transparent and on display.
But here’s the thing.
You don’t need to create quotes for services that have fixed prices. But as you already know, each client has different needs and requests, and the service they’ll receive will depend on it.
In a world where everyone is looking for hyper-personalized experiences, being able to create personalized quotes around your clients’ unique needs and goals is another way to stand out.
So when your prices might vary depending on your client’s needs, then it’s preferable to create a quote that will let your clients know exactly what they’ll pay for their treatment.
That’s why it’s important to ensure your quote gives a clear overview and breakdown of all the costs involved in your client’s treatment.
What is a quote?
A quote is a formal document that a business presents to a potential client to let them know how much the goods or services will cost before they make a purchase.
Quotes (also known as quotations, business quotes, or seller quotes) are usually created for services that have flexible price points or are based on certain conditions specified by the client or the cosmetic surgeon after a consultation, and not for services or products that have fixed prices.
Cosmetic surgery clinics tend to use quotes for surgeries and other services.
Here’s an example:
A client has come into your clinic for a constitution about a tummy tuck surgery.
After the cosmetic surgeon meets with the client and discusses all the specifics regarding the treatment, they should create a custom quote that includes a breakdown of the treatment, the cost of any implants, products, and equipment used during the surgery, the medical facilities used during treatment and recovery, staffing costs, etc.
This quote is sent to the client and if they agree with everything that’s included in the personalized treatment plan and the price for it, they should sign the quote, which means they want to proceed with the treatment.
How do surgical quotes work?
Quotes in cosmetic surgery clinics are typically created following a client’s consultation, where the surgical assessment team tailors a specific quote based on the client’s individual needs.
Read our blog and find out why consultations with clients are important for your clinic.
Quotes are also sent at the request of a client who wants to learn more about the service and the price for it before they book it. And, like it or not, in most cases, your clinic is not the only one that a client has requested a quote from.
Clients often “shop around” and request quotes from several clinics to check all their options. So sending a sales quotation as quickly as you can will help you get ahead of your competitors.
Keep in mind, though, that the price you set in the quote can’t be changed later on, so give yourself enough time to make the right calculations and avoid the mistake of offering a price that your clinic can’t commit to.
After you have issued a quote to your potential client, then you should wait for the client to either accept or reject the quote.
Quotes are not legally binding, but it’s generally accepted that a client has committed to proceed with the service and the set price if they accept the quote.
How to write a quote — the right way
There are a few ways you can write quotes in your cosmetic surgery clinic.
- Write quotes by hand (while this is an option, we highly recommend avoiding it as this format is outdated and doesn’t look professional)
- Use a quote template in Excel or Word (while this will be a computer-generated quote, you’ll still need to manually update all the information)
- Use online software that will help you automatically generate quotes (this is the perfect solution for creating quotes as you can create and send them with only a few clicks and receive back the accepted quotes directly within the system)
However, there are different factors you should take into account when deciding how to write surgical quotes.
First, think about how you will distribute the quotes to your clients. Clients don’t want to wait too long to receive the quotes, so many successful businesses use software that will let them write quotes quickly and easily send them to clients via email.
Another thing you need to consider is which method would look most professional for your cosmetic clinic. This step is crucial as an unprofessional quote can make a wrong first impression about your clinic and the quality of your work.
What to include in a surgical quote?
A comprehensive quote should usually include a detailed description of the service (the work that will be done), the necessary materials used for the treatment, the time when the quote expires, and other relevant details.
When writing a quote, it’s necessary to be as detailed and specific as possible in order to prevent any misunderstandings.
So here’s what details a quote should include:
- Business information — Include the name of your cosmetic clinic, contact details, address, and website.
- Client details — Write the name of the client to whom the quote is issued and also include their phone number and email address if necessary.
- Quote name, number, date of creation, expiry date — Costs for materials and supplies are rapidly increasing, especially nowadays, so it is important for your quote to have an expiration date. Without one, you risk committing to a quote that will lose you money.
- Line item breakdown of costs — In your quote, include all the services and products the client will receive from you — the unit price, the quantity, discount, tax, and the total price. Breaking down the cost into a price per unit or providing an itemized list of services allows the customer to precisely understand what they are receiving.
