ATTENTION PROS & THUMBTACK: Phone numbers removed from sensitive services leads – give them back

JeffChaffee

As per Thumbtack… Starting today we'll stop sharing customers personal phone numbers on leads in sensitive categories - Oct 5

Thumbtack just made counseling and therapy leads nearly worthless. Pros in these categories need to see this.

I've been a Thumbtack pro for 12 years. This morning I woke up to find that customer phone numbers are gone from every one of my leads.

Here's what Thumbtack announced: starting today, they will no longer share customers' personal phone numbers on leads in "sensitive categories," which includes therapy and counseling. Instead, we get "Fair Shot refunds." Contact information is withheld until the customer replies in the messenger, and if the customer doesn't reply to us or any other pro within 72 hours, the lead is refunded.

This was announced the same day it took effect, with no warning and no input from the pros who will pay for it. For those of us in these categories, I believe it effectively ends Thumbtack as a viable source of clients. Here's why:

1. Counseling clients are the least likely people to reply to a message from a stranger. Someone reaching out for therapy is often anxious, overwhelmed, or on the fence. A warm, personal text is often what turns hesitation into a first session. Now we can't text them. We can only send a message into an app and hope.

2. The refund doesn't protect us. You only get your money back if the customer ignores every pro. If they reply to someone else, even just to say "no thanks," you pay full price for a lead you never had a real chance to reach. Thumbtack still gets paid by every pro on that lead.

3. 72 hours is a lifetime for someone looking for help. By the time a refund kicks in, that person has found help elsewhere or given up.

4. We're paying for less. Thumbtack is selling us leads without phone numbers. Will lead prices in these categories come down to match?

5. We can't build a business this way. No phone number means no follow-up and no way to stay in touch unless the client decides to message first.

What I'm asking Thumbtack for:

• Give us back customer phone numbers.
• Refund the lead if the customer doesn't reply to me, not "any pro."
• Lower lead prices in sensitive categories to reflect what we actually get.
• Explain the specific legal or regulatory reason for this change, so we can understand it and find solutions together.
• Give real advance notice before changes that hit our income this hard.

Other pros in therapy, counseling, and related categories: if this affects you, comment below with how long you've been on Thumbtack and what this does to your business. Then call Thumbtack support at 866-501-5809 and tell them directly. One complaint gets a scripted reply. Dozens of them get attention.

Jeff Chaffee, Thumbtack pro, 12 years