AI quoting for electrical distributors
Merlin drafts quotes for electrical distributors from emailed RFQs and your price sheet, and flags any line where the customer names a brand or part you would need to substitute, so a rep makes that call. Its Documents desk sends spec sheets and certifications from your library, and every quote and reply is approved by a person before it goes out.
From quote request to finished quote in two minutes.
Nothing goes to a customer until someone on your team approves it. Watch full screen
Faster quotes. More orders. Hours back every week.
Win more orders
Buyers often go with the first solid quote they get. Merlin gets yours out in minutes, day or night, and follows up on the quotes that go quiet.
Get your team's time back
A desk that gets 60 quote requests a week at 15 minutes each spends about 65 hours a month building quotes. Merlin takes most of that routine work off their plate.
Grow without hiring
Handle more requests with the team you already have, in English and French, while good inside-sales people are hard to find.
What makes electrical RFQs hard to quote?
Electrical RFQs often name a specific manufacturer and catalog number. If you don't stock that brand, the rep has to decide whether an equivalent is acceptable, check that it carries the right certifications and explain the substitution to the buyer. Contractors also send long material lists for a job, mixing wire, conduit, fittings, breakers and devices in one email.
Certification questions follow quotes closely: buyers ask for spec sheets, CSA or UL listing details, RoHS declarations and warranty terms before they approve.
What does a typical electrical RFQ look like?
| Illustrative RFQ line | What Merlin does |
|---|---|
| 500 ft 12/2 NMD90 cable | Matches the cable SKU; if the requested length doesn't fit how your sheet sells it, the line is flagged |
| 20 x 15A single-pole breaker, Brand X catalog #123 | Matches if Brand X #123 is in your sheet |
| Same breaker, Brand Y, or equivalent | Flags for a rep: brand substitution and certification need a human decision |
| Please include spec sheets and CSA cert | Drafts the quote; the Documents desk attaches files that are in your library |
Examples are illustrative, not from a real customer. Brand names are placeholders.
How does Merlin handle brand substitutions?
Merlin never substitutes a brand on its own. If the requested item is not in your price sheet, or the customer writes 'or equivalent', the line is flagged and the rep chooses. When a rep picks a substitute for a recurring request, Merlin remembers it as a learned alias, but the quote still goes through human approval every time.
Prices, quantity breaks, contractor pricing and lead times are calculated in code from your price sheet in the Quote Desk.
How are certification and document requests handled?
The Documents desk sends spec sheets, SDS, RoHS and REACH declarations, ISO certificates and warranties from your document library, with a send log of who received what and when. Merlin does not verify or create certifications; it sends the files you have uploaded.
Where is Merlin a good fit, and where isn't it?
- Good fit: stocked electrical supplies quoted from a price sheet, with repeat contractor and industrial customers.
- Good fit: bilingual customers across Québec, since Merlin writes in the customer's language; see bilingual quoting.
- Needs a rep: brand substitutions, 'or equivalent' lines and anything requiring a certification judgement.
- Needs a rep: engineered systems, such as custom panels or switchgear, that require design work.
Frequently asked questions
Will Merlin substitute a brand automatically?
No. Brand substitutions and 'or equivalent' lines are flagged for a rep, who decides and approves the quote.
Can it confirm that a product is CSA or UL certified?
It can send the certification documents in your library. It does not verify certifications itself.
Does it handle long contractor material lists?
Merlin reads each line of an emailed list and matches it to your price sheet. Unclear or unmatched lines are flagged for a rep.
Which plan includes document requests?
Documents is in the Growth plan, at $3,000 CAD per month, alongside the Quote Desk, Quote Follow-up and Order Status.
