Changes to TT

[Dougee]

It is apparent they do not have a set business model. Otherwise, they wouldn't change it every other month. Well, they are about to do it again. I am guessing they will send out a video of a cute girl (again) telling us the modifications (again) are for our own good as we will see an increase in our business (again). Then, point us to all the testimonials of some "beta" ewperiment.  

Meanwhile, their customers have to figure it out all over again. STOP!  

[fitcap]

THUMBTACK IS "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" AND WHEN

A BUSINES IS "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" THAT SAID

BUSINESS IS SUPPOSED SHUT DOWN UNTILL ALL IS FIXED..NOT MAKE MONEY

FROM US PROS WHILE FIXING THE SILLY BUSINESS!!!!

[Beachlee]

I understand your frustration. I am kind of on the fence on this one. I was with thumbtack early on and there weren’t many changes for a minute. I can understand with growth comes change, and they used to listen to the ones who help to build their business,
However, at some point, for me, I think that the fast growth was not projected and not handled properly. I suspect that some business undergraduate stood up in a Monday morning meeting with a growth chart , revealed their potential income projections, which places dollar signs in everyone’s eyes, so then proposed changes to even potentially make more money ... loosing sight of the reason for the growth ( The Pros). And just expected everyone to be happy with whatever changes they implement, and price increases, as well as system changes they have to increase Thunbtack employee wallet size.
Instead of us being the guiones pig, I have to agree with you, They should test it and retest it so I don’t loose potential customers when a glitch occurs.

[Denise]

@Beachlee I don't understand why they think this is going to work. This is obvious greed on TTs part. They saw the flaws in PRO ASSIST. They saw the flaws in INSTANT MATCH. Instead of listening tothe pros on what works best for us, they are now trying to hold us hostage under PROMOTE. PRO ASSIST under any ohter name is just as BAAAAD! 

I contacted TT t ask them about the clients who respond to my quote to ask me for a better price. I feel like I should not have to pay $30 for someone to tell me my price is too high! I already charge lower prices on TT than on my website to be competitive. So this is how I lose in three ways:

1. I already offer discounted prices on TT

2. I have to pay when a client tells me my price is still too high

3. I am expeted to offer an even lower price just so the money I spent on the quote does not go in vain. 

This is what Thumbtack expects from us. I am not a newbie here. I have been booked 943 times with over 300 5-star reviews. At least with the way I am quoting now, I can pick and choose what requests to respond to and I get the chance to ignore the ones that are blatantly problematic. Now we are being told that we are going to be penalized for not using PROMOTE. Exactly what are you trying to Promote here, TT? This is foolishness and it will not work for my business. I cannot and will not update my TT calendar on a daily basis so I don't get contacted by clients I am not available for. This is what I was told to do as well. 

And the funny thing is, I will get charged for client asking me a silly question on TT, the client never follows up, then a few days later they hire me through yelp or google and I don't pay a dime for using those platforms. 

[Beachlee]

I have been a Thumbtack loyal subscriber since starting business 6 years ago.
I have remained loyal after every price hike. I was a Pro mentor for beginners. I have referred people. And was rewarded with credits.
It has recently occurred to me, that everything that I have done has been to benefit Thumbtack, not My business.
All contests , surveys, etc. are for credits, which is no cost at all to a Thumbtack. I feel that members that have been involved in helping Thumbtack grow, have been there for only that reason.
What are your thoughts?

[Randjservices27]

Pricing is absolutely insane now!!! I used to be able to place a quote and even if I didnt get it, it didnt break my heart. Now we gotta pay $20-$30+ for one single quote?! Now your trying to join the monsters at home advisor and Angie's list

[Beachlee]

I am glad that I am not the loan ranger. Thumbtack appears to have grown to fast, too quick. They have lost sight of why they are successful, ...
The Pros!

[Csgoodfellow]

I too have been a member of Thumbtack for quite a while and was successful at first. But then they started making their changes which did not benefit me at all. And now they want me to pay just TO REPLY to a POTENTIAL client.
That will never happen.
I don't mind paying a portion of my HIRED fee but never for just a reply.

[fitcap]

agree!

[bonnie_bill]

Our discontinuance after several years came as a direct result of two issues. The pricing became unrealistic to the value of a booking and the requirement to set up budgets. I am not willing to spend on things that I can not control. If the request looked good and our schedules permitted, I would bid in the past. But I can't just give an amount to be spent without knowing what it will be spent on and what the return will be.

I am not sure they will change either of these two issues so we can not bid now even if we wanted to as setting a budget is required. 

Now the complexity of all the new rules are too hard to understand. The "KISS" method has always worked for us.

Some of us set our busness plans in motion annually with a written plan and stay the course to get the results of our planned forecast. All of this constant changing seems extremely immature for business practices. They are a bit overwhelming when trying to do the volume required to run the business on the business plan.