Many courier websites collect pickup and delivery details and then tell the customer to wait for a callback. That gives dispatch useful information, but it does not answer the customer's main question: what will this delivery cost?
Courier quote software closes that gap. It takes the route and shipment information a customer already enters, applies the courier company's own pricing rules, and returns a price or estimate immediately.
What courier quote software does
A useful courier quoting system starts with the same details dispatch would normally ask for: pickup address, drop-off address, service level, shipment details, timing, and special requirements. It then calculates the price from rules configured by the courier company.
Those rules can include distance, a minimum charge, service level, rush pricing, vehicle requirements, package weight or item count, after-hours fees, inside delivery, stairs, and additional stops.
Manual quote form vs instant quote software
A normal request-a-quote form is a lead form. It sends information to the courier company and waits for a person to calculate the price. Courier quote software can automate that pricing step for standard jobs.
Manual review still makes sense for unusual freight, special handling, contract routes, high-value items, regulated work, or jobs where the details do not fit a standard pricing model.
What should the calculation include?
- Driving distance: route mileage between real pickup and delivery locations.
- Minimum charge: protection for short jobs that still consume driver and dispatch time.
- Service level: standard, rush, same-day, scheduled, or specialty choices.
- Vehicle needs: when the required vehicle changes the price.
- Weight and item count: when handling requirements change the work.
- After-hours service: evenings, weekends, or overnight work when configured.
- Additional stops: intermediate stops that add mileage and handling time.
Quote software is not dispatch software
Dispatch platforms usually focus on what happens after a job enters the operation: assignment, driver workflows, routing, tracking, and proof of delivery. Quote software focuses on the customer-facing step before dispatch.
You do not need to replace an existing dispatch system just to improve the buying experience on your website. Qalt is designed to add the quoting layer while a courier keeps the operational tools it already uses.
How Qalt fits
Qalt lets a delivery company configure supported pricing rules, brand the customer-facing form, and embed the form into an existing website. Customers enter the route and shipment details, receive pricing based on the company's configuration, and the quote request is stored in the merchant dashboard.
See the Qalt courier quote software overview, compare plans, or try the live demo.