If I had a dollar for every customer that told me:
“The glazier came out, looked at it, and I never heard from him again.”
or:
“He came out, had a look, then said he doesn’t have time to do it now.”
…I’d probably have a lot of money.
And honestly, it’s extremely common.
This is one of the biggest reasons I moved away from the old-school “free on-site quote for everything” model. Too many trade businesses spend their entire day driving around Adelaide looking at jobs instead of actually completing work.
Eventually they fall behind, stop answering calls properly, become overloaded, and customers get frustrated.
I’ve even seen situations recently where another glazier attended site, overcomplicated a relatively straightforward job, then walked away from it entirely. Meanwhile the customer is left confused wondering what happened.
I built Adelaide Glaziers differently because I saw firsthand how broken that system can become.
Every Minute Costs Money
A lot of customers think a “quick free quote” is no big deal.
But here’s the reality:
the second my vehicle starts moving, the business is spending money.
Fuel.
Insurance.
Vehicle wear and tear.
Public liability.
Tools.
Time.
Opportunity cost.
My vehicle roughly uses around 10–12 litres per 100km.
Now factor in fuel prices over recent years.
We’ve seen fuel hit ridiculous levels.
Then add traffic.
Driving across Adelaide.
Parking.
Unproductive time between jobs.
Suddenly that “quick free quote” isn’t free at all.
It costs real money.
The Biggest Problem? The Job Might Never Happen
This is the part people don’t fully understand.
A customer may want:
- A site visit
- Time
- Advice
- Travel
- Measuring
- Discussion
…all before even deciding whether they want to proceed.
That model simply doesn’t make sense to me anymore.
I’m not interested in operating on a “hope and wish” business model where I spend large parts of my day driving around for work that may never happen.
That might have worked decades ago.
I don’t believe it works well in modern business.
Most Jobs Can Be Assessed Remotely
The reality is most glazing jobs can be assessed with:
- Photos
- Approximate sizes
- The suburb/location
- Basic information
That alone is usually enough for an experienced glazier to determine:
- Whether we can help
- Whether it’s viable
- Estimated pricing range
- Glass type
- Safety requirements
- Access difficulty
Which means customers often get answers faster without waiting days for somebody to “come have a look.”
I Believe The Old Model Is Broken
This is where I differ from a lot of old-school trade businesses.
I don’t believe spending all day driving around doing unpaid quotes is an efficient way to run a company.
In many ways, I think that model created a generation of tradies who:
- Never answer the phone
- Never get back to customers
- Are constantly behind
- Spend more time travelling than actually completing work
Customers complain about this constantly.
And honestly?
I understand why it happens.
If your entire day is consumed by free site visits, eventually the business becomes chaotic.
I built Adelaide Glaziers to operate differently.
Customers Are Starting To Understand
Interestingly, customers understand this model far more today than they used to.
Fuel prices alone changed people’s thinking.
Most reasonable people now understand that:
- vehicles cost money,
- time costs money,
- and businesses cannot endlessly absorb unpaid labour.
Especially qualified trades with significant overheads and compliance requirements.
We Still Visit Site When Necessary
Of course there are jobs where site visits are necessary.
Complex access.
Commercial works.
Difficult measuring.
Specialised systems.
Large projects.
But for standard glass replacement work?
Most of the time, remote quoting is faster, more efficient, and better for both sides.
Efficiency Is Not Bad Customer Service
Some people mistake efficiency for being “cold.”
I disagree completely.
I think wasting people’s time is worse.
I’d rather:
- assess the job quickly,
- determine if we’re the right fit,
- give realistic expectations,
- and move forward efficiently.
That’s how Adelaide Glaziers operates.
And honestly, it’s one of the best business decisions I ever made.