Remote vs On-Site Lead Accuracy — A Fix That Could Save Everyone Time and Money

Hey everyone — Dan here (Enuclea LLC, Stafford VA).

I wanted to raise a recurring issue that I think a lot of us have seen: remote job mismatches.

Here’s what keeps happening:

• A client checks “remote,”
• But their message (if they even write one) clearly describes an on-site physical job — mounting APs, pulling cable, swapping hardware, etc.
• Thumbtack still routes it to anyone who offers “remote network setup” or “general IT.”

When it’s a local job, I can still make something of it — charge for an assessment, build a relationship, maybe upsell proper managed support. But when it’s “remote” and the work clearly isn’t, it’s a dead lead from the start. There’s no professional way to proceed, and it wastes both sides’ time.

Here’s the easy fix:

1. Require at least one sentence of description for all job requests — especially those marked “remote.”
2. • ✅ Remote
   • 🏠 On-Site
   • ❓ Inconclusive (needs clarification)

If it’s inconclusive, prompt the client for more details before sending it out to pros.

That one change would instantly improve lead quality and cut refund requests in half. It would also prevent category mismatches — like when someone wants a SharePoint intranet built but the system tags it under network setup.

The same logic applies to category classification overall

Many of us have seen leads where the system confuses a handyman with an electrician, or network setup with web development. A basic LLM pass could classify requests into the correct trade or specialization with far more accuracy than checkbox logic alone. Even if it’s not confident, “inconclusive” is a valid state — one that triggers a quick clarification from the client before burning a lead credit.

It’s 2025. We’ve got the tools to make this better for everyone.

Has anyone else run into these mismatched “remote” or miscategorized leads lately? Curious to see how widespread this has become.

— Dan @ Enuclea LLC

(Network & Systems Design | Stafford, VA)