Compare an old quote with the exact order now being placed
Identify substantive scope differences between an old quotation and the later purchase order.
Corporate Recovery Partners
01 / 06
A familiar project name can hide a new scope
A customer returns months after receiving a quote and sends a purchase order using the same project name. Before scheduling the work, compare what is now being ordered with what was originally priced. A changed quantity or installation requirement may matter independently of rising costs. Ask for advice where the effect of the order or earlier correspondence is uncertain.
Imagine an air-conditioning installer quoted for three units with clear daytime access. The later purchase order lists four units and requires weekend work. Put the quotation, drawings and order side by side. Mark those differences precisely rather than replying that everything is more expensive now. Preserve the original documents so the comparison can be checked by someone outside the sales conversation.
business.gov.au recommends that contracts clearly describe the work and relevant arrangements. Apply that practical discipline to the comparison. Identify quantities, specifications, access, delivery and exclusions separately. A general description such as install system may not explain which changed requirement is driving the new labour or equipment requirement. Ask the customer to clarify missing details before relying on assumptions.
The comparison does not decide whether a contract already exists or what price applies. Send the complete exchange to the adviser if those issues are disputed. Avoid announcing that a different purchase order automatically cancels an earlier agreement. In the installer's example, the documents may need interpretation alongside the parties' communications and conduct, not just a quick reading of the latest attachment.
If an agreed variation or revised proposal is appropriate, explain the specific additions and their cost. Avoid charging for unchanged items again or folding unrelated overhead problems into a supposed scope difference. Make any alternatives clear enough for the customer to compare, including the practical effect of returning to the originally quoted specification or access arrangements.
Confirm the approved work, drawings, price and timing through the appropriate process before crews rely on the new order. Keep the resolved version accessible to operations and invoicing. The aim is to stop an old quote and a changed purchase order travelling through the business as though they describe exactly the same job.
