Thumbtack announced a new feature called Instant Match. As this new feature rolled out, the cost of leads increased significantly. they refuse to require customers to leave phone numbers they now auto bill for some leads they may be charging 5 pros for the same lead and the information they give you is vauge example i am a locksmith. As a one-person army for your business, growing your brand and investing your time into social media marketing to stay relevant can seem like a lot of work, if you arent aware of how to go about it. Also, now Thumbtack says absolutely no refunds if the lead includes phone clients #. I used to use them for my wedding photography. If Thumbtack doesnt like something about your profile or if you fail to follow their terms, they can shut you down. Chat. This sets expectations and keeps you and the customer on the same page. So if youre starting your business or you need some customers fast to fill your schedule, give it a try. That is where lead generation tools like Thumbtack come to the rescue. You are spot on with this article. But its still risky to place the well-being of your company in the hands of another business. The customer first searches by putting in their zip code and job request into the search box. Its a great start up site to get the rest of your marketing going and its also good for quick fill ins. Where does Thumbtack get their leads? Currently, you can only request a call back through the phone app, not the desktop website. Those higher-priced leads in the complaints are most likely for large contracting jobs like kitchen remodels and home additions, where honestly, $50 for a lead is reasonable. This isnt much different than having a job. Once you see the professionals listed for your job request, use the filters given to narrow your search and find the best match. Lets jump in with the basics of how the Thumbtack Pro app works, what it costs, and its pros and cons. Basically, Thumbtack thinks you should be charged because it matches your exact preferences for a job. . I kind of disagree with this article. Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been endorsed by any of these entities. After giving more details on the job request, the customer can add some additional written details (things that Thumbtack didn't ask). Home Inspector Secrets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Higher reviews also boost your rankings in search and give you the opportunity to become a Top Pro, which gives you a nice badge next to your profile, letting customers know you are a great person to hire. How does Thumbtack work? It is an online directory that allows users to search for, rate, and hire local service providers to work on a variety of personal projects, including home improvement, financial and legal services, and event planning. it depends on what they specialize in doing. A lead is a new customer who has seen what you offer (most commonly in search results) and wants to learn more about working with you. Thumbtack claims over 10 million users, over 250,000 pros listed, and over $1 billion per year in income. Once they've found a professional they'd like to work with, they can contact them through the Thumbtack platform and book a service. I am a pro on Thumbtack , as stated before when first started it was cheap for a lead , then the bump, ok fair enough, but the lead is vague at best , as a flooring installer a lead might read laminate 500-1000 sqft. Thumbtack is an American home services website. Home Inspector Secrets is an online resource for owners, buyers, and sellers to understand all aspects of home maintenance. After reading this and the comments, no wonder that pro isnt a fit, probably sick of stupid Thumbtack too! Horrible company! Click on the Get Leads button. But, its a good idea to get one since it will increase the chances of being hired. That is the ultimate question Ill answer in this article. subfloor condition? Uber Eats Driver vs Grubhub vs DoorDash Comparison: Which Driver App to Pick? Need some assistance on your next credit card choice? It seems the ones with a pleasant easy going personality do well with Thumbtack. By simply having a professional headshot on your profile, youll get 10x as many jobs which means youll pay less to get customers. What is Thumbtack and how does it work? Still, we get leads for insulation and duct work. Thumbtack would put a price of about $100 on this job . We are always amazed at how much more cash flow and profit our Handyman clients generate. Just dont rely on it as your sole source of leads because you dont control it. We also provided documentation to the bank to prove the validity of these charges. Assuming those reviews are accurate, thats over a 700% increase in the cost of leads. Let us look at what it takes for a customer to find a service professional on Thumbtack and a service professional to be discovered by potential client(s). We do HVAC repair and maintenance only. They give you so many leads a day that I have to say some of them are fake. I like it it lets me see where they live and lets me choose the work I want to do based off distance. Use our codes to save money on your favorite orders from Thumbtack. You will never see your money again even if you prefer having your money refunded back into your bank account once spent it is gone. Here are some that have hundreds of reviews on Thumbtack from both users and contractors. Required fields are marked *. Be courteous when you communicate with a customer and get all the details that you need to know before you can get started. It has really helped folks like me starting up.. Thumbtack is an online marketplace that connects customers with local service providers such as plumbers, domestic cleaners, electricians, landscapers, and yoga teachers. To become a Top Pro on Thumbtack, contractors must: Respond faster: Reply to leads within 4 hours at least 75% of the time Provide great services: Hold a minimum rating of 4.8 based on verified reviews Ask for reviews: Get at least 5 verified reviews within the last 12 months Pass a background check: Complete a background check through Thumbtack After carefully looking into the charges, we confirmed they were legitimate. No, they sure dont thats why I started letting customers know after I send them a quote, Ill send them a message letting them know that the pros are charged to please only message me if theyre interested in booking. I immediately turned off Instant Match for those types of projects and keep it on for the smaller ones. in your industry FAQs on Thumbtack to see what the average going rate for those leads are. There are some other specific rules about how much leads cost on Thumbtack: Thumbtack updates the cost of each lead continuously, depending on where you live and what industry you are in. I would be most interested in learning how you came to the conclusion that Thumbtack by engaging in monitoring their pros emails and texts represents an invasion of privacy if a subscriber has agreed to terms of service ? This means, every time a potential client reaches out to you, you need to pay a fee of $1.50 to the platform. What do you think? Type above and press Enter to search. