Why was the booking inquiries system closed despite positive feedback from pro's, will it return?

Ilya_Sotnikov1

Over the past year, we had a much better experience using a pilot booking inquiries system—where we paid per lead after quote discussions and confirmed bookings—compared to the direct leads model. Before switching, we spent a significant amount of money on low-quality leads and no-shows.

The new model helped our business grow sustainably. Even though we paid more per lead—and more overall—we saw higher profits because the leads were highly qualified. Each lead involved a meaningful conversation with our team, included detailed information, and often led to a confirmed booking. I don’t believe Thumbtack earned any less—in fact, they may have made even more. It truly felt like a win-win system. Others I spoke with shared similarly positive feedback.

Unfortunately, this system was unexpectedly shut down on August 18th without any explanation.

DustiO

Hi @Ilya_Sotnikov1 and thanks for posting! I can confirm that there were 2 emails and a few in product notifications letting pros know when/why this pilot was ending. So first, I would recommend checking your spam folder to see if the emails went there (especially because there is a link for you to leave additional feedback in that email) and checking your notification settings to ensure you are receiving Thumbtack emails — because I know it can be frustrating to feel like these things happen out of the blue!

But in a nut shell, even though there’s been a positive response to booking inquiries, we did find some pain points that need to be addressed in order to create an experience that consistently works well and provides a good ROI for pros.

We learned that more work needs to be done. The feedback we received and the data we’ve gathered from booking inquiries gives us more confidence in how we can improve customer readiness to hire, match customers with pros more effectively, and enhance the overall hiring experience — leading to more reliable and better results for everyone.

Thumbtack remains committed to the vision of high-quality leads and successful hires. While the booking inquiries feature was initially intended as a test/pilot for a first-of-its-kind booking model, we aim to now focus on improving customer readiness throughout the hiring journey, so pros can benefit from better lead quality with more ready customers. We don’t have current commitments to revisit bookings, but will be able to re-assess that strategy as we create a strong lead quality foundation.

To learn more about how we’re continuing our commitment to delivering better experiences for pros and customers, stay tuned for more information about the upcoming 2025 Pro Summit this Fall.

Ilya_Sotnikov1

Hi @DustiO, thanks for your detailed response and for confirming the communication around the pilot ending. I double-checked my spam and notification settings and can confirm I didn’t miss any messages. I received two notices informing me that the pilot would end on August 18th. The only other communication I received was a notice that the pilot had ended, followed by an email with a vague explanation stating, “We learned a lot and will improve some things in the future.” I also submitted feedback, but it appears it was either overlooked or had little impact.

For context, our company has over 150 reviews — all of them 5-star — and we consistently rank among the top 1–3 pros in our local area throughout the year. We’re greatly invested in Thumbtack and fully committed to delivering excellent service.

That said, I truly appreciate Thumbtack’s efforts to improve lead quality — it's something many of us value deeply. As a business owner in the moving industry, I’ve experienced both the benefits and frustrations of direct leads. The booking inquiry model gave more confidence that I was engaging with serious customers. It reduced the number of unresponsive, mistaken leads that I (and many others) often pay for without any return.

Also you mentioned there were some pain points during the booking inquiry pilot — I’m genuinely curious, what specific issues came up, and how critical were they? I truly believe most of those challenges can be resolved technically and in a fair way that benefits pros, thumbtack platform and customers.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting you dismantle the direct lead system it can be improving in some ways, but unfortunately this system has even more critical pain points than previous pilot system, rather than eliminating the booking system entirely, I’d like to offer a simple alternative: give us a choice and more flexibility with Dual Lead System:

1. Direct Leads (Lower Cost, Immediate Contact):

• Pros pay a lower, fixed price per lead.
• They instantly receive the customer's phone number and can reach out directly.
• Ideal for pros who prefer fast outreach and high-volume lead flow.

2. Booking Inquiry Leads (Higher Cost, Qualified Engagement):

• Pros don’t get the phone number right away.
• All communication stays within Thumbtack’s platform until a booking is confirmed.
• The lead cost is higher (2x–4x), but only charged when a job is successfully booked.
• Designed for pros who prefer paying more, but only for strong, high-conversion leads.

Seasonal and Strategic Flexibility:

• Pros can switch between the two systems any time based on demand, seasonality, or industry behavior.
  • For example, during a slow season, if a pro notices that customers are choosing competitors offering faster, cheaper communication, they can switch to Direct Leads to stay competitive.
  • On the other hand, during high-demand periods where direct leads result in too many unresponsive, mistakes or low-quality inquiries, the pro can switch to Booking Inquiry Leads to focus on higher-intent customers.

Both systems have pros and cons, but this flexible dual system feels like truly fair and empowers professionals to optimize their spending, adapt to customer behavior, and align with their business strategy throughout the year.

This model respects the diversity of how different pros operate and how customer behavior varies across categories. For example, during low seasons, some pros may need fast outreach to stay competitive. Others, overwhelmed with demand, may prefer paying more for better-qualified leads with higher intent.

So while I understand that bookings may not be revisited right now, I do hope Thumbtack keeps this idea in mind for close future iterations — and that you’ll consider offering pros choice and flexibility, rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

Also I’ll definitely be attending the 2025 Pro Summit.

DustiO

@Ilya_Sotnikov1 thank you for sharing this additional context — I will be sure to pass along to the teams working on improving the experience!