What to change
Describe what the quotation establishes and what action is required to arrange the appointment. Align the wording with the practice's approved quotation and booking process.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A practice sends a quotation for a requested report appointment and explains how to discuss available times. The final appointment confirmation identifies the agreed service, location and payment arrangement after the booking step.
Put it into practice
An illustrative quotation might say that the team will discuss dates after the visitor agrees the scope. The later booking message should then give the agreed appointment details. Ask staff to read both messages together: would a new patient know which one means they should attend?
Put any action needed to proceed beside the quotation, not only in an attachment. Someone reading the email on a phone should be able to identify that next step.
What to agree before publishing
Use a quotation and its later booking confirmation as a pair during review. The first should describe the price's scope and any action needed to proceed. The second should identify the appointment actually agreed. Ask reception to explain what would happen if the visitor simply replied “thank you” to the quote. If that does not reserve a time, the public wording must not suggest otherwise. This keeps price agreement and diary availability understandable as separate parts of arranging the service.
How to check the result
The recipient can distinguish understanding the likely charge from holding an appointment in the diary.
A mistake to avoid
Do not use confirmation as a heading for a quotation when no appointment has actually been reserved.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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