Guide12 May 20266 min read
Take a Deposit the Moment a Quote Is Accepted
The moment a customer accepts is the moment they are most committed. Capturing a deposit right then locks in the job and gets cash into your account early.
The moment a customer accepts is the moment they are most committed. Capturing a deposit right then locks in the job and gets cash into your account early.
There is one instant in every deal when the customer is most committed: the second they say yes. Ask for a deposit at any other time and you are interrupting; ask for it right then and it feels like the natural next step. That timing is where deposits quietly transform your cash flow.
Commitment fades. A customer who is enthusiastic when they accept your quote can cool off over the days it takes you to send a separate deposit request, and every gap you leave is a chance for second thoughts or a competitor. Capturing the deposit at the point of acceptance removes that gap entirely. They sign, they pay a percentage, and the job is locked in — all in one continuous action while they are still nodding along.
With Quote Nudge, this is built into the acceptance flow. When a customer opens your branded acceptance page and signs, they are immediately prompted to pay the deposit percentage you set. No second email, no phone call, no "I'll invoice you for the deposit" friction that so often stalls.
The money goes directly into your own Stripe account via Stripe Connect. Quote Nudge does not sit between you and your cash or hold your funds — the deposit lands where it should, in your account, on your terms. You keep full control of your Stripe settings, payouts, and reporting.
Because it runs on Stripe, you get the payment methods your customers already trust — cards and the wallets they use every day — with the security and reliability of one of the most established payment platforms in the world.
A deposit is not just early money. It changes the psychology and the economics of every job you win.
A signature says "I like this." A deposit says "I am doing this." Only one of them protects your diary.
There is no universal figure, but a few principles help. For trades and project work, a deposit that covers your materials and mobilisation cost is common, so you are never out of pocket to start. For services and retainers, a first-instalment-style deposit signals commitment without a large upfront ask. Set it high enough to matter and low enough that it never becomes the reason someone hesitates at the finish line.
Quote Nudge lets you set the percentage once and applies it automatically at acceptance, so every won job starts on the same solid footing.
Deposits are the natural payoff of consistent follow-up. It works like this: you automate the follow-up sequence on every SENT Xero quote, the customer eventually opens the branded acceptance page, signs with their finger, the quote flips to Accepted in Xero automatically — and in the same breath, the deposit is captured. One connected flow from "just checking in" to money in the bank.
Everyone in the chain benefits. The customer gets a smooth, professional experience. You get a locked-in job, accurate Xero records, and improved cash flow — without chasing separate deposit payments by hand. If you want the mechanics of the acceptance page and Stripe setup, they are covered in the docs.
Taking payment demands trust, and the architecture reflects that. Payments run through Stripe Connect into your own account, your customer data lives in an RLS-isolated multi-tenant Postgres database, and your Xero connection uses OAuth2 with PKCE and encrypted refresh tokens. The deposit experience feels effortless to your customer precisely because the security work is done quietly underneath.
Turn acceptances into deposits automatically. Start a free 14-day trial — no card required, then £16.79/mo, cancel anytime — connect Xero and Stripe, set your deposit percentage, and start every job with cash already in the bank.
Auto follow-ups, branded e-sign acceptance and deposits on your Xero quotes. £16.79/mo after the trial — no card required.
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