Price inquiry call evaluation: what agents get right and wrong

The short answer

On a price inquiry call the agent needs to get four things right: answer the question directly, or explain why an exact price cannot be given yet; state the price in force on the day of the call; explain what the price includes and what it does not; and propose a next step. The most serious mistakes are promising an unapproved discount, guessing a price, and repeatedly dodging the question.

Price inquiry call evaluation has one important limit: the transcript alone does not show whether the price was correct. The number spoken has to be compared with the price list for that date.

What makes a price call different

A customer asking about price is usually comparing: they put the same question to several companies. The agent's first answer often matters more than the rest of the call. "We don't give prices over the phone, come and see us" loses some customers — yet in some businesses (repairs, medical services, made-to-order work) the exact price really is known only after an assessment. The mistake there is not withholding a price but failing to explain why.

So the "direct answer" criterion has two correct forms: the price is stated, or the agent explains what the exact price depends on, gives an approximate range (if company rules allow) and says how to get it.

Five criteria

1. 11. Answering the questionThe agent stated the price, or explained why an exact price cannot be given now and what it depends on. Dodging more than twice — "no".
2. 22. Accuracy of the priceThe number matches the price list and campaign conditions in force on the date of the call. Requires outside information.
3. 33. What is includedThe agent said what the price includes and what extra costs the customer can expect (delivery, installation, service fee).
4. 44. ConditionsIf there is a discount or campaign, its duration and conditions were stated; if not — not applicable.
5. 55. Next stepThe agent offered to send a quote, an assessment or meeting, a callback time, or a way to order.

Typical wrong behaviours

• "We'll give you a discount" — a promise with no approved campaign behind it; it may belong on the critical-error list
• Guessing the price — "it'll be about 300 manat" — and the actual price turns out different
• Stating the price but hiding the conditions — the monthly payment is given, the contract term is not
• Dodging the question — saying "let me first tell you about the product" three times and never giving a price
• Running down a competitor — unverified claims such as "their quality is poor"

How to check that the price was right

1. 1A dated price listPrices and campaigns in force are kept for each period with their dates. The "current" list is no good for checking last month's call.
2. 2Extracting the figuresThe price, discount and duration stated on the call are recorded with the transcript line.
3. 3ComparisonThe stated figure is compared with the list for the date of the call.
4. 4Mismatch — a flagA difference is not yet a breach: the agent may have been talking about another product, or the number may have been misrecognised.
5. 5Human confirmationThe evidence line, and the recording where needed, are checked before a result is given.

An illustrative example

Not a real call. A customer asks about the price of a kitchen set.

• Line 3, agent: "A standard three-metre set starts at 2,400 manat; the exact price depends on size and materials" — answering the question: yes
• Line 5, agent: "Installation is included, and delivery within Baku is free" — what is included: yes
• Line 7, agent: "There's a discount this month" — conditions: partial; the size and duration of the discount were not stated
• Line 10, agent: "Shall we send someone to measure? Would Thursday at 3 pm suit you?" — next step: yes
• Accuracy of the price — must be checked against the price list for the call date; not decided from the transcript

The customer who asks and leaves

Most price calls do not end in a sale, and that does not mean the agent failed. The customer may simply be researching the market. The evaluation measures behaviour the agent controls: was the question answered, was the information correct and complete, was a next step offered. The sales result is tracked separately and not added to the score.

When the company does not quote by phone

Some companies send prices only in a written quote. Then the criterion changes: "the agent said the price would be sent in writing, said when and through which channel, and confirmed the contact details". If the policy is not written into the form, the agent ends up both "did not give the price" and "followed policy" — which is unfair.

From results to coaching: a three-part answer

If "answering the question" and "what is included" come out weakest on price calls, it helps to teach agents a simple sequence: first the price or range, then what the price includes, then one question for the customer. For example: "The set starts at 2,400 manat, with installation and delivery included. Roughly how many metres long is your kitchen?" That answer responds to the question directly, sets out the conditions and moves the conversation towards clarifying the need.

After the coaching, the same criteria are checked again on price calls over the next two weeks. If the change shows up across the team and not just in one agent, the sequence can be added to the standard's text.

Limits

Recognition of numbers depends on audio quality: "four hundred" and "nine hundred" can blur on a noisy recording. So a price mismatch always has to be confirmed by a person. Pricing policy and discount authority are internal company rules — a rule that is not written into the form should not be applied in the evaluation.

A price call in Vexvon Audio Analyzer

Vexvon Audio Analyzer checks the criteria above as steps of your standard and, for every status, shows the transcript line where the price was stated. The analyzer does not connect to your price list, though: it does not automatically check whether the figure was right on that date. A person does that check from the evidence lines; and because poorly recognised lines are marked, you can also see where a figure may be unreliable.

For identifying the need, see sales discovery call analysis; for handling unapproved promises as critical errors, critical errors in call QA.

First step

Take ten calls from last month that began with a price question and mark the five criteria. Separately, check every price stated against the list for that date. If you find mismatches, the cause is often not the agent but campaign information that never reached the call center. More in the sales call quality section; get in touch.

Further reading on this topic: objection handling call scoring, sales call accuracy monitoring.