Give each buying requirement an enquiry ID and keep repeat contacts under that ID. Record the customer, request, quote version, state, blocker, next date and closure reason. Count won enquiries separately from order count.
Define one enquiry before counting it
One buying requirement is one enquiry even if the buyer calls, emails and sends three WhatsApp messages. A new requirement can receive a new ID under your stated rule. Customer identity helps join repeated contact, but do not merge two different requirements merely because the account is the same.
| Enquiry ID / customer | Requirement and quote | State / blocker | Owner / next follow-up | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENQ-101 / Example Traders | 500 m fabric; Q-101 v2 | Quoted; buyer checking delivery date | Meera / 24 Sep | Open |
| ENQ-102 / Sample Stores | Medium dress sample | Sample sent; acknowledgement missing | Ravi / 23 Sep | Open |
| ENQ-103 / Demo Dealer | Rate and terms for new line | Paused by buyer | Asha / 15 Oct review | Paused |
These are fictional examples. Keep only contact information needed for the enquiry and use the channel the customer agreed to.
Use explicit state changes
A simple path is: new → qualified → quoted or sample sent → decision pending → won, lost or paused. A revised quote updates the quote version; it does not create another enquiry. Record blocker, agreed next date and who made the change.
Close with a stated reason: won, price, product mismatch, availability, timing or no confirmed reason. “No response” describes the evidence; it does not prove why the buyer stopped. If a closed enquiry reopens, keep the earlier closure and record the reopen reason and date.
Follow up on the unresolved decision
Ask about the specific blocker. If the buyer needs a delivery date, confirm quantity and check availability before promising. If the buyer pauses, record the pause and review date instead of resetting the next date every day.
For aged no-response enquiries, set a review rule chosen by the business. Record each attempt and then close as “no confirmed reason” when the rule is met. Do not turn an old enquiry into unlimited promotional contact.
Keep conversion and order count separate
In a fictional week, record 20 distinct new enquiries. Eight receive quotations. Three quoted enquiries produce at least one confirmed order within the review window.
Enquiry conversion = 3 won enquiries ÷ 20 enquiries = 15%. Quoted-enquiry conversion = 3 won quoted enquiries ÷ 8 quoted enquiries = 37.5%.
If those three won enquiries produce five orders, the conversion rates remain 15% and 37.5%. Five is the order count. Compare the same enquiry cohort and review window; orders from older enquiries do not enter this week’s numerator.
Know what the ledger cannot show
A sales ledger can show recorded orders and sales. It does not contain every lost enquiry, sample request or unanswered quote. An assistant can help organise information only when the required enquiry records exist.
This guide does not claim that Dhandha GPT ships a CRM or enquiry register. It provides a record design you can use in an authorised tool or manual process.
Questions you might ask
Are repeated calls and messages separate enquiries?
Keep repeat contacts about one buying requirement under the same enquiry ID. Create a new ID for a genuinely new requirement under your stated rule.
How do I calculate enquiry conversion when one enquiry creates several orders?
Use won enquiries as the numerator and distinct enquiries as the denominator. Track order count separately, using the same cohort and review window.
What should happen when a quotation changes or the buyer pauses?
Retain the quote version, blocker, agreed next follow-up date and state change. Preserve closure and reopen reasons instead of overwriting history.