- Other details — Include any other information about the services, products, and prices you believe will be important to the client.
- Payment terms and conditions — Include your cosmetic clinic’s payment terms and any conditions about acceptance and cancellation. Specify the payment methods and outline whether the payment is required upfront or if any deposit is needed.
Clinics who use Pabau can now offer clients the option to pay in installments through Klarna.
7. Client acceptance signature box/line — Have a space on the document where the client can sign the quote if they want to accept it. This space will also serve as a ‘call to action’ or encouragement to prompt the client to accept the quote.
Why you should use quotes: 7 benefits for your cosmetic clinic
1. Professional quotes will help you make a positive impression
When a client requests a quote, providing an accurate and professionally presented document signals that your business is reputable, approachable, and efficient. Conversely, it raises concerns, as difficulty in handling pricing may lead the buyer to question how well your business can navigate more complex situations, creating a potential barrier to collaboration.
2. Quickly issuing quotes gives you a competitive advantage
If a client is shopping around, the upper hand in any negotiations belongs to the company that submits a quote first. As competitors take time to respond, there’s an advantage that the client’s decision may already be leaning in your favor.
Also, if your clinic provides a combination of service and pricing to their liking, your client may not even explore other options and choose to accept your quote without further consideration of alternative clinics.
3. A quote will ensure you and your client are on the same page and there's no room for surprises
Issuing quotes from the start ensures mutual understanding between you and the client about the treatment’s requirements, what will be covered, and the overall costs.
Accepting the quote also means that your client agrees on everything that’s included in the document, from the type of services to the price they will pay after the treatment. This means that your client won’t be surprised by the bill at checkout and your payment will be secured.
4. Gives you time to set the right price for the treatment and avoid making rush decisions
Consultation appointments are for listening and really hearing the patient’s desires and needs. And if you jump in too soon with a price, you may jump the gun.
The consultation should be about building repost and talking through the treatment — setting the price should come after carefully evaluating the whole process.
By issuing a quote, especially if you have a template that will help you go through creating the quote step-by-step, the likelihood of missing crucial details in the quote is substantially lower and will prevent you from underestimating overall costs.
5. Writing quotes will help you break down everything you need for the service
After you’ve discussed your client’s needs, your detailed quote will serve as an excellent foundation for mapping out the job, the resources and materials you’ll need, and the necessary staff to perform the service.
6. Well-crafted quotes will help you improve your sales and build trust
Taking the effort to deliver quotes not only establishes a relationship with potential clients but also demonstrates your honesty and upfront approach.
Also, presenting potential clients with a quote that looks professional will also help them in deciding to accept it, as it will assure them that your business is reputable.
7. Quotes can help you gather feedback about your pricing
Setting the right price when starting a business or introducing new services or products can be tricky. But, offering clients quotes can help you figure out if the prices you have set are reasonable.
If most clients are comfortable with your prices, it means they are fair and reasonable. On the other hand, if many clients object and don’t accept your quotes, it may be a signal that your prices are perceived as too high and you might need to rethink your pricing strategy.
💡 Tips on how to make quoting successful
- Opt for computer-generated quotes — Handwritten documents should be a thing of the past as they don’t look professional and sometimes can be even hard to read. Computer-generated quotes are clear and much more efficient, especially when you follow a template.
- Create a professional design — A quote featuring a design and color palette that aligns with your brand, along with incorporating your cosmetic clinic’s logo at the top, communicates professionalism to your clients. An added benefit is having a customizable quote design that allows you to tailor each quote to specific services.
- Use spellcheck tools like Grammarly — Typos in your quote can look really unprofessional. Fortunately, free tools are available to help with spelling and grammar check so that every quote is polished and professional.
- Use language that everyone understands — With the quote, you offer a price for services or products to your clients, not a legal contract. So don’t use language that will make you sound overly clunky and formal, or confuse the client.
- Offer attractive options and add value — Find ways to make your quote secure your client’s needs. Consider including add-ons or alternative options for the treatments they want to do. Remember, your client’s decision is not always solely based on the price — what they get also plays a huge part in their decision-making process.
