Home Advisor vs. Service Magic

[Goomer]

Any "Home Advisor" (old Service Magic) providers notice any differences/improvements since they changed names??

They seem to be somewhat more "low key" since they implemented their changes, which were most likely in response to their deteriorating perception of the "Service Magic" name, both by their subscribed contractors, as well as many home owners that used the service.
Based on my experience with them from a contractors point of view, I believe their problems were mainly due to their lack of any lead "quality control" controls being implemented.

Obviously, the more lax the lead requirements, the more income was generated, but it seems it was only a matter of time until the negative backlash caught up with them, and the gravy train was over.

I recently talked to a new "Home Advisor" rep, and inquired about any changes, and was told that in an effort to improve their lead quality, the lead generation process was a lot more in depth, and required much more information, as well as several "confirmations" that they understand, and agree, that they will be generating a active lead.

i am curious if this has in any way improved the overall quality of generated leads.

As flawed as they are, and in spite of the many reasons I can think of to hate them, the fact is, in my area, there are a large number of people that use the service, and I have landed some big jobs through them, but it was the poor lead quality that led to a poor conversion rate, and being billed for too many shit leads.

I am curious if their changes have had any impact on their lead quality.

 

[GCCLee]

I am doing everything I can to NOT pay for crap like this!


Seems to be working quite well, except for the Dex screw up!


Sent from da parking garage of dee detention center

 

[Royal Man]

Home advisor will completely screw up your SEO by adding company listings all over the web with a different phone number. Because ofcthis their time is over.it will do more harm that good by making it harder to find your listings unless they happen to go through Home Advisor.

 

[Derek]

Home advisor will completely screw up your SEO by adding company listings all over the web with a different phone number. Because ofcthis their time is over.it will do more harm that good by making it harder to find your listings unless they happen to go through Home Advisor.

ONLY IF you sign up for "exact match". I did it myself for several years and learned the hard way last year that signing up for exact match will screw up your SEO. I removed myself from that form of lead system and now I'm good to go.As to the original question, idk but over the past 18 to 24 months, I have gotten a lot more New clients from them. I am one of the higher priced resi cc'ers in my area and I still close enough sales to more than make up for their lead fee (SM / HA is notoriously used by price shoppers.)

 

[Royal Man]

My site was ranking higher that Home Advisor and it doesn't give quote to three different companies. So i cut out the middleman and told them to take a hike. To have Home Advisor I vas basicly competing againt myself.

 

[Goomer]

Sucks they are still doing that, and you have to give up the potential benefit of offering the exact match option, to simply not have them use your business information in any way that may negatively effect your internet presence.

I know it in no way works for everyone, but again, there are in my opinion a significant enough number of consumers using the service to find contractors.
I played the SM game before with varying results.

Their main problem was always the lack of quality control filters in relation to lead generation, which would lead to an intolerable amout of dead leads, at 15 bucks a pop.

To many well established businesses, I can understand a lack of desire to bother trying it, but to a younger business with a little time to invest in gaining every inch it can, I would be interested to see if they have improved in any way, and maybe give them another whirl.

With a very short leash, of course.

 

[Hoody]

Has anyone tried thumbtack.com ?

 

[bob vawter]

what ever happened to old fashioned good hard work with face time with the customer......
if you do good and honest work...it'll take about THREE YEARS and you'll notice that you have a self sustaining business to show for it....
(secret) you MUST remember grandkids and pets names.......

in the meantime you have a tax write off.........

 

[Desk Jockey]

Some of us are fugly so "face time" isn't the advantage it might have been for you Bawb.

Seriously times changed and being a "great marketer" brings in more work than being a "great cleaner".

Of course you have to be a great cleaner to retain them still.

Look at Ben Surdi, do you think he built that business on being a great cleaner or being a great marketer? I don't know him or his business well, but my guess is he is a great marketer and probably a decent cleaner too. But marketing built the business.

 

[ruff]

Depends on a company's (or O/O) goals. And yes, good marketing effort never hurt any company.

If one's goals are to build a multi-truck operation, Richard is right. If one prefers to stay small and emphasize quality, doing business personally (whatever) marketing (including image etc. as anything that has to do with the client is actually marketing) can be done differently and with a different emphasis.

Some time looking at what the big boys are doing can help, by not doing what they are doing or doing it differently.

It's still marketing however. It will just help you differentiate yourself.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If one prefers to stay small and emphasize quality, doing business personally (whatever) marketing (including image etc. as anything that has to do with the client is actually marketing) can be done differently and with a different emphasis.

You're always hitting me on o/op quality.

We wouldn't be where were are today without an emphasis on quality too. We're not great marketers, just great cleaners.

 

[Derek]

Has anyone tried thumbtack.com ?

no but they send me that email every week or 2 that Linda S. needs her carpet cleaned. i don't trust it..similar idea to H.A. i think.?.

i like H.A. in that i can specify exactly which zip's i want to get leads from, i only chose about 15. i stay far from the big city nearby.

 

[bob vawter]

ya well i expect a chimpanzee can get a job ....one time!

 

[ruff]

You're always hitting me on o/op quality.

We wouldn't be where were are today without an emphasis on quality too. We're not great marketers, just great cleaners.

Sheeeeeeeesh!
I am not hitting you with anything Richard.
Just making a distinction between different goals and companies.
A small company should try and capitalize on it's real and perceived advantages.

Capiche?


Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh.

 

[hogjowl]

Doesn't the Bible say something about you people being a heavy burden?

 

[ruff]

Doesn't the Bible say something about you people being a heavy burden?

Richard?

 

[hogjowl]

You. Tacos people are called ... nothing.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Spring is here so maybe I can work a little off and I won't be so heavy.

 

[Desk Jockey]

"Nothing"

There is "nothing" in the desert and no man needs nothing.

 

[ruff]

This is getting too deep for me.

What did the extinguished gentleman from the south want?

 

[hogjowl]

This is getting too deep for me.

What did the extinguished gentleman from the south want?

I simply want to find "redneck" in the Bible somewhere.

 

[Becker]

I have nothing good to say about service magic. Nothing at all,

 

[ruff]

I simply want to find "redneck" in the Bible somewhere.

For heaven's sake Martin!

Have you ever bothered to read it?
The whole thing is about murder, incest, infanticide and or all other 'cides'.

Its practically the 'Who's Who' of rednecks.

 

[Goomer]

i like H.A. in that i can specify exactly which zip's i want to get leads from, i only chose about 15. i stay far from the big city nearby.

I also find that to be a very valuable feature, as you can block any unfavorable areas, which seem to have a higher percentage of undesireable leads.

I keep it close to home, and to my advantage, am sure to let any prospective customers know my "local" proximity to them.