The Scenario
The following is a model calculation. It serves as a realistic orientation – not an actual case study. Every business is different.
Company: Electrical installation business in the Zurich region Size: 18 employees (12 technicians, 3 office staff, 3 apprentices) Specialisation: Electrical installations for residential and commercial buildings
The Starting Point
The business receives 25–35 enquiries per week – by phone, email, and contact form. Everything from socket installations to complete electrification.
The problem in numbers:
- Quote preparation: The owner and one office worker write all quotes – in the evenings, on weekends, between appointments
- Time per quote: 30–45 minutes (read enquiry, calculate materials, estimate labour, format quote)
- Response time: 4–7 days, sometimes longer
- Lost jobs: An estimated 20–30% of enquiries are lost because the customer gets a faster reply from a competitor
The core problem: The owner spends his evenings doing paperwork instead of being with his family. And the business is still too slow.
What the AI Agent Takes Over
Step 1: Receive and qualify enquiries
Every incoming enquiry – whether by email, form, or message – is captured by the AI agent. It identifies what the job involves: What type of work? How urgent? Residential or commercial?
Step 2: Prepare draft quotes
The agent accesses the business's price lists and previous quotes. It creates a draft with:
- Materials list (based on similar past jobs)
- Estimated labour time
- Indicative price
- Professional layout
Step 3: Owner reviews and sends
The finished draft goes to the owner or office staff. They check the figures, adjust if needed, and send the quote – in 5–10 minutes instead of 30–45.
Step 4: Automatically inform customers
As soon as an enquiry comes in, the agent confirms receipt and lets the customer know when to expect a quote. No enquiry goes unanswered.
The Numbers
All figures are estimates based on typical trades businesses of this size.
Time Savings
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Time per quote | 30–45 minutes | 5–10 minutes (review only) |
| Office time per week | 15–20 hours | 4–6 hours |
| Time saved | – | approx. 12 hours/week |
| Response time | 4–7 days | Within 24 hours |
Qualitative Improvements
- No more writing quotes in the evening
- Fewer lost jobs thanks to faster response times
- More professional quotes (consistent layout, no typos)
- Every enquiry gets answered – even on weekends
Getting Started
The first step is an analysis. In it, we clarify:
- Which workflows offer the greatest return for your business
- How much office time you can concretely save
- Which systems (price lists, templates, email) need to be connected
After that, you'll know exactly whether the investment makes sense – with numbers from your business, not from a model calculation.
→ Process and Investment Overview
What Changes Day to Day
This is the real point: it's not about cutting jobs. It's about quality of life.
After implementation:
- The owner no longer writes quotes on weekends. He reviews and sends in 30 minutes each morning what the agent prepared overnight.
- The office staff have time for customer care, invoicing, and follow-ups – instead of just typing up quotes.
- The technicians get faster job confirmations and can plan their week better.
The Project Timeline
| Week | Phase |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Initial meeting and analysis: What do your quotes look like? Which price lists do you use? What are your standard jobs? |
| Weeks 2–4 | Prototype with real enquiries. The agent creates first draft quotes. Live demo for owner and office. |
| Weeks 5–8 | Fine-tuning: price list integration, layout customisation, training. |
| From week 9 | Ongoing operation. Monitoring and optimisation. |
Conclusion
For a trades business with regular quote requests, an AI agent isn't a gimmick – it's a tool that reduces paperwork and shortens response times. The evenings the owner gets back are noticeable from day one.
The starting point: An analysis shows how much potential lies in your processes.
Does this sound familiar? Let's discuss in 30 minutes what's possible for your business.
