Blocking just a time period (not the entire day) on the calendar

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Answers

  • DustiO
    DustiO Administrator, Moderator Posts: 2,641 admin

    @naomizf I’m sorry if my earlier response came across like I wasn’t fully hearing your concern. That wasn’t my intention, and I really appreciate you taking the time to explain the situation more clearly.

    Thanks again for calling this out — as you can see, you’re not the only one asking about this. I’ve shared your most recent feedback directly with our team so they can take a closer look, and I’ll be sure to update this thread as soon as there’s more to share.

  • Danielalai
    Danielalai Posts: 8 ✭

    @DustiO thanks.

    I think we all need to know if there is a chance to go back to how it was before because this new method is affecting all our businesses and your too, since you limited our chances to get leads (so less money for thumbtack).

    I see a lot of us are leaving the website and I don’t see any gain for you.

    New pros are also discouraged about this so if you want to address our concerns to the team, we hope you ll come back with more straight answers because before the clients saw the time we were available….we talked to clients all the time so we know how they book us, what they see etc…

    Thanks and I hope you guys we will fix it.

  • DustiO
    DustiO Administrator, Moderator Posts: 2,641 admin

    I will be sure to share any updates as soon as I have them. Thank you!

  • dmrainey
    dmrainey Posts: 3 ✭

    This calendar change is such a bad move. I have had to go in a block of entire days as "unavailable" simply because I have a short 1 or 2 hour session in the morning…leaving the rest of the entire day as unavailable and no leads will be sent, this is simply unacceptable. There are MANY days where I may have a short photo session with a client at 10am and the rest of the day open, available for hire, yet now I am shown as unavailable and no leads will be sent….this is a POOR business model.

    Here is an idea…how about setting up a lead intake form that pairs a clients time request with your pro's calendar availability??? Genius idea right.

    And your say "leave it open" because you can process a refund, that is comical. Anyone who has worked with Thumbtack knows refunds (credits) are slim to none. This is exactly why I have started to transition other competitors programs.

  • Craig_Root_Imaging1
    Craig_Root_Imaging1 New member Posts: 4 ✭

    I'm a professional photographer in Phoenix, and I'm experiencing exactly the same problem described here.

    I've been raising this issue with Thumbtack for months without a resolution. Most of my photography sessions are only one hour, and I frequently book multiple jobs throughout the day.

    Without hourly blocking, I have two choices: block an entire day and lose legitimate business, or leave it open and pay for leads that conflict with existing bookings. Neither makes business sense for me or Thumbtack.

    I've received refunds for some scheduling conflicts and denials for others. Support repeatedly tells me to turn off targeting or block entire days. I also noticed that Thumbtack recommended requesting refunds for these conflicts in this discussion, yet the Refund Disputes Team continues denying them.

    Thumbtack previously offered Google Calendar integration and hourly blocking. Why were these basic scheduling features removed?

    Surely I'm not the only professional booking multiple appointments throughout the day.

    This is by far my biggest frustration with Thumbtack right now. I spend thousands of dollars on leads and genuinely want the platform to work, but the repeated refund disputes and lack of a practical solution have become exhausting.

    DustiO, you mentioned that the Product Team was reviewing this issue. Has there been any progress? Can someone from management provide a clear answer and a practical solution?

    I want to continue receiving and paying for legitimate leads, but this issue needs to be addressed.

  • Craig_Root_Imaging1
    Craig_Root_Imaging1 New member Posts: 4 ✭

    Another update on this ongoing issue.

    I recently escalated a scheduling conflict refund dispute to a Thumbtack supervisor. Unfortunately, the response was the same: refund denied because the entire day wasn't blocked, followed by instructions on how to block entire days.

    This completely ignores the problem. Most of my photography appointments are only one hour. Blocking an entire day means losing potential business, while leaving it open exposes me to charges for leads that conflict with existing appointments.

    I've been raising this issue for months, and even at the supervisor level, I'm getting the same response without a practical solution.

    I have three questions for Thumbtack's Product Team:

    1. Why was Google Calendar integration removed?
    2. Why was hourly calendar blocking removed?
    3. Will either feature be reinstated, or is full-day blocking Thumbtack's permanent approach moving forward?

    The current system benefits neither professionals nor Thumbtack. We lose potential bookings, and Thumbtack loses potential lead revenue when entire days are blocked unnecessarily.

    DustiO, you previously confirmed that the Product Team was reviewing this issue. Can we please get a direct update on these questions?

    This is by far my biggest frustration with Thumbtack. I spend thousands of dollars on leads and want the platform to work, but months of repeated refund disputes and no practical scheduling solution are becoming exhausting.

  • dmrainey
    dmrainey Posts: 3 ✭

    I am not sure why this topic is not "job one" for the Thumbtack design team? The current system is BROKEN…BAD…NO BUENOS. It hurts the Pro's and it is bad for Thumbtack, loss of revenue for everyone. Fix this please, listen to your paying customers, this calendar system you have in place is NOT WORKING.

  • ladyvincenza
    ladyvincenza Posts: 5 ✭

    I think this is so Thumbtack can force us to pay for leads we can't use. Bad business for Thumbtack, as it's giving us impetus to leave. If anyone in the brass at Thumbtack is reading this, it's bad business for you. This will hurt your bottom line. Where will you be if your pro's leave in droves?

