What Happens When Someone Asks About Delivery Pricing at 10 PM
Key Takeaways
- A 13-hour response delay (10 PM to 11:30 AM) virtually guarantees losing the lead to a faster competitor.
- With AI, the same lead can be fully handled in 5 minutes: questions answered, quote provided, delivery reserved.
- After-hours customers want answers (pricing, availability, timelines) — not promises of callbacks.
- 56% of all leads arrive after hours, representing potentially 28+ lost opportunities per month for a 50-lead dealer.
- AI handoff gives sales teams pre-qualified, warm leads with full conversation context every morning.
It's 10:07 PM on a Wednesday.
Mike runs a small construction company. He's been thinking about getting a storage container for his job site - somewhere to lock up tools and materials instead of hauling everything back to the shop every night.
He's finally got a quiet moment. Kids are in bed. Wife's watching her show. He's got his laptop and 30 minutes to figure this out.
He finds your website. Looks good. The 40-foot container seems right. But he's got questions:
"Can you deliver to Pflugerville? What would that cost? And how soon could I get it?"
Pretty simple stuff. The kind of questions you answer 10 times a day.
He fills out the quote request form and hits submit.
The short answer: When a customer inquires at 10 PM and your team responds at 11:30 AM the next day — a 13-hour delay — research shows you have virtually no chance of winning that deal. The customer has already contacted competitors, received quotes, and likely committed. With AI-powered response, the same inquiry gets answered in under 5 minutes: product questions addressed, delivery quote provided, appointment reserved. According to NADA, 56% of all dealership leads arrive after hours. For a dealer with 50 monthly leads, that means 28 potential customers are inquiring when no one is available — unless you have 24/7 intelligent response capability.
Now let's look at what happens next - two different versions.
Version 1: The Typical Response
10:07 PM - Lead Submitted
Mike hits submit. Gets the standard confirmation:
"Thanks for your inquiry! One of our team members will get back to you within 24 hours."
He thinks: "Okay, hopefully tomorrow morning."
10:15 PM - Still Curious
Mike's still on his laptop. He Googles "storage container delivery Austin" and finds two other dealers.
Fills out their forms too. Now three companies have his info.
10:45 PM - Goes to Bed
Mike closes the laptop. He'll deal with this tomorrow when people start calling back.
7:00 AM - First Competitor Responds
Competitor #2 has someone checking emails early. They call Mike.
"Hey Mike, saw your inquiry about a 40-foot container. We can definitely deliver to Pflugerville. Depending on your exact address, delivery runs about $350-400. We've got units available and could have it there by Friday. Want me to firm up a quote?"
Mike's impressed. This guy's on it. They talk for 5 minutes, work out the details. Competitor quotes $3,850 delivered.
Mike says he'll think about it and call back. But he's already 80% decided.
9:15 AM - Your Sales Team Arrives
Your rep checks emails. Sees Mike's inquiry from last night. Adds it to the list of things to do today.
11:30 AM - Your Rep Calls
Finally gets to Mike's lead. Calls. No answer - Mike's on a job site.
Leaves voicemail: "Hi Mike, this is Dave from [Your Company], returning your inquiry about containers. Give me a call back when you have a chance."
2:00 PM - Mike Remembers
Mike's got a break. Sees the voicemail notification. Also sees a text from Competitor #2: "Hey Mike, just following up on our conversation this morning. Ready to lock in that Friday delivery?"
Mike texts back: "Yeah let's do it. Send me the paperwork."
He deletes your voicemail without calling back.
5:00 PM - Your Rep Tries Again
Dave calls Mike again. This time Mike answers.
"Hey, appreciate the call. Actually just went with another company. They got back to me this morning and we worked it out. Thanks though."
Dave marks the lead as lost and moves on.
Version 2: With AI Response
10:07 PM - Lead Submitted
Mike hits submit. Within seconds, a chat window pops up:
"Hey Mike! Thanks for reaching out about containers. I see you're looking at a 40-foot - great choice for job site storage. Let me help you with delivery to Pflugerville."
Mike's surprised. Someone's actually here?
He types: "Yeah I need to know delivery cost and how fast you can get it here."
10:08 PM - Questions Answered
The AI responds:
"No problem. For a 40-foot standard container delivered to Pflugerville, you're looking at approximately $3,650 total - that includes delivery within the greater Austin area. What's your exact delivery address? I can confirm the final price."
Mike types in his address.
"Perfect. To that address, delivery is $3,680 including the container. Our current lead time is 3-4 business days, so we could have it there by Monday. If you want it sooner, I can check Friday availability - interested?"
