Coming soon - Thumbtack Pro Rewards

The point system is terrible for a business like mine where I am lucky to get 2-3 leads a week from you during my busy season and 2-3 leads a month during our slow season. How am I supposed to get enough points to qualify when I don't get enough leads from you?

Based on my experience with Thumbtack... This program sounds somewhat weak and wouldn't be worth spending time on as a Thumbtack pro. In other words, achieving "gold" or "platinum" wouldn't be anything I would set aside as a goal for my business.

At the "Silver" level: Almost every pro on Thumbtack will achieve this level sincerely diminishing the prospect of "priority support." If the group is not really exclusive how can you claim that they will be a priority? What if two or three "Silver" pros need support at the same time? Who gets priority? Further, I have only needed to contact support at Thumbtack a couple times over the last several years. What difference does it make if I receive priority service on something I almost never use.

At the "Gold" level: The only benefit listed at "Gold" is the ability to provide consultation on developing Thumbtack. That sounds like something Thumbtack needs, not something I need. If you want someone to provide feedback and input on how to better deliver lead to pros seek those whose feedback you feel would be most valuable. It doesn't mean anything to get feedback from someone merely because they respond to more leads. The ability to get more leads and respond to leads does not correlate with the ability to provide good feedback.

Just because Thumbtack will hear feedback does not guarantee they will do anything about it. Some people might offer some crazy or otherwise inappropriate ideas. For them "Gold" means nothing because while they might have the access to provide feedback to Thumbtack you will never take their advice.

And how will the benefits of "Gold" level be applied? Focus Groups? Surveys? I can think of more valuable ways to spend my time especially when my ideas might never be implemented.

On a personal note: Thumbtack has been a little defensive about my valid complaints. No discussion that I have ever had with Thumbtack has ever resulted in any consideration or real change in the platform especially in regard to my industry. Based on my personal experience I cannot expect much from a feedback program like this. This new program could be different but we have to wait and see.

At the "Platinum" level... The first comment on this thread said it as well as I can. Some of us, while successful with the leads to which we respond, simply do not receive enough leads to achieve "Platinum." Once a pro has a completed profile and a good track record on Thumbtack they cannot "try harder" to get more leads. The actual number of leads we see is a direct result of Thumbtack's success in attracting potential customers for my industry from people in the area I serve.

The badge will make some pros appear to be better than others when all they really do better is simply respond to more leads. Is there anywhere where people can see what the badge really means? There may be a component of the point system that recognizes being awarded jobs from the leads to which a pro responds. First, Just because someone gets a job doesn't mean that they will do a better job. Second, I feel that I am awarded a high percentage of the jobs that come from leads to which I respond. But that's still won't be enough to get me to "Platinum." I understand that there will be a component of the point system that will take reviews into account. I get good reviews but I still won't get enough leads that will convert into reviews to make "Platinum." Customers should know that the badge does not necessarily mean "better quality," "more punctual," "better communicator," because what it really means is "better at responding to higher volumes of leads."

is there a status To see how long you have been a member, I believe I’ve been a member for over a year, & was interested in receiving a anniversary gift but there seems to be no pathway or option to check?

Thanks to Thumbtack, work is pretty steady for me. The new program seems well intentioned, but one thing seems unrealistic for anyone busy in the service industry: the one hour response time. The old 4 hour window was good, but if I’m in a session when a lead comes through, there’s little chance to respond in the 1 hour window because my sessions are typically longer than that. Needless to say being distracted by the notification and excusing myself to respond, just to retain my top pro badge, would be downright rude and counter to the customer service experience I’m going for.

We're all entrepreneurs and most of us using Thumbtack are in the service industry in some way. Those of us that have reached Top Pro status have done so by providing great service to our clients while jumping through reasonable hoops set to make your platform successful. This new 1 hour window jeopardizes service with existing clients and our status on the platform.

If my current platinum status has any pull with the suggestion, I’d say that the longer it takes to reply to a new lead, the fewer points should be awarded, or bonus points for responding quicker and none for taking more than 4 hours.

I spoke to customer service today to get some clarification and suggestions about what to do in regards to responding within an hour when I happen to be working with a client, and there were no suggestions for what I could do, but she did mention the "Front Desk" service. Being the cynical person I am, it dawned on me that one of the reasons for this huge change in response times was to nudge people to start using their service. For $4 per lead, they'd respond on my behalf with a custom message. Huh? So for an extra $60-$80 per month, they'd help me maintain my Platinum status by being my auto-responder. They could even make an appointment or follow up with the lead (something I do on my own). It just seems too coincidental that they rolled out a service 5 months ago that would help solve a problem that didn't exist yet.

Another thing I asked about was the Top Pro badge. I asked if it was given to all three levels of the program and she said it was only for the Platinum Pros. I suggested they make 3 different ones so each level could have it's own. and I pointed out to her was that once I (or any pro that has a tight schedule) go below the 1 hour response rate 75% of the time (which is highly likely because I actually prioritize service and my customer experience), I'll look the same as someone who doesn't respond for a week or gives terrible service!

I understand Thumbtack has a brand to protect and the focus is on providing the best outcome for those looking for help with a project. But please don't forget about the ones paying you to provide that advice. Please don't forget that we also have to balance our schedules and provide great service to the existing clients you've sent our way. If we excuse ourselves for a minute during a session because we have to respond to a lead based on an unreasonable imposed time limit it would just be rude. Imagine how you would think/feel if you found out the session was being interrupted because I HAD to respond to a Thumbtack lead so I don't lose my platinum status. That would hurt both our brands and we would both suffer...of course, I wouldn't do it because it would reflect poorly on me.

As this program is being implemented, I sincerely hope it is being watched carefully and is open to suggestions and being tweaked to make it better and more beneficial to all of us working hard to create a great experience for our shared clients.

Glad to be a Top Pro. I have been with Thumbtack since their beginning and through all the changes. Most years I have been a Top Pro.

Looking forward to communicating.

Alan