Not receiving a notification every time on my phone

eskay0201

Hi,

I usually get a text notification on my phone for a potential lead but I don't always receive it every time. This causes a delayed response with a possibility that the client have chosen someone else. Now I'm left with Thumbtack taking out a large chunk of my wallet of $45 for a potential client that I just missed. Also, lead prices are just way to expensive Thumbtack……

DustiO

@eskay0201 Have you tried deleting and re-downloading or updating the app and your OS? Also clearing cache and cookies? (I have seen in the past where a pro was getting delayed texts and this fixed it) I would also recommend checking your notifications - as you only have texts turned on for leads, and not for opportunities (not sure if those were some of them that you got too late). It looks like your average response time is still really quick (under 10mins), though!

As far as lead prices, it looks like you already have your max lead prices set as low as possible - if the lead prices still seem to expensive, I would encourage you to send that feedback to support@thumbtack.com to be sure it gets logged.

Thank you!

RDCushing

Sorry. I can't figure out how to start a new thread, so I'll post this here—it's somewhat related.

I used to get an email notice from Thumbtack every time they charged by credit card against my budget for leads. However, a couple of months ago, these emails seem to have stopped. Now I have to into my account, look up the transactions, and print out the latest ones. It is a real pain!

I've checked notification settings, and I can't find anything that applies to turn off or on.

Anybody else have a similar experience?

DustiO

@RDCushing Have you tried enabling the email notifications for "Market reports and insights"? I wonder if those emails fall under that umbrella. I'd say to try that and see. I'd also check your junk/spam to make sure they aren't going there. I will also see if I can find out more about why this might be happening and let you know what I find out.

For future reference to make a new post you'll click on the blue "+ new post" button. But, this works too!

RDCushing

I'll give it a try. But, it really ought to be a separate component. "Market insights" has become a catch-all for junk mail about how we can sell you on spending more money with Thumbtack, and is not really helpful. The other is about what I've already SPENT at Thumbtack and I need that info on a regular basis.

DerHilfer_LLC

Same. Another what I was originally calling "Phantom Leads" showed up this morning. It just so happened that Thumbtack hadn't berated me in my email inbox being "less competitive" after this user's inquiry that I saw him.

To my knowledge, I have spent $264.88 on eight Thumbtack inquiries. They showed up in receipts but I had no messages, couldn't find them anywhere. After nine months, I discovered by accident that Thumbtack sent me an email regarding these each time, but no phone notification.
Because the email messages are so terse, you can't search your email for "David Smith" as he appears on the receipt, you have to search for him as "David S.".

Now I am checking my email like a paranoid person so I don't lose any more money for these inquiries. The first seven were discovered well after the refund period as most occurred last February through May and I had not yet started building the CRM where I can manage Thumbtack inquiries and prices.

Finally, I can only justify keeping Thumbtack if I can actually interact with the User before he's been contacted by someone else. Since the average competition went from 1.45 in October to 4.17 (tripling Thumbtack's profits while significantly harming mine: Thumbtack cost per appointment is now $93 and my median sale for this year is $209.56 including materials) I need to be on the phone with this User within three minutes of their inquiry to have any chance of success. Even being successful in getting an appointment, my typical net profit per hour is $16-28 for Thumbtack users compared to all other sources at $37.00-71.00/hr.

DustiO

@DerHilfer_LLC You currently have your text notifications for new leads and messages turned off, I would recommend turning those on so that you don't need to look for emails. I just checked and I am able to see all of your messages in your messages tab when I log in - if you can tell me any names of leads that you got, but didn't see when you logged in, I can check up on that and see what is happening there.

As far as lead prices, I would recommend playing around with your max lead prices and try lowering them to prices that make more sense for you and your business.

LMK about the leads/messages that you didn't see in your messages tab so I can look into it. Thank you!!

DerHilfer_LLC

The app notifies me most of the time, these are the times it hasn't.

2024-01-29 $79.92 NAME REDACTED, Spring Grove 17362
2024-03-17 $28.65 NAME REDACTED. Hummelstown 17036
2024-04-08 $10.24 NAME REDACTED, York 17406
2024-03-31 $18.40 NAME REDACTED, Lutherville Timonium 21093
2024-02-05 $82.58 NAME REDACTED, Carlisle 17015

There's also an auto-refund from someone in San Antonio TX, who thankfully cancelled the request minutes later so I was refunded. There was another "free" lead from Baltimore. The one from today I caught and might be able to turn into a sale. Maybe. This is actually is pretty average statistically since Thumbtack conversion rate is sub-20%

I have no idea how I got a request from Baltimore or Timonium, MD. That's well outside the 50-mile radius and takes the better part of an hour to get there at highway speed. My GPS says straight-line distance is 60 miles. I did turn off all MD zip codes to make sure that never happens sometime in January 2024. Yet in March, there's a lead for Timonium…

One of the leads above is exceptionally disappointing. In my research, I creeped on the name, found a 7-figure home. Those are very rare in this area and could have been a highly lucrative opportunity.

I originally set up my business on TT the way my business model actually runs: drywall, framing and painting. I threw in "furniture assembly" and "handyman" thinking perhaps I can gain new customers if they see how we work on cheap jobs. This has lead to maybe 1 or 2 out of 100 inquiries that lead to future work that I can justify the concept. With drywall, framing and painting inquiry charges upwards of $97, I quickly dropped those categories and tried others. I too dropped the others. The response rate is hideous. The fact that TT encourages people who have two curtain rods to hang should select four pros is insane.
And here's this person selecting six pros for a task delusional that her materials are reusable:

I thought I requested a refund on this one, but both my records and Thumbtack's confirm I forgot.

I have reduced "furniture assembly" and "handyman" to the lowest possible max lead prices because the service is 80-95% "tire kickers". In fact, of all the sources, Thumbtack has provided 92% of the people who are unresponsive, can't pay or have no clue what their "simple project" actually entails. Of course when I tell them, and this is a true encounter, turning their 1973 derelict mobile home into their Taj Mahal dream is going to cost more than building a new home from the foundation up. Sadly, he did not have the funds to even fix his spongy floor so he doesn't fall through it.

Twice last year, I limited the services I offered and the zip codes to match services that are almost profitable in areas that sometimes buy. Thumbtack quickly adjusts to make them thoroughly unprofitable and sure enough, while typing this message. I got another inquiry. I messaged him that I would call, immediately called and it went to VM. I guess he lost his phone in the 44 seconds it took me to call him.