Why do we still have to pay for a lead if the customer isn’t responding back

Hvachoms__1

why should we have to pay for a lead if the customer isn’t responding back and once you finally talk to them they went another company isn’t that concerned double charging for one lead?

DustiO

@Hvachoms__1 hi and welcome! Thank for the feedback, as a former business owner I understand how this can be frustrating. However, you are charged at the point of connection — and while some customers will only reach out to one pro, others want to get more than one bid. There are a few tips that we hear from pros often that can help you win more jobs. I would recommend making sure that 1) your preferences are really dialed in to the types of jobs you want to do and where you want to do them, 2) check that your budget and max lead prices are set to the amounts that work for you and your business, 3) include details in that initial message that you send to the customer - about the job they requested and add some things that make you stand out as the one they should hire (ie, "I would love to help you with your heating system repair. I have more than 10 years of experience and dozens of 5-star reviews and I take pride in doing great work for my customers."), 4) answer the FAQs section in your profile to address any up front questions they may have when they are searching, etc. If customers are reaching out to more than one pro it's important to make clear why YOU are the one for the job!

Tagging in some of our HVAC pros since they may have some more specific advice for your industry as well as a few of our Thumbtack Pro Advisors. Hope this helps!

@Mackenzie_17 @1stchoiceair @Adham @Haji_7 @emckin2 @chelseawray410 @JoyofMovement_1 @trevorlord @Ken @joltex @KingdomCooling @Vladimir @Bohannon639 @SetPointHVACR @Fix_Fitness @RubyPowell @amccarthy @Cliff @AntilleanRestoration @Jack_Marquardt @ShaquealThomas @Bretdouglas @CodyRisner @junkminers11

Cliff

I’ve been back and forth about policy on lead pricing and refunds. It is the job of the pro to land the lead. But what the pro can’t do is control the client’s willingness to respond. Some clients don’t EVER respond, on thumbtack, text messages, nor a phone call even. But us pros are still stuck paying for the lead. This is an issue I’m still working on. But if you are in contact with the client, it is definitely on you to persuade them to hire you.

Hvachoms__1

Yeah @Cliff that much is understandable that if you don’t land the lead then that’s basically on you but it’s the customer not responding to any messages or answering the phone and once they do pick up the phone after you have called a number of times and they say oh I have someone coming out already. But us as pros still paid for that lead and can’t get a refund or anything.