Your questions about Thumbtack Numbers, answered.

DustiO

https://youtu.be/Na9p1ggwONI?si=pcCcO2opGNMtBorz

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions and shared feedback with us. We brought your top questions directly to the product team and hosted an AMA to walk through how Thumbtack phone numbers work, what they unlock for pros, and what you can expect from the experience.

Here’s what we covered:

• What are Thumbtack numbers?
• Why did Thumbtack launch them?
• How is Thumbtack addressing pro feedback?
• How do they fit into my workflow?
• When do I get a refund — and when do I not?
• What's coming next?

If you still have questions after watching, or want to share feedback about your experience, drop a comment below. We’re listening and will continue answering questions here in the community.

As referenced in the recording, here are our Help Center resources for Thumbtack Numbers.

ACguy

good info thanks

Ill register my company,hope it works!

SarzozaPhoto

Thanks for this overview. The major issue now is that many times a lead will pick 5 pros per job (not the 3 as used in the example), and they now get phone calls from 5 pros within minutes that all read a generic "THUMBTACK PRO" or no name at all. The lead I talked to last week was super confused while I was talking to them, as they were fielding other calls from Thumbtack. Why can't our official Thumbtack profile name display along with the local number?

Otherwise, it's good to have a bit more context with this AMA. I hope they can figure out a fair non-responsive refund policy, as the lead costs have really exploded over the past few months. In May, I paid 33% of my booked work to Thumbtack after calculating non-responsive leads vs gross intake. A manager or agent only takes 10% of booked work. 33% is getting to be a bit suffocating. As I understand, Thumbtack used to only charge for the lead when we booked (what many call the "Golden Age" of Thumbtack). Is it possible to return to that with this system?

DustiO

@SarzozaPhoto this is great feedback — thank you for sharing, as always! We are making sure to share every post with the team! @ACguy let us know if you have any questions along the way!

demoretaxservice

Hi TT,

After watching the Thumbtack Numbers Pro Webinar, I have a concern regarding how this may impact my business operations.

I own a tax preparation firm, and a large percentage of my clients come from my initial response to leads on Thumbtack. As part of my workflow, I use TaxDome as my CRM and include my secure client intake link in my first response. This allows potential clients to easily move forward with my firm by completing the necessary intake steps and uploading documents through a secure platform.

This process has been very effective for both my business and my clients. It helps streamline communication, reduces delays, and allows me to automate much of the onboarding process. As a tax professional, I handle a high volume of inquiries, and automation is critical to ensuring timely responses while maintaining efficiency.

My concern is that if I am unable to include my TaxDome intake link because it is now considered a method of collecting contact information, or if doing so affects my eligibility for refunds when a lead is not a good fit or becomes unresponsive, it creates an inefficient workflow for my business.

The purpose of including my TaxDome link is to streamline my onboarding process, automate client intake, securely collect documents, and efficiently manage potential clients through my established CRM system. These automations allow me to respond quickly and provide a better client experience while reducing administrative work.

Removing my business contact information is not the issue for my business, as that information can be provided at a later stage when appropriate. My concern is the ability to use my secure intake and workflow automation tools without negatively impacting my lead protections or refund eligibility. Restricting this process would require significantly more manual follow-up, causing me to work harder rather than smarter and reducing the value of the systems I have invested in to better serve clients.

I would appreciate clarification on how Thumbtack's policies apply in this situation and whether professionals can continue using secure CRM intake links as part of their initial response process without negatively impacting lead quality protections or refund eligibility.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

• Dee

DustiO

Hi @demoretaxservice and welcome! This is a great question — if the category that you service is Individual Tax Preparation, you are actually excluded from the Thumbtack Numbers experience (so nothing should change for you). If you service more than this category, then you should be able to use your CRM as you normally would. I am unsure on the TaxDome link in the initial response and the impact on the extended refund policy, but I will find out and update you here!

ArvinC

Wanted to add a quick reference for anyone jumping into the recording! If you are short on time or have a specific question, here is a breakdown of exactly what the team covered and when so you can skip straight to the part most relevant to you. Click the blue timestamp to go right to that moment.

Welcome and introductions
0:00 to 2:28
The team kicks off the session and shares what to expect from the AMA.

Why did Thumbtack launch Thumbtack Numbers?
2:29 to 4:58
The team walks through the reasoning behind the feature, addressing lead quality concerns and moving toward a model where Thumbtack shares the risk with pros.

What are Thumbtack Numbers and how do they work?
4:59 to 7:46
The team covers how calls and texts are routed, how caller ID displays, how SMS mirroring works, and why these numbers have no expiration date unlike other platforms.

What is in it for me as a pro?
8:11 to 11:31
Two key benefits covered: deeper competitive insights so you can see when customers are replying to other pros, and the expanded refund policy for unresponsive customers.

How do Thumbtack Numbers work with CRMs and FSM tools?
11:55 to 14:16
Using ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, Jobber, or another integration? The team explains how to register outbound numbers from your CRM so your existing workflow stays intact.

Why do I get refunded for some unresponsive leads but not others?
14:33 to 18:01
The team walks through the refund policy in detail, including a clear visual example of when all pros go unanswered versus when the customer replied to just one pro on the project.

When can I share my direct contact info and will I lose refund eligibility?
18:28 to 21:21
The team clarifies exactly when it is safe to share personal contact details and when to hold off to stay eligible for the unresponsive customer refund.

How do I respond fast without slowing down my workflow?
21:22 to 23:48
The access code registration process explained, including why you only need to do it once per number and how the friction disappears completely after the initial setup.

