In merchanting, the quote is often the whole game. When a builder or contractor prices a job, they frequently ask two or three merchants at once, and the one who comes back first, clearly and accurately, usually wins the order. A quote that takes hours, or lands the next morning, has often already lost. Yet quoting is still one of the most manual jobs on the counter.
Why quote turnaround decides who wins the job
Speed sets the tone. A fast, accurate quote tells a contractor you are easy to deal with and on top of your pricing, exactly what a busy buyer wants. And the timing is decisive: the first credible quote in front of the customer wins a disproportionate share of the work, because by the time a slower merchant replies, the buyer has often already committed. Every hour a quote sits in a queue is a chance for a competitor to close the job.
What actually slows merchant quotes down
It is rarely one big thing, it is friction. Someone has to be free to price it. They check current pricing and any customer specific terms, confirm stock, perhaps query a supplier, then type it up. Out of hours, the request simply waits. Multiply that across a busy counter and quotes stack up, and the bigger or more complex the job, the longer it takes, which is exactly the work you most want to win.
How OptiFlow cuts quote turnaround
OptiFlow is an AI layer that sits on top of your existing system and does the legwork. It reads the data already in your ERP, live pricing, customer specific terms and stock positions, and drafts the quote in seconds, ready for your team to check and send. When a request arrives after the counter closes, OptiFlow can acknowledge it, gather the details and prepare the quote so it is waiting first thing, instead of sitting untouched until morning. It flags margin as it goes, so speed never comes at the cost of profit.
What faster quoting is worth
The payoff is simple: more quotes out the door, faster, converted at a higher rate, without adding headcount. You respond while the buyer is still deciding, you look sharper than the merchant down the road, and your team spends less time keying quotes and more time on the customers in front of them.
You keep your system, no rip and replace
OptiFlow does not replace your ERP or ask your team to learn new software. It works alongside what you already run, whether that is Kerridge K8, Intact iQ, Ibcos Gold or another platform, reading your data and acting on it. You keep your system of record; you simply quote faster on top of it.
Frequently asked questions
Why does quote turnaround time matter for builders merchants?
Contractors usually price a job with more than one merchant, and the first accurate quote often wins the order. Slow quotes lose work to faster competitors, even when your price is keen.
How can AI speed up quoting without replacing our ERP?
OptiFlow sits on top of your existing system, reads your live pricing, customer terms and stock, and drafts quotes in seconds for your team to check and send. Nothing is migrated or replaced.
Can OptiFlow handle quote requests that come in out of hours?
Yes. It can acknowledge after hours requests, gather what is needed and prepare the quote so it is ready first thing, instead of waiting until someone is free the next day.
Will faster quoting affect our pricing or margins?
No, it protects them. OptiFlow uses your own pricing and terms and flags margin as it builds each quote, so quicker responses never mean discounting by mistake.
How quickly can we get started?
Because there is no migration or system replacement, most merchants are live in weeks, not months.