does my quote form have too many fields?

[unwashed potato!]

http://www.mayercleaning.co.uk/online-quote/?service=moving

just trying to see how i can improve my online quote system. one thing i've heard before is that people feel there's too many fields, however anything less will provide a less accurate quote, potentially causing issues with customers thinking we are the type of company that quotes low to get the work then raises prices on the day.

our largest form is linked above. wouldn't mind if anyone could go through it, it just page 1 of info needed that's not stored and then page 2 shows the rest of the form. page 3 is total so no need to progress past page 2.

i've considered removing the kitchen appliances, cleanliness level, and a few other fields.

any feedback is appreciated.

another option is to reduce the size of the pages and have more of them.

 

[Craig321]

I think that's fine myself - well designed & looks good

Having more but smaller pages might make them bored, especially if they've clicked through 3+ pages and yet another one comes up asking more questions. At least with your current one they can see how long they have to go.

Remove everything that doesn't matter and doesn't change the price. So if the fields you mentioned don't really add to the price or the info you need then get rid.

 

[unwashed potato!]

Thanks. They do change the price a small amount and helps not only get the price as correct as possible without viewing but also for us to correctly plan our day.

Our competition just has a very based for of 3 bed house, 2 bathrooms done. Then add on oven cleaning or carpet cleaning. Doesn't give an accurate price but certainly is much quicker and perhaps more appealing.

 

[Craig321]

Here's an idea if you do want to reduce the size of the form significantly: instead of having each service as a field that is always shown you could ask for the required details first, then have an 'add service' button which pops up a list of what you can offer (steam cleans, etc.) and they can just keep adding until they're happy. When they add a service it would have course disappear from the list if they go to add another so they couldn't add it twice.

Then at the end you have a summary of what they have chosen, with another 'forgotten something? Add another service' button. You could also have 'did you know, we also offer x cleaning' so you can advertise services they might have missed when choosing.

I prefer yours over a competitor that might just ask the basic questions. I don't want them to turn up only to find out it's going to be double because I need some extra stuff done for a proper job. Showing all your options also works in your favour in that you're showing people what you can offer.

 

[touch]

There's lots of stuff that could be removed IMO.
Pretty much the whole first page. I'd leave out the full address, phone numbers, time at property, prefered date, start time, etc. If people like your quote, they can give you that info and book a time after.

Type of property is requested on page1 + page2. Seems redundant to me as well, you ask for the number of rooms and how many levels the property has so what further info do you get from knowing property type?

I'd also hide the steam cleaning section by default and have a "do you want any steam cleaning? Yes/No" option which would expand that section.

 

[unwashed potato!]

thanks. i like the idea of having the carpet cleaning section hidden by default. will look to having some jqeury collapsible thing

 

[MrMagoo]

As others have said I think there is a lot of info on the first page that doesn't look like it would have any bearing on the price quoted.

Step 1:
I would only ask the questions that are required and/or would change the quote price on step 1 (including the email address so you could email them the quote) - then hide the carpet cleaning initially unless required.
Step 2:
Display the quote.
Step 3:
Capture any additional information required.

Unrelated, but do you clean BBQs?

 

[JCSlacker]

As others have said.

The hiding the steam cleaning will improve things.

1. Perhaps change the many dropdowns that ask for 1-4 or 5+ into radial buttons and make them look like a toggle buttons with some nice styling (radial buttons look dated). It may not seem like much but the end user won't have to click each drop down and then the option.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5523735/how-to-make-a-radio-button-look-like-a-toggle-button

2. Small but maybe make the time select a slider between 700 and 1645 in 15 increments and just format the numbers as 9:00. Possibly even a range to get an better idea of their preferred time.

3. I'm in two minds with moving their details to the last step.
3.1. In the first step, you can submit the details to a database after the first step and this will tell you if people leave on step 2/ don't like your prices. You can even then call them up ask them if they're still interested if you wanted to go down that route. Also I feel if I've already put my details in I may as well get the quote.
3.2 Putting the options first and merging the quote and the entering details would make the form seem so much smaller.
Your quote, your details.

4. Post code searches, you can add in postcode searchs so they just type their postcode and select their address. I'd only do this if the details were on the last step, as they cost a bit each time search 5.5p for pcapredict other providers might be cheaper.

