ScottZ, @scottz wrote:   " But before we get to those, I think it’s important to give some context on why we changed the way Thumbtack works. Before, customers came to Thumbtack searching for pros and would have to wait to hear back from a pro. Sometimes customers didn’t even make it through the initial request form. In fact, 80% of customers wouldn’t even get to the point of meeting any pros. Those were jobs that could’ve been yours."  I think you are operating under a false premise. While it may be true that " 80% of customers wouldn’t even get to the point of meeting any pros." You seem to believe that maybe there were no pros available, but since the old system allowed every contractor the opportunity to view the request, within that area, and within that speciality, and only 5 could respond.  It stands to reason that the requests were viewed, and rejected for any number of reasons. From being to far for too small a job, or not exactly what I am looking for, or maybe, I am just to busy at the moment to take on something else, and lastly I looked at it, and thought it was bogus, and would be more trouble than it was worth.    A lot of the leads that came through, were just crap from the begining. Pro's get pretty good at "reading between the lines" as to who is serious and who is either window shopping, or just a window licker.    Now I understand that you see this as lost revenue for you, and have devised this new system to try to get folks to pay for all the chaff that was falling through the cracks before.   Now as for your "list", you do know that you are far behind the curve for building a search engine, Type out a request, say for a carpenter in Manchester, NH.....low and behold GOOGLE will give you a list...for nothing, Bing does it too, Yahoo, heck, the yellow pages. And just like you, if I pay to promote my business listing, I can get to the top of the list.   So Please, how about some statistic's on how many folks,  1) Click on several contractors (window shoppers) 2) How many of those actually hire someone. Willing to bet those numbers will never see the light of day. 3) How many are just window lickers (not hiring anybody anyway. I mean there were tons under the old system. Every contractor has pages on pages of archived dead quotes. No response, and no indication that they hired someone else nor hired anyone at all.     ... View more

@lenstar wrote: Trying to figure out how I'm ranked...  Log out of your thumbtack, Go to www.thumbtack.com, enter the job that you want to see how you rank, enter the zip code of the area you are focusing on, and a list of pro's should show. Scroll until you see your listing. ... View more

We have been with Thumbtack since 2012, and fornately for us we have been successful IN SPITE of all the changes to Thumbtack. I still think that everything hinges on providing the customer a great experience. For us this means doing what you say you will, when you say you will do it, at a reasonable price. Today, we live in a world of instant gratification, so reviews are everything. Not just the star rating, but what folks actually say. We still get quite a few inguiries,  but decline most.  If, when I pull up the actual request, and they have contacted several other pro's....Trash can, If they use one of the TT canned inquiries...trash can. For us, we actually no longer need TT, but still take on a few jobs. For us, in our area, and our main field, we rate #3. #1 and #2, obviously use promote. I actually feel bad for them, as between them, they have 1 hire and 4 reviews. So TT is doing well off them.  ... View more

@ Merckel  What YOU say about the phone calls and text messages doesn't sound that bad. Unfornately that isn't what the terms say nor imply. You are asking us to trust YOU, over what Thumbtack has written. That would be quite the leap of faith. I suppose if your business is based solely on Thumbtack, it wouldn't be that great an issue. What is to say that you won't sell the infomation you mine from our accounts to a third party? Your terms don't say you won't sell it. What information are you scooping up about my clients? I have as great an obligation to them as I do to safeguard my own privacy, maybe more so. Does the client give thier permission for this little peek under the covers, or by accepting am I giving up thier privacy by default?  One word passes between me and a client, either way, and you snag your share. Heck, You already charge a new fee if a customer contacts us with a second job through your format. Just recently had it happen. So you are certainly getting you money. Please enlighten me. ... View more

Service Members understand and agree that they are customers of Thumbtack, and are not Thumbtack employees, joint venturers, partners, or agents. That said, you have absolutely no reason to track, copy, or read any correspondance transmitted by either myself and any prospective client, either by e-mail or text messages, outside the Thumbtack format. You have not show yourselves as being even the least bit trustworthy, upfront, nor transparent in your actions.  At this time I do not grant permission. Patrick Harvey G & P Home Solutions ... View more