Mike: "Friday would be better if you can do it."
"Let me check... Yes, we have a Friday delivery slot available. That would be $3,680 delivered Friday. Want me to reserve that for you? I can have one of our team members confirm everything with you tomorrow morning."
10:12 PM - Booked
Mike: "Yeah let's do it. What do you need from me?"
The AI collects his phone number, confirms the address, and explains the next steps:
"Done. I've reserved a 40-foot container for Friday delivery to your address. Our team will call you tomorrow morning to confirm details and collect payment info. Anything else you need tonight?"
Mike: "Nope that's it. Thanks."
"You got it. Talk to you tomorrow, Mike."
Mike closes his laptop. He's done. Problem solved. He never even thinks to check the other quote requests he submitted.
Stop Losing Leads to Slow Response
Equipment buyers move fast. Memox responds in under 5 seconds, 24/7.
8:00 AM - Your Sales Team Follows Up
Dave sees the AI conversation summary:
Lead: Mike [Last Name] Product: 40-foot container Delivery: Pflugerville, TX Quoted: $3,680 Timeline: Friday delivery (confirmed available) Status: Reserved, needs payment confirmation Full conversation: [link]
Dave calls Mike.
"Hey Mike, this is Dave from [Your Company]. Just following up on your container order from last night. Looks like we've got you set for Friday delivery - I just need to confirm a few details and get a card on file. Got a couple minutes?"
Mike: "Yeah perfect. Let's do it."
Deal closed. Before 9 AM.
What Made the Difference
Same customer. Same product. Same questions. Completely different outcome.
Speed Mattered
Mike submitted his inquiry at 10:07 PM.
In Version 1, he didn't get a real response until 11:30 AM the next day - 13+ hours later. By then, someone else had already won his business.
In Version 2, he had answers in seconds. By 10:12 PM - 5 minutes after his initial inquiry - he was booked.
Research shows that responding within 5 minutes makes you 100x more likely to connect than waiting 30 minutes. 13 hours? You're not even in the game.
Context Mattered
In Version 1, when Dave finally called, he was starting from scratch. "Hi, you inquired about containers?" Mike had to re-explain what he needed, and Dave had to re-sell him from the beginning.
In Version 2, Dave had everything. The full conversation. The exact quote. The delivery date Mike wanted. All Dave had to do was confirm and collect payment.
That's the difference between chasing a cold lead and closing a warm one.
Experience Mattered
Think about how Mike felt in each version:
Version 1:
- Filled out form at 10 PM
- Got generic "we'll call you" message
- Had to wait until next day
- Ended up talking to three companies
- Chose whoever was fastest
- Felt like just another number
Version 2:
- Filled out form at 10 PM
- Got immediate, helpful response
- Had real questions answered in real time
- Felt taken care of
- Booked within 5 minutes
- Never considered competitors
Which experience builds a customer relationship? Which one leads to referrals and repeat business?
The Questions That Come at 10 PM
Mike's question - "How much for delivery to my area?" - is one of the most common inquiries equipment dealers get. And it's the kind of question that can be answered instantly with the right tools.
Here are other common 10 PM questions:
Pricing questions:
- "What does a 20-foot container cost?"
- "How much for delivery to [location]?"
- "Any discounts for multiple units?"
- "What's included in the price?"
Availability questions:
- "Do you have any in stock?"
- "What's the lead time?"
- "Can I get it by [date]?"
- "What colors/grades do you have?"
Product questions:
- "What's the difference between storage grade and cargo worthy?"
- "Will it fit in my backyard?"
- "Can I modify it later?"
- "What are the dimensions?"
None of these require a senior salesperson. None require complex negotiation. They're straightforward questions that deserve straightforward answers.
But at 10 PM, most dealerships can only say: "We'll get back to you."
The Math of 10 PM
Let's quantify what Mike's 10 PM inquiry meant:
If you respond slow (Version 1):
- Lead goes to competitor
- Revenue lost: $3,680
- No customer relationship
- No referrals
- No repeat business
If you respond fast (Version 2):
- Lead converts
- Revenue gained: $3,680
- Customer relationship starts
- Potential for referrals
- Potential for future business
Now multiply that by how many Mikes are out there.
According to NADA research, 56% of leads come in after hours. If you get 50 leads per month, that's 28 Mikes.
How many of those are you losing to the Version 1 experience?
What Mike Really Wanted
Here's the thing about Mike's 10 PM inquiry: he wasn't looking for the best deal. He wasn't price shopping. He wasn't trying to compare 15 different vendors.
He wanted to solve a problem and move on with his life.