Lazy girl,

 

[unwashed potato!]

i prefer to keep the customer details page one as like you've said i can then contact after if they don't book with us. asking for the address also ensures we cover their area. no point giving a quote if it's for a property in scotland for instance.

although i don't mind those post code searches, the fact it costs, but only saves one field to me isn't worth it. at the moment i ask for 3 fields for the address, those post code searches usually ask for 2 and then you click to submit, then scroll down to find your property, so over all can take more time, esp considering many will have the address/phone etc saved in their browser so once they start putting in their name, the browser will auto fill the rest.

i can't really swap the dropdowns to radial/toggle buttons as how would that work for someone with say 5 bedrooms?

i do like the idea of swapping the radio buttons to nicer toggle buttons so will explore changing this.

 

[JCSlacker]

As for the toggle buttons, as you only had a few options and I recall was "5 or more" this makes sense, as you're really just getting numbers, why not allow them to type the number?
If they are dropdowns to be more touch screen friendly I've seen plus minus buttons next to the input fields.

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5 or more]

I can see for those with 10+ options that being more combersome.
You call also put in a slider instead to your higher value
1 ---o----- 10 or more

 

[touch]

3. I'm in two minds with moving their details to the last step.
3.1. In the first step, you can submit the details to a database after the first step and this will tell you if people leave on step 2/ don't like your prices. You can even then call them up ask them if they're still interested if you wanted to go down that route. Also I feel if I've already put my details in I may as well get the quote.

You'd be able to capture the details of the people who get a quote and dont follow through on it.
You wouldn't be able to see the number of people who decide against getting a quote because of all the personal information it wants up front.

If I was faced with that form, I would give false info on the first page to see the price first then redo it with the correct info if I liked the price. Same as I do for confused.com and places like that.

 

[unwashed potato!]

gotcha. i like that idea. will see what it looks like. you're right it would be simpler to just click once rather than click the drop down then find the option then click that one

 

[unwashed potato!]

big update time! just done loads of small and medium updates to the form as well as the site in other areas. going through it all now, but would appreciate if anyone could take a second to have a look and see what they think now.

the biggest changes being the carpet section is hidden and requires the user to select it to then reveal those questions, as well as the checkbox are the fancy ones suggested on here.

what do you think?

i do need some advice how i'd get the dropdown accordian to activate the checkbox when selected. at the moment at the section that says "do you want to include removals" if you select the dropdown arrow, this reveals the removals fields, but doesn't select yes on the checkbox. click the checkbox will then activate the dropdown, but the dropdown wont check the checkbox.

any ideas? i'm sure it's a simple line of jquery i just aren't getting right.

 

[RoyMi6]

Currently, the first page says "1 of 3" - and, for most, putting in that much data on the page would put them off if you ask me - especially if they assume they've got two more pages with the same amount of input required.

Additionally, your third step is literally just "this is the price, click book!" - which isn't really a step. Additionally, when you do click book it doesn't display a summary of the details they've entered so they can double check AND is actually an additional step where they get the option to enter additional details.

The back button doesn't work, which is annoying for me at least, and you currently collect the property type (house, bungalow etc) on the first and second page.

I personally think it could be improved usability wise by moving the real data collection aspect to the first page.

I.e.

• Step 1: Select your number of rooms etc (currently step 2) - you might have the price based on postcode so maybe include a drop-down of areas available on this page. At the bottom have a "calculate price" button.
• Step 2: Display quote and "click here to book" button
• Step 3: Display summary of quote and ask for additional details (i.e. address and contact name/email/number) and "confirm booking" button

EDIT: Just had a proper read through the thread and noticed you want to keep emails for callbacks - like others have said if I was prompted with that I'd always give fake emails (like I've just done umpteen times for testing it) but I do appreciate you likely get legitimate ones.

Why not simply compromise and only collect the email (along with the number of rooms etc) on the first page? That gives you enough info to get in touch with them but doesn't burden them will filling it an annoying amount of information on the first step.

Oh, also, it's not highlighted what fields are required. Another usability aspect I'd suggest you adopt is not having "house" selected by default, but have "Please select" or something similar so you can ensure that the user HAS selected a value rather than missed the option and left it on its default.

