Lead Service Providers: Beware! We Were FOOLED.

Stonewood

Beware! We were FOOLED.

$ 2460.00 Investment. $ 0000.00 Return.

A brief intro: We are a small successful Design-Build firm established in 2004. I and my associates (employees) had spent 20 + years employed by others. We are a quiet group of master carpenters, degreed designers and construction manager’s. We enjoy our craft and the building industry in-general. We came together, formed this company and have been rather successful and profitable pleasing one-customer at-a-time. We’re happy that 9 of 10 jobs annually are word-of-mouth referrals and that we are not the low-cost service provider. Respectfully, for Owners that seek the low bidder; we do not wish to waste their valuable time.

In 2007 we decided to try one of the many lead service providers to assist us in launching a “Small Works Maintenance and Repair Division. We had been warned several times by numerous professionals to avoid this but felt that we should be reasonable and give it a try after being inundated with repeated emails and endless telephone calls from America’s big three lead service providers.

First and foremost: Sorry, No lead service providers company names. I do not conduct business that way nor do I believe it necessary to further beat-down any individual or company I terminate. With 32-years in the building industry, I know what works for me and rest assured; those lead service providers will never forget me or my organization.

Here are the facts regarding our experience with (2) of America’s big three lead service providers.:

· We signed contracts with (2) of the big three for exclusive leads with only (3)-contractors receiving being notified.
· We patiently tried each of the lead services for 8 months continuously.
· Each of the sales people was very nice initially (until the end when they were exposed).
· Leads were hammering our inbox week-after-week.
· Endless telephone calls from our assigned sales person.
· Initially, we were paying an average of $ 50.00 per lead (+) the monthly fees (+) the additional added fees attached to each lead.
· The price-per-lead quickly escalated following a conference call conducted in our office. We were told that we needed
· BUT……..an ugly pattern starting developing with myself, my estimator and my small works lead carpenter.
· Lead after leads were duds i.e. rude, mean and often nasty people during the first telephone contact.
· People that had no idea what we were talking about. “Kitchen remodeling…… don’t call me again you &#@*ing idiot.
· Property addresses that were vacant lots and fields.
· Property addresses that were condemned houses.
· Property addresses where the supposed lead did not live or reside.
· Screaming people telling us we were
· We did not sign a single contract, work order or by-the-hour agreement for anything.

Each of us made a huge mistake; we were not comparing notes or communicating about this in the office and we refused to listen to other’s that warned us; STAY AWAY and AVOID.


Always remember: The most money you will ever make is the situation, contract(s) and/or individual(s) you walkway from.

Take care my friends,

Stonewood

MOTB

I hate hearing these stories, especially with the amount of money that has been spent. It is good that you learned from past mistakes, but it does blow my mind that you and so many countless others are willing to put so much money on the table before getting to this conclusion. I came up with another thread titled New idea for lead generation: job generation services. Glance at it and over an opinion. It would be nice to hear from you. Brian

UnitedMA

Wow, thats horrible. We have had some not so great luck with some lead sources (which we are no longer using) but have had some luck with others. Although I have never hear of going to a vacant lot, or condemned house. We will be aware before signing any contracts with lead sources..

Stevelsc8721

What was once good has turned to S--t because of greed, just like our economy! Once the lead service companies saw how easy it was to hijack your web site and print money by using contractors credit cards all hell broke loose. Follow Davidc's threads and you will find out about his experiences.

WE need to go back to good old networking, before emails and the net, people are afraid to do business with someone they don't know.

I'm going back to clients from 1985 with news letters, sorting out the moved and trying to get the new home owner to respond to our services we have to offer.

On Line lead services will always be here catching the unsuspecting contractor with their line of BS of hundreds of homeowners looking for contractors who need work . They need to really talk to the client one on one and give the lead to three contractors, not five and resell the lead twenty times.

Charge more for the lead if the homeowner and contractor discussed the work to be performed, they can track it.

Make the homeowner join the service and have them pay a small fee for requests to have work done on their home. They will get a refund if the contractor does the job.

Giving free estimates is like welfare everyone on it abuses it, fee pay by homeowner will slow it down.

HAY SM GUY ARE YOU READING THIS??????????

Crock

When they call I say that it is our policy to charge them for a trial membership. Surprisingly they always refuse, but the conversations are un during an otherwise monotonous day.



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suite1

I respect you for not bashing another company. But interestingly, there are complaint forums from anything like I hate dell computers to I hate Mcdonalds.

The new forum system on the internet has allowed people to voice their opinions. You would think that would be bad for a company, but if the company examines the forums and blogs relating to their product and service, they may learn how to solve issues and solve customer complaints.

In the Jeff Jarvis Book, " What Would Google Do?" , he mentions how Dell took bad press on the internet, solved their problems and now are more successful. Maybe that's how the service providers should do.

Anyone interested should try the term " blank sucks" in the search engine search box.. Substitute blank for the company.

Ben of Hyde

Lead generating websites seems like such a good idea too ... except for the 1000's threads I've found on this site over servicemagic or contractor.com.

I thought it might work for those who specialize in one particular field and do residential all day... but I guess not.