- Ensure all information included in the quote is accurate — Identify any outdated details and update them in the quote template to maintain accuracy.
- Follow up — After sending the quote to your potential client and they haven’t responded within 7–14 days, reach out to them and ask if they have any questions or have reached a decision regarding the acceptance of your quote. If they decline your quote, politely ask them for feedback and find out why they didn’t accept the quote.
Create your quotes in practice management software
Creating quotes can be a time-consuming process, and doing them manually can result in many mistakes which can cost you money.
That’s why using practice management software that lets you create and send quotes to clients within the system can be a game changer for your cosmetic clinic.
One of the practice management software for cosmetic clinics on the market that also has a quoting feature is Pabau, and the process of creating and sending quotes is quite easy and intuitive.
In Pabau you can use a pre-made quote template or create a quote template from scratch.
The first thing you’ll need to write when creating the quote is to write the name of the client or lead you’ll be issuing the quote.
After you select the client or the lead, all other information about the client, like phone number and email address, will be automatically filled in.
Then, under the client’s name, an ‘Appointment ‘ field will appear.
So, if you are creating a quote after a consultation appointment, you should add the appointment that the quote relates to. If the client didn’t have any scheduled appointments or consultations, you can just choose not to add an appointment.
The next step in creating your quote is to give your quote a name, choose the location of your clinic (this applies to clinics that have multiple locations,) set the expiration date, write any important notes for the client, and enter any relevant information about the pricing and purchase. The other information, such as the quote number or issue date is automatically filled in.
The next step in creating a quote in Pabau is to add the items — services and products that you’ll need for the treatment. On the spot, you can set the unit price, discount, and tax. The system will automatically set the total price, which will prevent you from making any unwanted mistakes.
After you’ve selected all the needed items you want to include in the quote, the next step is to choose whether you’ll add a space for a signature, and choose a payment option.
After this step, you’ll be able to review your quote and send it to your client via email or copy the quote URL and share it with the client.
Using quotes can level up your game in your cosmetic clinic
Here are some of the perks you’ll gain if you create your quotes in Pabau:
- It’ll save you time — Using software to streamline your quoting process can significantly save you time compared to manually creating them as it’s all pre-built in the system. You’ll be able to write a quote and email it to a client all in a matter of clicks, and the client will have their personalized quote just a few hours after a consultation with you.
- You’ll always be sure you provide accurate information — Manual quoting is susceptible to errors. Automation helps minimize issues such as lost or missing quote requests, duplicated data, delays in client responses, and, most importantly, missed or incomplete sales opportunities.
- It builds transparency and trust — Using software for creating quotes allows you to establish trust with your clients, as you’ll present them with documents with accurate information and prices. Every service and every product is accounted for, and the entire process is mapped out so clients know exactly what they’re paying for.
- Improves client satisfaction — The ability to promptly generate and deliver custom quotes to potential clients sets you apart from competitors and contributes to an improved client experience. It also shows your professionalism and sets the tone for what they can expect from you — timely communication and great customer service.
- Can aid conversion — One more thing that sets Pabau’s system apart is that clients can sign the quote and pay for the service from the quote, which can greatly contribute to conversions. The client won’t need to send back the signed quote or discuss further how they can make the payment, they’ll have all the information right then and there.
- Increases efficiency — Automation introduces a level of standardization which results in a more professional and consistent appearance. A streamlined and professional quoting process plays a crucial role in minimizing risks, cutting operational costs, boosting business revenues, and enhancing the efficiency of the sales process.
To sum up…
Quotes are a great way of demonstrating your understanding of the client’s requirements and your willingness to fulfill those needs, particularly with high-ticket treatments.
From establishing professionalism and trust with clients to gaining a competitive edge in ‘negotiations’, issuing custom quotes can help cosmetic surgeries and other practices provide clarity, prevent surprises, and set the stage for successful client interactions.
Using practice management software, such as Pabau, further enhances the efficiency and accuracy of the quoting process.
By embracing quotes, your cosmetic clinic can not only smooth operations but also elevate its reputation, attract clients, and ultimately enhance overall business success.
