The Complete Quote: a windshield replacement quote checklist for the phone

The Complete Quote is a phone checklist for glass shops: four lines you give a windshield caller before they hang up, so there's nothing left for them to call around for. They are the same four as the video, in the same order:

1. The glass for their VIN, not just the year and model, because the sensor package and the trim change which windshield fits.
2. The small parts: the clips, the molding, the urethane and primer and the sensor pads, the lines most often missing from a hand-written quote.
3. Recalibration, stated either way: whether it's included and what it costs.
4. Both totals: the insurance path with what the deductible leaves the customer, and the cash price.

Below is the quote template to copy, the questions to ask on the call for each line, what stays with the shop, and how to tell it's working.

Why the quote is the sale

Nobody plans a windshield. It cracks, and the same afternoon the driver rings three shops. It's tempting to think the cheapest shop wins, but the caller usually books with the first shop that gives a complete, correct answer. Once they hang up to wait for your price, they're somebody else's lead.

Think of it like a menu with the prices printed. Nobody orders from a waiter who has to go and ask the kitchen. Our longer page on auto glass quote automation covers the background.

Who it is for

• Independent glass shops whose front desk often says "we'll call you back with a price".
• Mobile shops where the quote also has to say when the van can come.
• Shops that have had an argument at pickup about a calibration charge.

What you need first

• A way to decode a VIN to the correct part while you're on the phone.
• Your current prices for glass, small parts and calibration, set by the shop.
• Your rules for which carriers you work with and what you bill them.
• Today's open van slots.

The quote template to copy

The values below are a demo quote for a fictional shop. Replace them with yours. Every line gets filled before the call ends.

Line	What it says	Demo example
1. Glass	Part number that fits the VIN, OEM or aftermarket named	FW-3340, fits VIN ending 3091, aftermarket
2. Small parts	Each one by name	Clip kit, molding, urethane and primer, sensor pads
3. Recalibration	Included or not, and its cost	Camera recalibration, included in both totals
4. Totals	Insurance path and cash path	Insurance: customer pays their glass deductible. Cash: full price including tax and fees
Also	Mobile or in-shop, when, and when the quote expires	Van comes to you today, quote good for 7 days

Line 1. The glass for their VIN

Ask for the VIN on the call, not just the year, make and model. The VIN decides which of several windshields fits, because the sensor package, the acoustic layer and the trim level all change the part. Name whether the quote is for OEM or aftermarket glass. The customer is entitled to know which one they're buying, and it can change what a carrier will pay.

Ask on the call: "Can you read me the last few characters of the VIN on the dashboard or the door sticker?"

Line 2. The small parts

Clip kits, molding, urethane, primer and sensor pads carry their own part numbers and their own cost. Leave them off and the number at the counter won't match the number on the phone, which is the fastest way to lose to a clearer shop next time. List each one by name so the customer can see the quote is complete.

Line 3. Recalibration, stated either way

You'd think a camera just works with new glass. It doesn't: cameras mounted on the windshield must be recalibrated after glass replacement, and depending on the vehicle that can mean a static calibration in the shop, a dynamic calibration on the road, or both. AGRR's technical guidance notes that the vehicle's own procedure defines whether you perform a dynamic or a static calibration.

So the quote says one of two things, out loud and in writing: "calibration is included in this price" or "calibration is extra, and here's what it costs." Silence here becomes an argument at pickup. If the calibration means the car has to come to the shop, say that too, because it changes the customer's day.

Line 4. Both totals

Most callers don't know which payment path they're on until they see both. Give them side by side:

• The insurance path: what the customer is likely to pay, usually their glass deductible, with a clear note that their insurer decides coverage. Coverage really does vary: the Insurance Information Institute notes that some policies include no-deductible glass coverage, and others need it added.
• The cash path: the full price including tax, fees and calibration, so the number they hear is the number they pay.

Never promise that a claim will be approved or that a deductible will be waived. The shop doesn't control the claim.

Also on the quote: when, where and how long

Say whether the van comes to them or the car comes in, and when. Then tell them how long before they can drive. I-CAR says minimum drive-away time may be as little as 30-60 minutes for fast-cure products and 2-8 hours or longer for moisture-cured products, so use the number from the data sheet of the urethane you'll actually use. Add the date the quote expires.

What stays with the shop

A quote tool can decode the VIN, gather the parts, flag the calibration and lay out both totals while the caller is still talking. It doesn't set your prices, choose your suppliers, decide whether aftermarket glass is right for a vehicle, negotiate with carriers or decide whether a chip can be repaired instead of replaced. Those stay with the people who stand behind the work.

How to tell it worked

For two weeks, mark every windshield call with two things: did the caller get all four lines before hanging up, and did they book. Then compare. You should also see fewer "we'll call you back" notes and fewer pickup disputes about calibration. If a quote didn't book, follow it up within the hour with the same part and the same total; our Same Hour Follow-Up guide has the messages. To see a week of your own calls and quotes laid out, start with the Multi-Shop Operating Gap Assessment.