  • ArvinC
    ArvinC Administrator, Moderator Posts: 474 admin

    Hi @Craig_Root_Imaging1 , @dmrainey , and @ladyvincenza , thank you all for continuing to share your feedback here.

    I hear your concerns, especially around how the current calendar experience affects Pros who manage multiple appointments throughout the day. Having to choose between blocking an entire day and potentially missing out on bookings, or leaving it open and receiving leads that conflict with existing appointments, is an important part of the feedback you've shared.

    I also understand the concerns around refund decisions for scheduling conflicts, Craig, especially since you've already followed up with Support and escalated your experience.

    I know this discussion has been ongoing for some time, and I appreciate everyone continuing to provide specific examples. I've also resurfaced this thread with the appropriate team to highlight the recurring feedback and ask whether there are any updates regarding the availability experience. I don't have any confirmed changes or timelines to share at this point, but I'll be sure to update this discussion if there's new information available.

    Thank you all for continuing to share how this impacts your businesses. Your feedback helps provide additional context around the challenges Pros are experiencing.

  • Craig_Root_Imaging1
    Craig_Root_Imaging1 New member Posts: 4 ✭

    Thanks, Arvin. I appreciate you acknowledging the problem and bringing this back to the appropriate team.

    Restoring hourly calendar blocking should be the top priority. Ideally, I'd also like Google Calendar integration restored so my availability automatically syncs and I don't have to maintain two separate calendars.

    In the meantime, I'm continuing to pay for leads I simply cannot use because Thumbtack's calendar system does not accommodate appointments lasting only an hour or two. This is extremely frustrating, expensive, and completely avoidable.

    Just this morning, I received another final refund denial from a Thumbtack supervisor, with no practical solution offered. I'm being charged for scheduling conflicts that your system gives me no reasonable way to prevent.

    Blocking an entire day for a one-hour appointment is not a solution. It costs me potential bookings and costs Thumbtack potential lead revenue.

    I've been on Thumbtack for 10 years, and according to my tax records, I spent $44,000 on Thumbtack last year alone. This is by far my biggest frustration with the platform. I'm a committed paying professional who wants Thumbtack to succeed, but after months of raising this issue, I need more than repeated explanations of a policy that doesn't address the problem.

    I understand there's no timeline, but can the Product Team please confirm whether restoring hourly blocking or Google Calendar integration is actually being considered?

    Thanks again for your involvement. I hope we can finally get a practical solution.

  • TheComplements
    TheComplements Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited October 13

    Thank you, @ArvinC ! We hope we can speak for all the pros on this thread, who have been voicing our feedback since several months ago. We are all still very much invested in a solution from Thumbtack on this calendaring issue. Is there anything we can do beyond posting here? Is there any other sort of data or testimony we can provide to help encourage action? Thank you.

  • dmrainey
    dmrainey Posts: 3 ✭

    Thumbtack…this is such a basic issue, your delay is staggering. If my child is having a school play on Friday morning that I am going to, I have to block off my ENTIRE DAY on Thumbtack just to attend, missing out on leads that might be coming in on a popular Friday evening time slot! How is this good for anyone? It makes the service almost unusable.

  • ArvinC
    ArvinC Administrator, Moderator Posts: 474 admin

    Hi @Craig_Root_Imaging1 , @TheComplements , and @dmrainey , thank you all for following up and continuing to share your experiences.

    Craig, I appreciate you providing additional context about your scheduling conflicts and refund experience, especially given how long you've been using Thumbtack. I understand you're looking for a more specific answer from the Product team about whether hourly blocking or calendar integration may return. I've raised this question alongside the feedback, but I don't have confirmation of any planned changes at this time.

    @TheComplements , thank you for asking! Please know that the Community team is here to help communicate your feedback to the appropriate teams. We regularly gather feedback, identify recurring themes, and share specific examples and suggestions through Community reporting. These insights provide additional context to help inform the Product team's ongoing evaluation of the Pro experience.

    You're always encouraged to continue sharing your feedback here. I'd also recommend submitting it directly through your Thumbtack account by emailing support@thumbtack.com from your registered email address. This helps ensure your feedback is logged with the context of your specific service category and business experience.

    And @dmrainey , your example of needing to block an entire day for a short personal commitment is another helpful illustration of why more scheduling flexibility matters.

    We appreciate everyone continuing to contribute to this discussion. Your experiences and specific examples are valuable in helping the Community team communicate these concerns clearly to the appropriate teams.

  • MyCleanCharlotteMaid
    MyCleanCharlotteMaid Posts: 113 ✭✭✭

    I think having more flexibility to block specific time periods would be very helpful for service businesses.

    For cleaning services, appointments do not always take the entire day. A standard cleaning may require only a few hours, while a deep cleaning, move-out cleaning, or post-construction job may take much longer depending on the scope.

    We also have to account for travel time, team availability, preparation, supplies, and possible delays between appointments.

    If a pro only needs to block a morning or afternoon, having to mark the entire day as unavailable could mean missing opportunities for jobs that would fit into the remaining schedule.

    It would be helpful to have more detailed calendar controls where pros can block certain hours, add buffer time between appointments, and keep the rest of the day available.

    Better scheduling flexibility would help pros manage their workload while also giving customers more accurate availability.

    The goal is to avoid overbooking without unnecessarily limiting opportunities.

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