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Look, if Thumbtack didnt work for handymen, contractors, house cleaners, and dozens of other service providers, it would quickly disappear. There is a tab within the Thumbtack app called Opportunities. Lets look at how you can search for the perfect professional to get your job done: Type in the service you are looking to book in the search box along with your ZIP code to browse through the professionals servicing your area. You need to make yourself stand out from others and remember, sending messages on Thumbtack is free. All Rights Reserved. The cool thing about Thumbtack is that they will discount the lead the more contractors they give the lead to. Thumbtack is easy to use and navigate so you can find local professionals as a customer, or grow your business and find your own customers as a Pro. Ive talked to several pro handymen who consistently generate quality leads through Thumbtack, but when you read online reviews, its like Thumbtack is out there killing babies or something. Thumbtack can be a great tool to help you fill your schedule, jumpstart your business, or gain access to customers you wouldnt otherwise be able to reach. . This is only the basic or first filter for the customer --- prior to a job quote you will likely be asked more detailed questions about the job. Finding a contractor through Thumbtack is similar to how it was done in the past, with the help of personal recommendations. A review of complaints was completed in November 2022. Another reviewer mentioned that leads that used to cost $3-$15 now cost $55. Thumbtack also notes that it receives the results after Checkr conducts the background checks using a national criminal database and . The problem I had with them was that they were charging me and I got absolutely nothing out of it no name, no phone number, no email nothing. They will refund a few little bids but the $80 $90 $100 leads you paid and didnt get you can complain all you want you are not getting it back! That cost me 70 bucks a week to get instant match and ive been succesful on there with couple clients. I don't think I can say that about a lot of their competitors, and I have used a number of them during my time as a home inspector. We got your credit card aspirations covered. You only pay for the first conversation with the client; you are not charged for further messages or future work. Free for pros and customers to join: Anyone can join Thumbtack and start shopping for services or selling their services. They found every excuse not to provide a refund. Paying for leads is expensive. It sounds like they may have changed some things since I had used them though so they might be worth a try for someone who needs to fill their schedule. You can see what your competition is charging and do market research before starting your business. No worries! The department you work in can have an impact on your salary as well. In this article, I decided to take Thumbtack apart, look under the hood, and figure out exactly how it works. and I spent 1 hour with your customer service to be told it was okey he can lie about me I need to answer him in the review, and they didnt want to delete the fake review (nor give me back the money obviously, but that is their standard business). We have a lot of customers that come to Thumbtack and hire professionals to help them complete their personal projects. Whats the Best Way to Advertise for a Handyman Business? The search box will auto-fill a list of services offered in Thumbtack. Enter your ZIP Code to limit your searches to your immediate area. Most of my business comes from Nextdoor Neighbor, my website, Google Business, Facebook, referrals & friends. And things inevitably change (like the increase in lead prices, for example). When our professionals come to Thumbtack to meet new customers, we know how important it is to receive requests that can help them expand their clientele. I get a message that Mr. X wants to hire me and it costs XX.00 to respond to him. 1- I Target small jobs like tile installation and repair and also drywall repair and installation. They will charge $11 for a lead and then $28 for a lead with the same exact work. It's never been easier to cross projects off your list. Luckily you dont have to worry about them though because you dont need lead gen services. Also, if the customer doesn't view your response within 48-hours, then you will be refunded the lead. Yes. Based on reviews on BBB and some comments below, it seems like account deactivation usually happens as a result of failing to pay for leads or issuing a chargeback with your credit card. I use thumbtack to keep busy while doing higher valued commercial work. And Thumbtack makes the process of finding a pro super simple. Since they were founded in 2009, millions of projects have been completed through Thumbtack --- and that number is only going to grow. You can read more about how this works at https://techboomers.com/how-to-support-techboomers. The bottom line: is Thumbtack worth it for contractors? Fortunately my business is doing really well and my schedule is pretty full at the moment. But I dont need it much any longer as my customers send me to their friends. Thanks for sharing your experience, Cynthia. Make sure the payment terms are clearly defined in the quote you give your future client. When Thumbtack started back in 2008, it wanted to position itself as an all-inclusive platform for any service that you might be in the market for. You can make a booking immediately with the company. Powered by Small Businesses. Ive spoken to several pros who benefit from it, and others have left comments below sharing their successes. Always reply the instant match with that kind of work like hey, youve found the best tiler, im here to save you money while giving you exceptional services that doesnt mean you are cheap its just marketing tactics. They come from customers who searched for a pro, saw your profile, and reached out to you. I havent found it so since June, when the system switched to charging for leads. Right from there, you can use them for solar for flooring or even kitchen and bathroom applications. Thumbtack has over 1,100 chores to choose from, ranging from assembling furniture to finding a personal trainer, so rest assured knowing you can get any home task done. If you are worried about lead prices, dont. Thankfully that is not a problem I have much any more. After their change in prices I had quite a few scammers come in there and after I reported them I was refused a refund from Thumbtack and they sided with the scammers every single time. That's basically it. In fact, I can see myself using it in the future for random services I may need. Thumbtack is a platform that matches customers with service professionals from over 1,000 categories like plumbing or renovation. Your email address will not be published. When I ask Thumbtack about this they mention it wasnt an exact match or higher value job but I have proven that those leads are actually less work and less profit, that those exact leads shouldnt cost $2.11 for one and $28 for another. But if you are still on the fence, then you can compare Thumbtack with other alternatives like TaskRabbit, Fiverr, and Upwork to see what they can do for you. Specify the job and book the date and time. 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