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December 12, 2011

Thumbtack – Get In Contact With the Pros

Thumbtack is an online tool that people can use to schedule appointments with trustworthy professionals in their local areas. In three simple steps, a person can list his needs, get bids from nearby service professionals, and hire the person or the company that seems best suited for the job.

Whether you want to find a piano teacher for you son, a landscaper for your backyard, or a photographer for your wedding, Thumbtack is the place to look. Creating a free request for bids takes just a few minutes. Describe your needs, enter your zip code, enter your name and email address, and then click “Post my request.” Once you’ve confirmed your email account, Thumbtack will get to work soliciting bids for your project. You can manage your requests from the dashboard page, and then read customer reviews on the site before making any hiring decisions. When you look over the price quotes and decide which service professional to go with, click over to the booking section to schedule your appointment instantly and pay securely with a credit card online.

Professionals can use Thumbtack to list their services for free and find a broad base of interested clients. They can also use Thumbtack to help display their professional reputation by posting any licenses and certifications, as well as background checks and testimonials from satisfied customers. From the busy homeowner who needs a clogged drain repaired but doesn’t have time to call multiple businesses for bids, to the plumber who’s looking for work in a sluggish economy, Thumbtack is a useful tool that everyone can get behind.

Practical Uses:

  • Purchase a series of guitar lessons for your daughter
  • Get a new deck installed by the contractor with the lowest bid
  • Compare the prices of multiple plumbers before hiring someone for the job
  • Post your professional services for local people to find online

Insider Tips:

  • Professionals can create their own profiles and get indexed in search engines
  • Users can decide if they’d rather be contacted by phone or online message
  • People can book appointment through the online scheduling system
  • Each service professional is checked against the Department of Justice’s Sex Offender Registry

What we liked:

  • Thumbtack can save people both time and money
  • Service professionals can use Thumbtack for free, or pay for additional referrals
  • People can read reviews and check service professionals’ license numbers through the site
  • Thumbtack only notifies professionals about a possible job after a user has indicated that he or she is interested in actually hiring someone

What we didn’t like:

  • Nothing

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: 2009
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California
  • Founded by: Jeremy Tunnell, Marco Zappacosta, and Jonathan Swanson
  • Web site: http://www.thumbtack.com

Costs:

  • Free for users

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