When the AI gave him answers - real answers, not "we'll call you back" - he was done. Problem solved. Box checked. He could go back to watching TV or spending time with his wife or whatever he actually wanted to do that evening.
That's what most customers want at 10 PM. Not a sales pitch. Not to be put in a queue. Just help.
The dealer who provides that help wins the deal.
The Bottom Line
10 PM inquiries aren't different from 10 AM inquiries. The customer has the same questions. They want the same answers.
The only difference is whether you're there to answer.
With the right tools, you can be there. You can answer Mike's question about delivery to Pflugerville at 10:07 PM just as easily as you could at 10:07 AM.
Without those tools, you're Version 1. You're calling back 13 hours later to a customer who already bought from someone else. You're leaving voicemails that get deleted. You're wondering why leads don't convert.
The Mikes of the world are filling out quote requests right now. Tonight. At 10 PM.
What happens when they do?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AI really good enough to handle these conversations?
Modern AI can handle straightforward product and pricing questions easily. It's trained on your specific inventory, pricing, and delivery zones. For questions like "how much for delivery to [location]," it performs as well as a knowledgeable human - often better, because it never forgets or makes calculation errors.
What if the customer has a really complex question?
The AI can recognize when it's out of its depth and either escalate to a human (if one's available) or capture the details and schedule a callback. It doesn't guess or make things up. But for 80-90% of after-hours inquiries, it can provide complete answers.
Isn't it weird for customers to talk to AI at 10 PM?
Most customers don't mind - they just want answers. Many don't even realize it's AI because modern systems have natural conversations. And even those who do recognize it as AI often prefer getting answers now vs. waiting until tomorrow.
How does the handoff to humans work?
The AI captures the full conversation and passes it to your sales team with complete context. Your rep sees exactly what the customer asked, what answers were given, and what next steps were promised. The customer doesn't have to repeat anything.
Can this work for my products specifically?
If your sales team can learn your products, AI can too. Setup includes training on your specific catalog, pricing structure, and delivery zones. The more complex your products, the more valuable having an AI that can handle those questions 24/7.
Never lose another 10 PM lead. See how Memox handles after-hours inquiries →
Sources:
Stop Losing Leads to Slow Response
Equipment buyers move fast. Memox responds in under 5 seconds, 24/7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Consumer expectations for response time do not adjust based on the hour. Research shows 78% of buyers purchase from whoever responds first (Vendasta), and this applies equally to 10 PM inquiries. Equipment buyers — contractors, business owners, project managers — typically research major purchases during personal time because their workday is spent on job sites, managing crews, or running operations. According to NADA, 56% of dealership leads arrive after hours. A customer asking about container delivery at 10 PM is not a tire-kicker — they are a serious buyer who has carved out time to solve a business problem and expects to make progress, not receive a "we will call you back tomorrow" message.
After-hours leads are typically more qualified, not less. Research from NADA and industry reports shows that evening and weekend inquiries come from buyers who: (1) are researching on their own time, indicating genuine purchase intent; (2) are further along in the buying process, having already done preliminary research; (3) have fewer distractions and can focus on the purchase decision; (4) often have urgent timeline needs (next-week delivery, upcoming project start dates). The misconception that after-hours leads are "tire-kickers" causes many equipment dealers to deprioritize them, handing the highest-intent leads to competitors who cover those hours.
The optimal approach is immediate AI-powered engagement that provides real value — not just acknowledgment. When a customer asks about delivery pricing at 10 PM, the AI should: (1) respond within seconds with a personalized greeting; (2) answer the specific product question with accurate information; (3) provide a delivery quote based on the customer's location; (4) check availability and timeline; (5) offer to reserve the product or schedule a confirmation call for the next morning. The customer gets their questions answered and a clear next step. Your sales team wakes up to a pre-qualified lead with full context: what was discussed, what was quoted, and what the customer needs to finalize. This is the difference between a 5-minute conversion (AI-handled) and a 13-hour missed opportunity (traditional response).
No — the opposite is true. Customers overwhelmingly prefer an immediate, helpful AI response over waiting 12–17 hours for a human callback. The critical factor is whether the AI provides genuine value: answering product questions, giving accurate pricing, checking availability, and offering clear next steps. A response like "A 40-foot container delivered to your area costs approximately $3,800 and we can deliver Friday — want me to reserve it?" is far more welcome at 10 PM than a generic "Thanks for your inquiry, someone will contact you within 24 hours." Modern AI conversational quality is high enough that many customers do not realize they are interacting with AI — and those who do appreciate the instant, knowledgeable response.