What we started withThe same facts, as an email
Fictional client email
Cedar Studio — enquiry workflow options for September 11
Hi Robin,
Here are the two options for reducing manual handling of inbound project enquiries, as of September 7, 2026. Your estimate is about 5 staff hours a week today, though that is not time-tracked and we have no conversion baseline.
Option A repairs the existing enquiry form: an estimated $2,000 one-time cost and 1 week after approval. It keeps the familiar workflow, but manual triage remains. Option B adds a guided enquiry flow and routing rules: an estimated $4,500 and 3 weeks after approval. It gives us better structured inputs, but requires staff training and validation of the routing rules.
Both fit the $5,000 budget ceiling before exclusions. Neither is a signed quote; both exclude tax and ongoing maintenance. I recommend B if you can assign a routing owner, because it addresses manual triage. We do not yet have measured savings or conversion lift.
Please choose A or B by September 11, 2026, and name the routing owner if you choose B. No option has been approved. Actual time saved, maintenance cost, tax, ownership and conversion impact remain unknown. After approval, we should confirm scope and exclusions, benchmark handling time, and validate routing with staff before launch.
Alex
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<header class="masthead">
<p class="brand">Cedar Studio</p>
<p class="meta">Prepared by Alex · September 7, 2026</p>
</header>
<section class="decision" aria-label="Recommendation and requested decision">
<div class="recommendation">
<p class="eyebrow">Conditional recommendation · Option B</p>
<h1>Choose the guided flow—if someone owns routing.</h1>
<p>To reduce manual handling of inbound project enquiries, B addresses manual triage and fits the stated budget before exclusions.</p>
</div>
<aside class="request">
<span class="eyebrow">Decision pending</span>
<h2>Robin, project sponsor <span class="due">By September 11, 2026</span></h2>
<p>Choose A or B.<br>If B, name the routing owner.</p>
<p class="pending">No option has been approved.</p>
</aside>
</section>
<section aria-labelledby="options-heading">
<div class="comparison-intro">
<h2 class="section-heading" id="options-heading">Two paths, different tradeoffs</h2>
<p class="ceiling">Budget ceiling <strong>$5,000</strong></p>
</div>
<p class="exclusions">Both one-time estimates fit before tax and ongoing maintenance, which are excluded. Neither is a signed quote.</p>
<table aria-label="Compare the enquiry workflow options">
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col"><span class="eyebrow">Option A</span><h3>Repair the existing enquiry form</h3></th>
<th scope="col"><span class="eyebrow">Option B</span><h3>Guided enquiry flow + routing rules</h3></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span class="field">Estimated one-time cost</span><strong class="amount">$2,000</strong></td>
<td><span class="field">Estimated one-time cost</span><strong class="amount">$4,500</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="field">Estimated delivery</span><span class="timing">1 week</span> after approval</td>
<td><span class="field">Estimated delivery</span><span class="timing">3 weeks</span> after approval</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="field">Benefit</span>Familiar workflow</td>
<td><span class="field">Benefit</span>Better structured inputs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="field">Client effort / tradeoff</span>Manual triage remains.</td>
<td><span class="field">Client effort / tradeoff</span>Staff training and validation of routing rules required.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</section>
<section class="evidence" aria-label="Evidence and uncertainty">
<div>
<h2>Starting point, not a savings claim</h2>
<p><strong class="baseline">About 5 staff hours per week</strong> handling enquiries: Robin’s estimate, not time-tracked. No conversion baseline or proven savings or conversion lift.</p>
</div>
<div>
<h2>Still unknown</h2>
<p>Actual time saved, maintenance cost, tax, routing owner and conversion impact. Without a routing owner, revisit the recommendation.</p>
</div>
</section>
<section class="next" aria-labelledby="next-heading">
<h2 id="next-heading">After approval</h2>
<ol>
<li>Confirm scope and exclusions.</li>
<li>Benchmark handling time.</li>
<li>Validate routing with staff before launch.</li>
</ol>
</section>
<footer>Fictional worked example · Source: the accompanying client notes.</footer>
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