How has pro feedback shaped this and what is coming next?
23:49 to 30:34
The team shares how pros directly influenced permanent numbers, local area codes, and the unresponsive refund window. Plus what is on the roadmap: single account access codes, call recording for integrations, and a broader refund policy.

Cc: @DustiO

NewNest

I think that his answer regarding Quality Replies from Pros was a bit convoluted. I have replied FIRST with a solid message, and the Prospect replied to someone who called after me, so not always true. He stated, Thumbtack "rewards pros who have high quality and thoughtful responses". I have replied first with quality responses and didn't get the call answered, so it is not tied to my poor customer service. And if there is a specific protocol, then that needs to be shared.

ArvinC

Thank you so much @NewNest for sharing this and for being so detailed about your experience. You raise a completely valid point. Responding first with a thoughtful, quality message absolutely shows professionalism on your end, and it can still feel frustrating when the outcome does not reflect that effort. You are right that it is not always a reflection of your customer service.

What the team shared in the AMA is that the current refund policy is truly just a starting point. They are committed to expanding refund protections over time as they build a better understanding of what fair outcomes look like for pros who are doing everything right. You can hear that part of the conversation here:

Why do I get refunded for some unresponsive leads but not others?
14:33 to 18:01

Your experience and feedback are exactly what helps shape where this policy goes next, and we genuinely appreciate you taking the time to share it. We would encourage you to also send it directly to support@thumbtack.com so it gets logged with the product team.

DreamClean

Thumbtack team,

Thanks for putting this together. Was this a live event? I was looking forward to joining but didn't hear about until the recording was posted here.

Two critical questions that were not addressed:
1) conversion rates
2) dead links through SMS mirroring for quotes, appointment details, invoices, etc.

1) For conversions, I went through some numbers at each stage in my other post. We're seeing fewer responses, zero leads opening our quotes, and sharp drop in wins (which sharply increases customer acquisition cost).

https://community.thumbtack.com/discussion/2325/thumbtack-numbers-if-customers-arent-responding-what-is-thumbtack-selling

You mentioned that in a pilot there was a 5% increase in customers responding to at least 1 Pro. That's only positive for Pros if:
a) you're the one anonymous call/text labeled "Thumbtack Pro" that the lead responds to AND
b) you convert that response to a revenue-generating customer AND
c) you convert enough of them for revenue to cover the cost of all the other leads, labor, operating expenses, other costs, and hopefully leave something left for profit

An early pilot saw a 5% bump in one intermediate step in the funnel (for at least 1 Pro), but that's just an intermediate step. However, Thumbtack is a tool to enable us to get to that last step. And with Thumbtack Numbers, it's a broken tool.

Revenue - Cost = Profit. Since Thumbtack Numbers rolled out, revenue via Thumbtack is down and costs are up. We're not doing anything different. Thumbtack changed. And customers aren't responding.

2) You covered CRM/FSM and the presentation went through how SMS Mirroring doesn't change the workflow. We can still send a customer a plain text message, sure. But our workflow relies on SMS messages with links to quotes, appointments, and invoices. These links can only be opened by the recipient (the Thumbtack Number). When the message is forwarded to the customer phone, it's a dead link.

70% of the quotes we text are opened by the customer. Since Thumbtack Numbers rolled out, 0% sent by text have been opened. In order to share the quote, we've had to resort to email, which has a much lower open rate, more lag time, etc. Bottom line is that, with Thumbtack Numbers, the only way to get our quote in front of customers is to use old-tech workarounds that bypass Thumbtack Numbers. And now I hope my comments don't prompt Thumbtack HQ to start whiteboarding the next feature to roll out: Thumbtack Emails, so that Pros can no longer email leads directly.

I trust that you have talked to Pros using the CRM/FSMs listed in the question, but I don't know how you missed this. How has this not come up? How can you say the workflow hasn't changed?

I don't even blame Thumbtack for trying to disintermediate the local Pro from their local customer. But you still gotta bring the customers. Yes, I know, you provide the leads, and it's on us Pros to convert them to customers. Our stats on other channels (Google LSA, direct, organic, etc.) haven't changed. Actually they are all up a bit, which is typical for the start of summer. Thumbtack has cratered. I have a stack of free leads and I've still paused Thumbtack because, even if it's not a waste of money, it's a waste of time. We have leads coming in from other channels and have quotes to send, appointments to book, and jobs to complete.

Maybe on the next AMA you can include my question:
If Customers Aren't Responding, What Is Thumbtack Selling?

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_AnshulDua

TCB247

still looking for a positive comment from a pro on these changes . My return call rate and job landing rate has plummeted since this change . I am sure I am not the only Pro that this has happens to.
Thumbtack failed on this change and will take a lot of pros and customers using this app to other platforms .

Wasting time and money that can be spent somewhere else ..

NewPathJunkRemoval

Thanks for hosting the AMA and continuing to gather feedback.

My business relies almost entirely on messaging rather than phone calls, so the biggest change I’ve noticed isn’t the calling experience—it’s the extra back-and-forth in the app. It can take longer to establish trust and move toward booking a job.

I also wonder if the assigned Thumbtack numbers may be confusing for some customers. If they’re receiving messages or calls from several pros, each with different temporary numbers, it may not be immediately clear who’s who, which could create unnecessary confusion.

I appreciate that Thumbtack is trying to protect customer privacy, and I hope the experience continues to be refined based on feedback from both customers and pros.