Anyone Hear Of "ServiceLive"? Any Input??

cchipster

Hello Gents And Ladies...

Was wondering if anyone has heard of the new lead company called "servicelive'? Its supposedly free for contractors and is launching nationwide soon. I got an Email from them saying they already launched in Cinncinatti, OH.

I filled out all their paperwork and faxed them a background check document they were requesting. They also called me like crazy and have not heard back since? Anyone used this or know more than me?

Thanks!

Happy Holidays,
Cchipster

ProWallGuy

Never heard of them myself.

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Chris Johnson

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Is this the one you got? Me too...I didn't respond to them

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Chris

wizendwizard

Sears has opened a contractor lead/installation company. Servicelive. Seach this site for threads already about this company.

silvertree

Service Live gets 10% of your sale price. You sell a $30,000.00 job and they get $3000.00. They also suggest to the buyers that they will pay what they (the buyer) feels is a good price. This is a sucker deal! Service Live is Sears. I did Sears kitchens and it was the worst job I ever had in my life.

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Grumpy

I signed up. I have recieved no leads. Kinda odd they would compete with themselves since they install windows and siding but I am setiup to recieve those leads.

I don't see how it is a sucker deal. Put a price on it you think is fair, plsu their 10% and take it from there. When they offer to pay less you tell them to take less. They say no, you say no.

Bid a few and see how it goes. it's free to join.

cchipster

Hmmmm...Interesting info here. You say you got signed up and are ready to recieve leads...have they officially launched in your area? If so, what state are you in? How did you know you were completely registered? They told me all I needed was my background check completed, which I faxed them the form where they said over 2-weeks ago, and heard nothing back? Shouldnt have been any probs there.

I think it cant hurt to take some leads from this either. Im far from lighting a fire on the worlds a-- as a contractor, and still a million dollars short of being a millionaire, so, any extra work means only more $$$ for me! !!



CChipster

silvertree

OK, 10% is the cost and it's yes or no to join for all of us. I can say this though, Sears was such a bunch of low life people I couldn't believe the things they did to subs and customers. What's different here I believe is you are in charge and they get paid from you, so it's a lead service. 10% is too much for remodelers, if it was kitchen refacing, siding, doors or windows 10% or more lead cost in not unheard of, but it's too much for General Contractors.

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john elliott

Why so? Why can't the remodeler simply add 10% (or some slightly lower figure, bearing in mind that there wouldn't be any other costs in obtainng the lead) to his quote, as Grumpy suggested?

John

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PMI

I thought it all looked good, until they wanted all the sensitive data of my employees and my subs. I simply could not continue since I could not see how they would not attempt to solicit my people and sub-contractors at a later time. PMI is fully licensed, fully insured, and works rather strongly on reputation. It is not that I did not want to give ServiceLive a chance, but I could not see giving them my whole business on paper so that they can then do whatever it is they like in the future. I did request for them to contact me to discuss loosening their requirements, and have not heard back for a few weeks (as of this post). I can see you giving it a try if you are an independent, but I would be careful if you have employees and sub-contractors that you are not looking to just hand over to another company.

Jason Whipple

I get a lot of on line leads and find myself competing with Sears regularly. I always come in slightly under there bid. My guess is that there corporate over head is what puts there cost over mine.

I think it's a little fishy that they have there own lead generating service and asking other contractors to join. If I were to add 10% to my proposal it might put the Sears bid slightly under mine and they would likely be awarded the job. Looks like a win-win for Sears if they can get contractors to sign on. They'll either win the job or 10% of it. Plus you're providing them with the information about the sub contractors that help you win the jobs.

Heck, you might just as well fill out an employment application to Sears home improvement rather than join the lead service.

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silvertree

It's too easy to knock this Sears promotion (Service Live). None of these services put you or the customer first. But if you try this out, figure your lead cost close as you can and raise your price to make your markup. So if you are paying 5% of gross for advertising you only need to raise your price 5% to make the same money. That equals the 10% you give Service Live. But what I didn't like about this Sears deal is they say homeowners will pay prices they feel are fair. I will pass on this opportunity. They'll get stronger and we'll get weaker.

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Vote for Pedro
Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

allwalls

I joined back in August and was informed that the launch would be in January with a few site changes in their registration model going live in December which it did as well. They were true to their word. Like any startup it must be tested in the market place in order to see the value. I was informed that the launch in Cincy went well and that they're launching in 4 other states. The one thing I like about their approach is that they're testing ServiceLive in a live environment in test markets instead of launching it live nationally and having major growing pains.

As a service provider any additional work is always a pleasure and with that said I am more than willing to take the opportunity in another additional avenue of revenue. I never knock it until I try it.

dougchips

Wise words

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SelfContract

Yep, so many new companies now come out to compete with each other for leads services in this SLOW times. There will be more next years or so if economy still slow like this.

When housing/economy will be good/up later (> 2009), all these lead companies will be out of business because there is no need for ads/leads anymore. People WILL come/call/ask or looking for contractors by themselves, and not the other way around (contractors need to go looking/soliciting for works?) Everything has its own cycle, ladies & gentlement!

dougchips

I think the ON-LINE lead companies were started since contractors suck at marketing on-line. Consumers are looking for us on-line.....and the lead companies are just finding us for the consumers. Before they looked for us on-line they looked in the yellow pages, newspapers and other sources. I don't think the economy turns on or off the need for marketing.

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silvertree

Smart thinking, your probably right! As for Service Live, you will pay 10% and if you agree to that it's a fair deal. But to explain my position further, if you paid 10% to market your company you get all the residual benefits. You pay Service Live and they get the residual benefits. That a big deal to me!

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Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

dougchips

The question would be: can you find enough work at a lower rate then what Service Live offers? For some trades 10% might be a really high figure, for others it is a real bargin.

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silvertree

Who knows if 10% is too high or low. Just saying that if your going to spend 10%, which I did spend for "Kitchen Refacing" leads, that if you spend that to market just your company you will get all the recognition of that marketing. I may be wrong about this, but why give 10% to "Service Live" for leads, why not promote your company with that 10%. You would have more control then.
The other value of marketing your business yourself is you could probably do a job and work referrals from that job or market in the immediate area. I am guessing that Service Live will have you sign something like a non compete clause. You pay 10% after the sale and you can't go back and do more work for the same client. So it's their customer in a way. But I'm just guessing about that, but if I was them I would want some control over the jobs.

In response to finding work at a lower rate, yes I think I could market for less than 10%. For a specialty trade, maybe!

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Vote for Pedro
Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

AAComputer

Service Live is part of Sears, they are the worst. I would get random calls and emails for jobs that were far away, then they would offer about 20% of what the job should cost.
Service live is useless. They won't be around for very long.