Is anyone else frustrated with the cost/use of Thumbtack

Jennifer_Cervantes · October 14

Not only have they doubled the cost for each lead since I started using it back in 2021, but now they have taken away the ability to have the customers phone number leaving it much harder to directly contact the customer. The use of a Thumbtack phone number not only takes away the ability to build a customer database (in which you paid for this info), but how can I be sure that the Thumbtack number isn't sending my message to the customer's spam or junk messages?

In addition to that, the amount of Pros that the customer is able to reached out should have a max. When I first started using Thumbtack, there would be one or two competing Pros—now they are at 6-7 Pros contacted! It's outrageous.

The pros are the way that Thumbtack generates revenue, yet they do not treat us with fairness or courtesy, it feels. The quality of leads has decreased and I now speak less of how great Thumbtack used to be with other vendors when they ask.

Jennifer_Cervantes · October 14

Feel free to let me know if I have a misunderstanding of Thumbtack or if you are also experiencing this. I have to hid my business sometimes after so many customers become NON responsive.

ArvinC · October 15

Hi @Jennifer_Cervantes , thanks for sharing your experience and for being open to hearing from other Pros. I understand your concerns around increasing lead costs, customer communication, and the number of Pros being contacted for the same project.

Just to clarify a few things about Thumbtack Numbers, the feature allows Pros and customers to continue calling and texting through a dedicated number while keeping personal contact information private. The number remains available for future communication with that customer, and you can still choose to exchange direct contact information once you've connected. However, certain lead protections rely on communication through Thumbtack Numbers so the system can track customer engagement and determine refund eligibility.

Regarding your concern about messages going to spam, messages sent through Thumbtack Numbers are delivered as text messages, although how they're displayed or filtered can depend on the customer's phone and carrier.

On the number of Pros contacted, customers are able to compare multiple businesses before making a hiring decision. I understand your concern about how this affects competition and the value of each paid lead, and this is feedback we've heard from other Pros as well.

For customers who don't respond, Thumbtack Numbers also supports automatic refund protection for certain eligible unresponsive leads. For example, when a customer doesn't engage with any Pro within 72 hours and the applicable requirements are met, an automatic refund may be issued. You can review your lead details and refund activity in your account to see whether this applies.

I appreciate you taking the time to explain how these changes have affected your business. I'll include your feedback around lead pricing, customer communication, and multiple-Pro selection as these themes continue to be surfaced to the appropriate teams. And I'd love for other Pros to share their experiences and any strategies they've found helpful for managing these challenges.

Steven_Bryan_2023 · October 15

Customers have become so unresponsive I am wondering if Thumbtack actually has customers on the other end or is this a big cash grab / scam. Costs are up and Thumb Tack performance is down. Customer service is poor too. I wish Thumb Tack had business hours like Angi's does. Then I wouldn't have to hide my business everyday when the office closes.

ArvinC · October 16

Hi @Steven_Bryan_2023 , welcome to the community! I can understand why paying for leads that don't respond would be frustrating, especially when you're also trying to manage your availability and lead costs.

I also wanted to touch on your comment about having to hide your business when your office closes. Have you had a chance to explore your targeting preferences and weekly budget settings? While these won't function exactly like business hours, they can help you manage the types of leads you receive and how much you're spending.

For the unresponsive leads, I'd recommend reviewing your recent lead activity and reaching out to support@thumbtack.com so the team can take a closer look at your specific experience.

I'll also make sure your feedback about customer responsiveness, lead costs, and having more control over business hours is shared with the appropriate teams.

Thanks for speaking up and sharing your experience with us!

Steven_Bryan_2023 · October 16

Arvin,

Thank you for your reply. I did look at those settings and you are correct, they do not function like business hours. I was pleasantly surprised today because TT refunded me for an improperly classified lead, $172 vs. $77 dollars. Support@thumbtack.com doesn't really help. It is just a generic email reply with an agent that doesn't really care.

Jennifer_Cervantes · October 17

In addition to, it would be nice if Thumbtack can limit the number of Pros a person contacts

Unknown · October 19

This content has been removed.

NGLaw · October 29

@ArvinC I attended the Pro Summit yesterday, but my question remains unresolved: I cannot access any phone numbers for my leads, including masked Thumbtack numbers. Please see the attached screenshot.

I own a law firm, and the only way I can contact these leads is through the Thumbtack app. This is creating a barrier to connecting with potential clients. One lead responded, verbatim: “I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were going to reach out on this app.”

Could you please clarify whether law firms are excluded from the masked-number system, or whether this is an issue with my account? If masked numbers are unavailable to law firms, please restore my access to the previous system so I can contact leads outside the app.

I am paying for leads without a way to call or text them. Please review my account and let me know how and when this can be resolved.

Thank you so much.

ArvinC · October 29

Hi @NGLaw , thanks for following up after the Pro Summit and for sharing the screenshot!

I completely understand your concern, especially when you're paying for leads but have limited options to contact potential clients.

Just to clarify, legal services are among the categories excluded from Thumbtack Numbers due to the sensitive nature of conversations that may take place. For these services, Thumbtack messages are currently the primary way to connect with customers, although customers can still choose to share their contact information directly with you.

You can learn more about the feature and see which services are excluded in our Help Center article What are Thumbtack Numbers?.

I'd also encourage you to reach out to support@thumbtack.com with the screenshot you shared so the team can take a closer look at your account and help clarify your options.

We appreciate you raising this concern, and I'll make sure your feedback about the challenges this creates for legal professionals is shared with our team!

NGLaw · October 29

Hi @ArvinC - Thank you for clarifying that legal services are excluded from Thumbtack Numbers. Please escalate this gap to the Product team as a priority.

My business lost access to leads’ phone numbers, but we’re also excluded from the feature intended to replace that access. We’re still paying for leads, yet our only way to contact them is through the app where prospective clients may not see or expect our messages as evidenced by my previous screenshot to you.

Other Pros across this and related threads have raised similar concerns. For my business, this change has removed our primary way to connect with potential clients and follow up on paid leads.

If legal services cannot use Thumbtack Numbers, please restore our previous access to leads' contact information until a workable alternative is available. We need a reliable way to reach the leads we purchase.

I’m happy to meet with the Product team to explain our experience and help identify a solution. They completely missed our use case when rolling this feature out.

In the meantime, can you confirm that this has been escalated and share when we can expect an update?

ArvinC · October 29

Hi @NGLaw , thank you for following up and sharing your concerns. I completely understand how important it is to have a reliable way to connect with potential clients.

For services like yours, phone numbers aren't shared to help protect customer privacy, especially given the sensitive nature of these conversations. You can still reach customers through Thumbtack messages, and once they respond, you're both welcome to exchange contact information.

Also, under FairShot, if a customer doesn't respond to any pro within 72 hours, you'll receive an automatic refund.

I also wanted to reassure you that I've shared your feedback directly with our Product team, including your concerns about limited contact options for legal professionals. While I'm unable to provide a specific timeline for potential changes or updates, your feedback has been escalated and shared with the team responsible for this feature.

Thank you again for speaking up and offering to help improve this experience. We really appreciate it!

JayGiddens · 5:50AM

Same here for a lot of pros. When lead prices go up, it gets hard to see what each job really costs you.

I’m testing a free check for 10 pros. Message me privately and I’ll explain how to send me your last 30 days of Thumbtack lead emails. Within 48 hours I’ll send back what each booked job really cost you, which leads look claimable, and the refund request already written.

Free, no sign-up. Please don’t post any customer details here.

Jay

Is anyone else frustrated with the cost/use of Thumbtack

Comments

Resources