Changes to TT

[DustiO]

@realjrob24 One of the most amazing things that I saw at the big Self Made event a couple of weeks ago - was when Noam shared the vision of Thumbtack's future. I know some of the improvements that are made can be challenging, but this will give you context as to why they are being made, and what direction the product is headed. As a long time Thumbtack pro, I have watched the product grow and evolve and although sometimes there have been hurdles, I can see the bigger picture and I know it is headed in the right direction! 

https://www.facebook.com/Thumbtack/videos/10156457715623453/

Naom's speech starts at 32 minutes in (but the whole thing is worth watching!)

[davidwarner]

I have been with TT for about 3 years and I too have seen many changes.  I used to be selective about bidding when I had to pay for them.  Now I find myself being even more selective since its a mystery how much each contact will cost.  I am not happy with the instant match either.  I didn't want to be one of 20 bidders.  Sorry TT, loved ya but not as much right now.

[CHSMtech]

@davidwarner
Exactly my experience!

[revbrian]

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@davidwarner wrote:

I have been with TT for about 3 years and I too have seen many changes.  I used to be selective about bidding when I had to pay for them.  Now I find myself being even more selective since its a mystery how much each contact will cost.  I am not happy with the instant match either.  I didn't want to be one of 20 bidders.  Sorry TT, loved ya but not as much right now.

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Could not have said it better.

Instant Match is 'just' a canned quote. No personalization and in a service business, making it very particular to the specifics of the client needs is essential or as you say you end up being lost in the noise or in a race to the bottom on price - both highly undesireable.

[Design4life]

Another issue I have is that I have always rated high against my competition and now they are saying I rate low yet every single category has me higher than the rest.  So I guess with TT 2 + 2 does not equal 4?  

I am on Instant Match and when they select someone to quote on for me I respond right away.  I rank high in all of the categories so how do they get that I am ranked low when you average them up?

I really hate that everything is going south with TT because I always like them.

[Stephaniellen]

Yes this is how I feel about Instant Match! I have been with Thumbtack 4+ years as a photographer and been getting 1/3 of my work through here and am a Top Pro but now I am worried. Never have we not known how much it would cost before bidding on a job. There are many smaller 'Head shot' jobs I now see no point in bidding on at all when the customers budge it 100-150. I normally charge at least 150 if it is someone close to my home I might do 125 and this kind of job only cost $5 in the past and still I rarely bid now when it seems to be $15 it its not worth it to me at all. Last week I was charged $60 for 3 contacts-one was one I didn't reply to via instant match and they are refunding me the $15. So $45 for 2 and Only hired for one a $325 job I will now only net $280 on! 

Instant match-what if I am already booked the date the customer wants? I may not event want the gig and I am charged when contacted. 

Saying it makes a difference how the customer contacts us is also silly. For me 95% send a message very rarely to they request a phone call etc. I wish there was a flat monthy fee for unlimited bids, or they were all the same or go back to credits and the prices they were before I was okay with that.

[jcp]

Agree! Being a certified Top Pro as a photographer and videographer- I can’t use instant match because I don’t know the date of the event. I’d rather pay to quote. I averaged about a booking every two or three quotes because I am personally responding and a good match. Not a Instant match. And I respond immediately or not at all. My business already has dropped off 90%. Truly disappointing! Four years of great success then to drop off immediately says it all. And 10 instant matches ??? Then I’m the 11th because I’m not?. Plus three times the cost of they contact me? How does this make sense? Please TT - reconsider. How is anyone going maintain Top Pro status with these 1-15 odds.

[DrJay]

And when you decide to go ahead and quote, you find out they already have contacted another pro and they look at your quote but don't contact you.  Very disappointing!!!  I feel like I am being lied to so I will spend money on a quote that I have chance of getting anymore.

[WGACSC]

I tend to agree with you.  I also think it depends on the industry you are serving.  I'm in IT and more than half of the self diagnostics are incorrect.  Customer thinks they have a virus/malware.  I bid.  Customer comes in, great!!  We look at the PC and it has a bad hard drive.  We call the customer and they want the hard drive replaced for the price quoted for the virus/malware removal.  Uh...no!!!  Different service, different price.  Customer upset.  No win situation for me.

The most recent change to TT no longer let's me send an open ended quote to the customer explainging we need to see the system to quote a firm price AND we give a 100% free estimate.  So yeah, I've limited my TT replies as the requests dont allow a proper quote in my opinion.

[MarylandFarmhou]

I like the new system in principal, but it's crazy to not know ahead of time what a job will cost if the customer makes contact, and many jobs recently have not been "worth it."

I do a lot of odd job and furniture assembly type things. Most of my competitors have their prices posted on their websites, so TT is a blessing because I know what the competition charges and can easily come in consistently lowest on bids.

Old system:
Ten bids at $5 each for $80 jobs. I'd win 7 of them and have 3 who viewed the quote and never made contact
$560-$50 in fees = $510

New system:
Ten bids for $80 jobs.
I win 7 of them and have one guy who writes me and then ghosts.
$560-$120 in fees = $440

If you were very successful placing bids in the old system, and you mostly do quick low cost jobs, the new system cuts a deeper chunk, and it's always a surprise how much you end up being charged. I used $15 here, but I've had as low as $12 and as high as $25, and there's no way to know why it fluctuates or what the criteria are, which makes me send a lot less bids.