Booking Inquiries vs Direct Leads

MaxDixon · October 2

Who here is missing the booking inquiries program? I found that much more sustainable for our business. Paying a proportion of our revenue for a guaranteed job makes sense.

In September we spent $6,483 on direct leads. We are finding so many "dead" leads from sketchy names, those using VOIPs, and the ones who never look at Thumbtack, and you can't get them on the phone or text. It is frustrating paying thousands of dollars a month for that. Not only that, but being charged for customers who we've worked with in the past, is a tough pill to swallow.

I'd love to know if there are plans for Thumbtack to go back to a Booking Inquiry platform? Direct leads in this nature, are not sustainable for businesses. In our area for example, businesses advertising for the same service has collapsed. It used to be us and 3-4 other established businesses. Now it is us, a business with 34 unrelated Google Reviews from a city 8 hours away (separate topic), and several new owner operators with <10 reviews who pop up and go.

DerHilfer_LLC · October 4

Whenever you convert a User to a Customer, which is rare, always ensure that they know you are best available via phone, text, email or your website. Highlight your network even if it isn't that big. You can service this customer better than anyone else for anything.

We run a home improvement company. One of my customers called me for snow removal. I don't do snow removal. But I know a guy who does. That's one less request that went to Thumbtack.

DerHilfer_LLC · October 4

True Story: Today, I got a request for BBQ Grill Service. This and House Cleaning are the only services I've offered so far where everyone answers the phone.
I immediately call and schedule an appointment for today because my next available appointment is four days from now and I forgot to "Hide My Business" again. I know if I don't get this done today, the other Pro (1 review) will surely contact this User and offer to do it tomorrow.

I go to this gentleman's house and discover his grill regulator isn't screwed in tight and have his grill working in five minutes, most of which was collecting my tools and walking around his house to the grill.

I know I'm not wrong, but I feel wrong taking $94 from an old guy with a cane who just isn't strong enough to properly attach his grill tank any more.

I hand him my card and ask him to call me when he has something I can do for his home. There's no charge for today. He insists on paying me something, hands me $50. Which I know sounds like a decent pay day for five minutes of work, but in reality, I have over an hour into the job.

$50/hr sounds "not bad", right?

After expenses, (36 miles = $25.20, Thumbtack fee: $5.11) I made $19.69. Or $17.42/hr. There are convenience stores in my area paying $22. So basically, this is minimum wage. And the expenses doesn't count insurance, lawyers, accountants, the state skimming off of my hard work to leave me alone (Home Improvement Contractor registration) "my share" as an employer of the Social Security taxes or anything else.

But I spend a couple of minutes to explain to this customer that the only reason I do this service is because I get to meet customers like him and he should call me if he has ANY repairs or home improvement projects - if I don't do it, I know someone who does. I tell him I have two tile installers, an electrician, a plumber, someone who does excavation in the summer and snow removal in the winter, a concrete guy, and I myself do a lot of drywall and sometimes fencing…

We bond over music and concerts he's been that took place before I was born. He saw Jimi Hendrix three times, the Doors seven times, Janice Joplin, Queen.

This Customer will call me back again and again.

And that's why Thumbtack is a loss leader. It leads with losses and on rare occasions, I win in the end.

Booking Inquiries vs Direct Leads

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