 

[unwashed potato!]

thanks for your feedback.

Currently, the first page says "1 of 3" - and, for most, putting in that much data on the page would put them off if you ask me - especially if they assume they've got two more pages with the same amount of input required.

Additionally, your third step is literally just "this is the price, click book!" - which isn't really a step.

you're right. i've changed that now to be more clear.

Additionally, when you do click book it doesn't display a summary of the details they've entered so they can double check AND is actually an additional step where they get the option to enter additional details.

good idea. will add something soon.

The back button doesn't work, which is annoying for me at least,

annoys me too though not sure best way to solve this. I could use _GET instead of _POST. anything wrong with doing this?

and you currently collect the property type (house, bungalow etc) on the first and second page.

it used to only be on the second page. people were selecting house type, but only 1 floor, so added the option to the first page, and then the floors is auto selected to 2 if house, 1 if bungalow or flat etc, which i figured would help the user as the field is typically correct for them without any input. i kept is on the second page just in case a user didn't realise it on the first page as it's a little out of place there.

EDIT: Just had a proper read through the thread and noticed you want to keep emails for callbacks - like others have said if I was prompted with that I'd always give fake emails (like I've just done umpteen times for testing it) but I do appreciate you likely get legitimate ones.

this honestly happens so rarely. we had 2 today, which were the first fake emails we've had in ages. if anything we get fake phone numbers more often than fake emails, but it's so rare as i guess most customers when they want a quote, they don't mind giving their email/phone.

Why not simply compromise and only collect the email (along with the number of rooms etc) on the first page? That gives you enough info to get in touch with them but doesn't burden them will filling it an annoying amount of information on the first step.

i figured most people have auto fill forms with their browser as default now, so they only really click the first field then it auto fills the rest for them making it actually easier to have the full customer details within 1 page. no way to check this, but figured it was the case nowadays

Oh, also, it's not highlighted what fields are required. Another usability aspect I'd suggest you adopt is not having "house" selected by default, but have "Please select" or something similar so you can ensure that the user HAS selected a value rather than missed the option and left it on its default.

most fields are required other than the ones which say (optional). if the required fields aren't filled out then it will highlight which are still needed.

house is about 90% of what users select, so figured it makes sense to have this auto filled to house saving the user having to select this

 

[RoyMi6]

Much less daunting just changing it to say step 1 of 2

I'd use get, if you moved all the person information collection to the last page - as really that's the only sensitive stuff you're collecting. Regardless, you're not using an SSL cert so, in theory, it's all accessible anyway. However, user perceptions might change if they suddenly see their home address in the address bar of their browser

Regarding the house select, again I'd argue that the confusion regarding the house dropdown is a creation of your own user interface decisions. They see that "house" is already selected and think "yeah, I live in a house, not a flat with stairs or anything like that" so don't select the dropdown and see that there are specific options for them.

I figured most people have auto-filll forms with their browser as default now

A previous company I worked closely with did a massive online survey (around 10,000 respondents - 3 years ago) and a little bit of research into autofill. Three of the most common things that stick in my mind from the results was that 1) companies routinely advise against using autofill and/or try to block it working (so potentially your assumptions are wrong for anyone filling in your form during their lunch break) 2) around a 5th of people had incorrect details stored in their autofill that they didn't know how to correct and 3) autofill is open to fishing attacks - which is part of the reason I don't use it.

Additionally, if people aren't filling out details for property they're in (like your landlord market that you appear to be slightly catering towards) then again the autofill details that appear when they enter their personal email is more likely to match that of their home address.

Saying that, having autofill enabled isn't a bad idea, but you don't have the of the standard attributes I'd expect to see (https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2015/06/checkout-faster-with-autofill) so you might only find it's working for you because you've saved the details specifically for that page (something which first-time visitors won't have)

Regarding the required/optional stuff - there's a bit of a swing movement towards only highlighting optional fields (which I do agree with in principle) but I think it's because I didn't even notice your "optional" field markings that it confused me. Might be a design change that can improve their visibility.

I should add that apart from these points above the form is perfectly adequate, I think all you're going to get from this point on is differences in opinion - which, if you were feeling up to it, could be tested with some A/B testing