Rate Card

A rate card is a document that lists the standard prices a business charges for its regular services, products, or labour categories. Rather than building each quote from scratch, sales staff work from the rate card as a starting point, applying project-specific adjustments or agreed account discounts on top. Rate cards are common in AV hire (per-day equipment and crew rates), promotional merchandise (setup fees, run charges, and decoration rates per method), and trade contracting (day rates for specific skill levels or trades).

What a Rate Card Typically Includes

Rate cards vary by industry and business model, but most cover: base unit prices or day rates, minimum quantities or hire periods, overtime and out-of-hours uplift rates, and any standard surcharges for specific conditions. In promotional merchandise, a rate card often covers setup fees, run charges, and colour charges by decoration method. For AV hire companies, it typically lists equipment day rates, weekly rates (usually three times the day rate), and crew day rates by role. For trade contractors, it lists standard labour rates by skill level and any agreed call-out charges.

Keeping Rate Cards Accurate

A rate card only delivers consistent pricing if it reflects current costs. Reviewing rates when supplier prices change - and at minimum annually - prevents a situation where staff quote below cost without realising it. Many businesses maintain a customer-facing rate card with margin built in, alongside a separate internal cost card showing the actual cost base behind each line. The gap between the two defines the margin available before discounting begins. When discounts are negotiated off the rate card, knowing the cost card position means the sales team knows exactly how much room they have before the job becomes unprofitable.