Thumbtack Should Let Customers Choose: "Ready to Hire" or "Just Shopping Around"

techgoddess

One simple change could improve the experience for both customers and Pros across every service category.

Before submitting a request, customers should be asked one simple question:

Are you ready to hire a professional, or are you just comparing options and gathering quotes?

Those are two very different customer journeys, yet they're often treated as the same type of lead.

Someone who is ready to hire wants to connect with a qualified professional and make a decision quickly.

Someone who is shopping around may simply want pricing, ideas, or to better understand the scope of the project before deciding.

Both are completely valid, but they create very different expectations for Pros who are paying for leads.

Adding this single question could:

• Improve lead quality.
• Help customers receive responses that match their intentions.
• Give Pros better expectations before paying for a lead.
• Reduce frustration for both customers and professionals.
• Improve conversion rates by matching the right Pros with the right customers at the right stage of their decision.

This wouldn't prevent customers from getting multiple quotes or comparing professionals. It would simply provide more transparency about where they are in their hiring journey.

I believe this would benefit every category on Thumbtack, not just one profession.

Would you support adding a simple "Ready to Hire" or "Just Shopping Around" option when customers submit a request? I would be interested in hearing how other Pros feel and whether this would improve your experience as well.

MyCleanCharlotteMaid

Ready to Hire or Just Shopping Around

I think this would be very helpful, especially for home service pros.

There is a big difference between a customer who is ready to book and a customer who is just comparing prices. Both are fine, but the conversation should be different.

For cleaning services, a ready-to-hire customer may need availability, final pricing, and booking steps. Someone who is shopping around may need education first, like the difference between standard cleaning, deep cleaning, move-out cleaning, or recurring service.

If customers could choose “ready to hire” or “just comparing,” it would help pros respond better and set clearer expectations. It may also reduce frustration on both sides.

Jonathan_Stickland

May be a good idea, but I would expect that to have a dramatic impact on lead prices.

Might help if you assume the starting position of every lead interaction with a simple mindset:
They are all ready to hire, some just don't realize it yet. It's your job to walk them to that point.