Quotes Sent Aren't Being Read

KDP

Hi There,

Somewhat of a newbie, but I have sent out multiple Quotes (maybe 20) and not one has even been opened or read. What is happening? It's odd I wouldn't hear back from people so in researching further I'm seeing there is not a checkmark next to the time sent to imply it has been read. I'm hoping there is something I can do to fix this on my end? Any advice would be great.

Thank you so much!

KDP

Stacie_Engel

I have currently over a dozen clients that never received notification from Thumbtack stating that I have sent a quote, request or message from me. No blue check. I have verified this with a few clients. I paid Thumbtack for a service that they failed to do. Ignoring my requests, questions and complaints reflects a complete disregard and lack of respect for their customers (pros) who make their paycheck possible.

Matt

The only way I find it works is if I call the client directly I do send a message out initially to satisfy Thumbtacks policies, but most of the time clients never read the message through the service and also have a hard time logging back in to read any messages. So that is why I always send a text first and then if I don’t get a response than a call within 24 hours, I hope this helps.

KDP

Sadly, when you send a quote to an 'opportunity' (when it's not a direct lead), you don't see their phone number to be able to direct contact them. Absolutely nobody is seeing my quotes sent. Somehow the system is flawed. I'm saddened by this because it really could be a powerful site for both Thumbtack and it's clients if it worked correctly.

DustiO

@KDP you can read up on the difference between opportunities and direct leads here. You aren't charged for opportunities when the customer doesn't respond, so that's good. However, response rate is much lower on these leads since these customers have already reached out to another pro.

KDP

I know the difference @DustiO between the two. I realize I'm not being charged until they reply. The issue, however, is the quotes being sent are not even being seen or read at all. NONE of the quotes I've sent to opportunities has been read, zero, ziltch, nada. This is an issue. I understand by reading other pros' comments that they see the same problem occurring.

DustiO

Totally get what you're saying. Unfortunately, like I mentioned there just isn't a very high response rate, because these folks have already reached out to another pro(s). I know we are working to improve the customer side of the app, including making customers more aware and giving them a better understanding of how the app works. Confident that this will get better in the future, but it doesn't really help you now, sorry! You can always drop feedback to ensure that this particular issue is logged (you could put it here too, or send an email with this same info to support@thumbtack.com) . Sorry I don't have anything more helpful at the moment!

arlenekaysen_1

THUMBTACK I am not on promote and will not be unless prices come down. I do however send quotes to notifications i get about leads. None are ever read.

1. Am i just wasting my time?
2. how does thumbtack figure out what quotes are actually presented to the customer? is there an algorithem? 1 in 20? 30?
3. If i were to go on promote would my quotes be presented to customers more often even though they did not contact me first?

DustiO

Hi @arlenekaysen_1 Thumbtack doesn't choose which leads to "present to customers" — when you get a direct lead from a customer it is because they picked your profile and proactively reached out to you. If you are referring to opportunities those are customers who have already reached out to a pro but maybe haven't heard back form that pro and you have the "opportunity" to reach out to them to see if you can win the job. The response rate is pretty low on these opportunities, since customers have already reached out to a pro and these often go unread, but you aren't charged for these unless they respond to you. Does that make sense? You can read more about leads vs opportunities here.

If you turn your targeting preferences on (I think this is what you are referring to when you say "promote") you will be seen in a "search results" list when a customer is searching for your services in your area - you'll be shown based on the job criteria that the customer enters and your job preferences that you have set up in your account. You can read more about targeting preferences here.

Hope this helps!

arlenekaysen_1

I will never be on promote. I would like to know if I am just wasting my time sending a quote to someone that I got a notification about. It used to be that I got a response once in a while from people even though I was not on promote. now nothing for at least a year now. stop wasting my time thumbtack. not going to pay $70 to send a quote for a $700 job that i propbably wont get hired for. I miss the old thumbtack.

arlenekaysen_1

targeting and promote same thing. KPD your just wasting your time sending quotes to people if your not on promote or targeting. I dont think a customer can ever see your quote or message.

Matt

@arlenekaysen_1 do you call/text the client outside of Thumbtack? I rarely get a response in the app/website, often times clients can’t figure or how to get back into the site, I only message through Thumbtack to salsify the algorithm.

DustiO

@Sparky14 Please review our Community Code of Conduct and keep conversations constructive and respectful.

You have control over what you are willing to spend on leads when you adjust your Max Lead Pricing, I would advise setting that to a price that you are comfortable with. You aren't locked into that for any time period, so you can adjust and experiment and see what works for you. When I had my Thumbtack business I would play around with my budget and preferences a lot to see what ultimately worked for me in my industry.

I would also suggest only setting your targeting preferences to the actual types of jobs you want to do, as that will help you to show up in searches where customers are selecting the same options - if you want to select everything, that is up to you. But again, would suggest experimenting with that and seeing if the types of leads you get improve if you get a little more granular and select only the types of jobs you can/want to do. If you have feedback on the request form or targeting preferences for the electrical jobs that you referenced above, please send that to support@thumbtack.com and be as detailed as you can about what does or doesn't work so that it can get logged and sent to the right teams.

Thanks!

arlenekaysen_1

matt- i dont text or call clients outside of thumbtack as i never see their contact info. I am not on promote/targeting. I just try and send a quote through thumbtack and see if they reply back, but I dont think they ever get the message/quote. i have been trying for months without a single reply

Matt

@arlenekaysen_1 oh, yeah don’t waste your time, of the 40-50 “opportunities “ I sent out, had one view it and respond. I have been on Thumbtack for a year, and the only way to get a job through TT is the pay for the leads unfortunately.

arlenekaysen_1

Hmm at least you got one response. I think I have sent out at least 40 and never got one view or response. Refuse to be on promote/targeting.

Mayaman72_

@arlenekaysen_1 How have things been going with your responses or lack of them to your quotes? I just signed up myself as musician/performer and I'm having no responses to any of my quotes and having no other means of follow up on them is maddening. Have you figured any kind of work around to to make your experience on TT more of a viable option for job contracting? It's great that they don't charge you for a cold lead that never gets warm but it feels almost like I could have equal if not better success soliciting my services door to door (sarcasm) or street performing (no sarcasm) and advertising that I also do events.

arlenekaysen_1

I have been on thumbtack for a while and have seen it going through a lot changes. Unless your on promote I dont think you will ever get any leads that you can respond to. Your right I do not think clients ever see your quote unless your on promote. But be careful when on promote, its expensive, and you dont always get the job. So unless you charge a price that can make it profitable I dont think TT is a good site. I do wedding videography and skew towards the lower budget clients. and TT charges way too much to get a lead/jobs for the amount i charge.