What if your quote is wrong?

Finding a mistake in a quote is annoying, but it happens to every caterer sooner or later. Whether you spot it yourself before the client responds, or the client calls you with a question: how you handle it decides whether you keep their trust. Acting fast and communicating openly matter more here than the mistake itself.

Why do quotes sometimes go wrong?

In catering, lots of variables work at once: ingredients, staff, transport, surcharges, equipment. One mistake in a cell, an outdated price list or a forgotten item, and your quote no longer adds up. That's not failure, that's the reality of manual work with a lot of data.

The most common causes:

• Calculation errors. Complex quotes with tiered pricing, staff costs and several dishes are prone to mistakes. One wrong entry hits the total directly.
• Outdated purchase prices. Supplier prices change regularly. Work from an old version of your price list, and your quote falls behind the real costs.
• Forgotten items. Transport, crockery, set-up, cleaning, permits: on bigger jobs there's a good chance something falls through the cracks.
• Copy-paste errors. Quickly adjusting a quote based on an earlier version for a different client sometimes carries over incorrect details.

What do you do if you spot the mistake yourself, before the client responds?

Act fast. Send a revised version with a short, direct note. Don't make a big story out of the mistake, but do name it specifically so the client knows what's changed.

An example: "I checked your quote and found that the transport cost had dropped out. Attached is the corrected version. Everything else stays the same." That's it. No half-page apology, no uncertain explanation. Just factual and solution-focused.

If the mistake affects your total price, say so straight away too. Clients appreciate honesty. What they don't appreciate is being surprised afterwards by a different price than they expected.

How do you handle a client who's spotted a mistake?

Listen first, don't defend anything afterwards. A client who reports a mistake is either right or has misunderstood something. Both are solvable, but only if you don't get defensive.

Ask what the client saw, and confirm or correct it. Sometimes it's a difference in interpretation, not a real mistake. Sometimes it's a genuine calculation error. Either way, the fix is the same: send a revised quote, explain what's changed, and ask whether the client's happy with the new version.

Has the client already agreed, and do you then discover a mistake that pushes your price up? That's a more sensitive situation. Small differences you can absorb yourself. Bigger price differences call for an open conversation. Explain how the mistake happened, what the correct price would be, and work out together how to resolve it. Don't force anything through, because agreement to a quote carries legal weight.

Which mistakes can you still fix after the client has agreed?

• Small typos (client name, date, wrong unit) you can always fix without discussion.
• Missing items that the client already expected but weren't on the quote: discuss those first.
• Price changes after agreement are legally tricky. You can't just push it through unilaterally. Explain the situation and ask for agreement on the corrected version.

How do you prevent quote mistakes in future?

• Use fixed templates with calculation rules already built in. The less you fill in by hand, the less can go wrong.
• Have someone else check the quote before you send it, even if it's just a quick check of the total price.
• Keep your ingredient and supplier prices up to date. Check them at the start of every quarter.
• Add a standard buffer for unforeseen costs. Five per cent on the total gives you room to absorb small variations.

Frequently asked questions

Am I obliged to honour a lower price if I made a calculation error?

If the client hasn't accepted the quote yet, you can just send a corrected version. If there's already agreement, that's legally a contract and it gets more complicated. For big price differences it's wise to get legal advice, but in practice an honest conversation usually sorts it out.

How long do I have to fix a mistake after sending the quote?

As soon as possible. The sooner you correct the mistake, the less chance the client bases decisions on wrong information. Send a corrected version the same day, or the next morning, once you spot the mistake.

Should I call or email the client when I find a mistake?

For small corrections, an email with a revised quote is enough. For bigger price changes, it's best to call, so you can explain straight away what happened. Always follow up with written confirmation too.

What if the client knows there's a mistake but wants to take advantage of it?

Then be clear: you made a mistake and the corrected price is X. Say you understand this is unexpected, but that the corrected price is the only one that works for your business. Most clients respect honesty.

How do I avoid accidentally copying the wrong prices from an old quote?

Work with up-to-date templates that pull your prices automatically. If you use software, store your ingredient prices centrally so a new quote always works from the most recent prices. Check the big cost items on every quote before you send it.

Catermonkey helps you avoid quote mistakes with fixed templates and automatic calculations based on your current recipes and prices.

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