Let Customers Choose between an Individual Professional and a Service Company

korss0707

I think Thumbtack could improve matching by distinguishing between independent professionals and service companies.

This could be applicable across many different industries.

Take house cleaning as one example. There can be very different types of providers on the platform. Some customers specifically want an individual cleaner, while others prefer a cleaning company with multiple employees, backup availability, insurance, centralized customer service, etc.

When a customer submits a request, Thumbtack could ask:

"Who would you prefer to hire?

*Individual professional

*Service company

*Either is fine"

If a customer specifically selects an individual professional, that lead ideally should not be sent to - or charged to - service companies, and vice versa. If the customer selects “Either is fine,” both types of providers could receive the lead.

I think this could improve lead quality for pros while also helping customers find the type of provider they actually want.

One reason this distinction matters is pricing expectations. An independent professional and a company with employees, payroll costs, insurance, administrative overhead, backup staffing, customer support, etc. can have fundamentally different cost structures.

For example, an individual cleaner might charge $25-$30/hour, while a cleaning company might charge $50–$60/hour or more. A customer who specifically wants an individual cleaner at the lower end of that range is unlikely to hire a service company, yet the company may still be charged for that lead.

This seems like a situation where better matching could benefit both customers and pros.

Curious what others think - would this distinction be useful in your category?

ArvinC

Hi @korss0707 , thanks for continuing to build on the matching and pre-qualification feedback you've shared in your other discussions. I remember you raising this individual cleaner versus service company example before, and I appreciate you turning it into a specific suggestion for how the customer request experience could potentially work differently.

I can see the distinction you're making here. This isn't only about pricing. You're suggesting that the type of provider a customer actually wants could become part of the matching criteria, which could potentially give both customers and Pros more information about fit earlier in the process.

I also appreciate you opening this up beyond cleaning, since it would be helpful to hear from Pros in other categories about whether the distinction between an individual professional and a service company matters for their customers too.

I'll include this additional suggestion with the matching and pre-qualification feedback you've already shared. Thanks for continuing to provide specific ideas alongside the concerns you're raising.