case study 01 · inbox sales assistant

Writing replies was costing 2,000 hours a year.

Two bus companies. A hundred enquiry emails a day, and the fastest reply usually wins the job.

about 1,800 hours a year back reply time: 4 hours → 12 minutes more enquiries won on the fast reply
chapter 01

Replies got squeezed into the gaps.

Answering properly meant checking the calendar, the rates and last year’s booking. So customers waited.

Beforea Tuesday
Afterthe same Tuesday
longest a customer waited
0m
before
longest a customer waited
0m
after
the actual work writing replies time back
5 min → 20 sec
per reply. Writing became proofreading.
4 h → 12 min
for the customer to hear back, at any hour.
~1,800h
a year handed back to the actual work.
chapter 02

No new software. One new button.

It plugged into the inbox and the CRM, two systems the business already paid for.

the inbox they already use
in:sentR
0 emails
the customer record behind it
SW
Sam WhitfieldNorthgate Media · customer since 2019
repeat
OverviewTripsInvoicesNotes
Trips booked7
Last tripNov 2024 · 14 seats
Usual routeOffice → venue, same day
Lifetime value$4,180
Average quote$597
Payment recordOn time, every time
both feed the same assistant
The repliesEvery draft written with the right facts, the right price and the right tone.
The sales intelligenceEvery new enquiry scored against the ones that already won or lost.
chapter 03 · one enquiry, start to finish
inbox21:07
Team offsite next month
from: sam · saturday 21:07
"Hi, Sam here again. We used you for our team offsite last year and it all ran smoothly. Same again next month if you can, maybe 18 of us this time, could be a few more. From the office out to the venue and back the same day. Roughly what would that cost? Thanks, Sam"
Team offsite next month
from: sam · saturday 21:07
"Hi, Sam here again. We used you for our team offsite last year and it all ran smoothly. Same again next month if you can, maybe 18 of us this time, could be a few more. From the office out to the venue and back the same day. Roughly what would that cost? Thanks, Sam"
reading the enquiry
the enquiry, line by line4 facts
Sam in the CRMmatched
past trips like this one214
how you normally answertone set
Team offsite next month
from: sam · saturday 21:07
"Hi, Sam here again. We used you for our team offsite last year and it all ran smoothly. Same again next month if you can, maybe 18 of us this time, could be a few more. From the office out to the venue and back the same day. Roughly what would that cost? Thanks, Sam"
pulled out of the email0/4
whoReturning customer
whenNext month
size18, possibly more
routeOffice → venue, return, same day
threadlogisticsmoneyprogressiontone
the crm · matched on name and email
Sam · what happened last time
history
Last tripNov 2024 · 14 seats
RouteOffice → venue, same day return
money
Quoted then$540
OutcomeWon, paid on time
pattern
Where this deal sitsRepeat booking, warm
How you answered Sam beforeFriendly, straight to the price
context so far2/7
whoReturning customer
size18, possibly more
last timeNov 2024 · 14 seats
price$540 quoted
outcomeWon, paid on time
Repeat booking, warmstage
Friendly, straight to the pricetone
threadlogisticsmoneyprogressiontone
draft reply · not sent
Re: Team offsite next month
Hi Sam, good to hear from you again. Glad last year’s offsite went smoothly.

For 18 with a bit of room to grow, same run from the office out to the venue and back the same day, that comes to $585 including waiting time. Same rate you paid for the 14-seater last November, just on the bigger coach.

Happy to hold one while you check numbers. Just say the word.
going back in5/5
whoReturning customer
size18, possibly more
routeOffice → venue, return
last timeNov 2024 · 14 seats
price$540 quoted
threadlogisticsmoneyprogressiontone
this deal, against the ones like it
Team offsite · 18 people$585
0%
Deals like this close 62% of the time.
Measured across 0 past trips that matched on size, route and lead time.
won133
lost81
Returning customer↑↑
Corporate, not a one-off↑
Six weeks of lead time↑
Above the average quote↓
Draft ready waiting for you · nothing has been sent
sent 21:09 · two minutes after it landed
your reply2 min
the competitionnext morning
chapter 04

What changed.

~1,800h
a year back, across about a hundred emails a day at five minutes each.
each figure is one working day returned · 250 in a year
12 min
from enquiry to a considered draft, at any hour. It used to take four hours.
before4h 00m
now12 min
drawn to scale
+15%
more enquiries won, because the fast reply usually wins the booking.
for every twenty bookings won, three more now land

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