[blacktop]

Maybe we can set up a hologram addition with a swimming pool. Worked for M. Jackson.

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3017624/now-complete-the-worlds-first-3-d-printed-room


You may not be too far off. Wonder If It will pass the tape test? :laughing:

 

[BigPoppa]

I have been involved with Friend Trusted for 4 jobs now and I there is no disconnect because it is simply a way for the customers to put their job out there without having to deal with calling contractors that they may be intimidated to deal with or not having the time to call three or more. Once the contact it made, it is the responsibility of the pro to close the deal just like they would any other job! Who would not want a job that has no upfront cost or risk associated with it?

You still have to go and price the job so thats costs right there. Plus they want $5 just to tell you the contact info. Plus what does it cost to estimate a bunch of stuff that might not even be submitted to the client. My time is not free and for every time wasted bid then the paying clients have to spend more. Basic overhead calculations there.

 

[Unger.const]

I am an electrical contractor here in Western North Carolina, and I first encountered the Friend Trusted service when I got a text from them stating a “Free Lead” has come in for you. Although I did not subscribe or pay anything to receive this lead, I was intrigued so I responded. It was cool because the homeowner was looking for a complete kitchen remodel wiring ballpark estimate here in Arden NC. I was able to respond with a rough estimate and was given the flexibility to insert a bid note that said what and what not the estimate included ( I also gave a mini commercial pumping up my qualifications to the homeowner).
It worked out well because I was able to meet with the customer a couple of days later. They charged me a small fee to see the customer’s info, I think it was to make sure I was serious. Anyway, I met with customer, firmed up my bid, and got the job.
This was not bad for getting a lead out of the blue! I have now done 3 jobs for them and they all have been profitable motivated home owners.
All I can say is keep the jobs coming Friend Trusted because their service is a great way to supplement my other marketing efforts without any upfront cost or risk.
AAA Buncombe Electric
NC Electrical License #28304

Thats weird...........today is the first time I have seen this post and it said at the bottom that I "thanked" them. Did I do this in my sleep? (Not a usual habbit for me) I have already clicked unthank.

Why post your company name and number but only on this post?

Why is it he joined CT over a year ago. Posted twice with small comments. Then silent for a year and a half Then posts a lengthy story defending a web company?

Too many warning signals? Did someone hack in and and try too hard to make it look legit?

Am I watching to much Fargo on fx thinking I should be a detective?

 

[Skyvorima]

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3017624/now-complete-the-worlds-first-3-d-printed-room


You may not be too far off. Wonder If It will pass the tape test? :laughing:

3-D printers will be the ultimate death of our economy. Elysium Rising.

 

[Unger.const]

3-D printers will be the ultimate death of our economy. Elysium Rising.

Not to worry by the time that happens I will have built the rocket-shuttle that I watched norm Abrams great grandson built on the new new yankee workshop. And be on my way to live on a different planet that there trying a new type of society built on the original US constitution.

 

[Driftweed]

Got 3 texts today for work I do not do.

1: I only advertise on facebook with a company page and no campaigns.

2: I do not do residential work. Commercial only.

So, makes ya wonder how they got my number, other than through spammer methods. That means to me these are spammers and don't use them.

 

[Unger.const]

Wow. Got a text today from the local area code. Job in the next town over. You have first priority to bid in the next 24 hours and then the friend trusted link.

I looked at the link to see what the gig is.......ugh looked like either a pain in the neck or tire kickers just wondering what it would cost. Neither way I didn't want to waste my time.

Texted back soooooo not interested in their program. Remove me from their list. They said sure and when I am out of work they would give me one credit to go bid a job and try them out.

Not sure why I am bothered so much by their system..........but.

I looked into them again to see if things have gotten better with them and I am just being dumb.........but it's just getting worse. Here is things I've found.

1) they are paying for these little blog mom's to do post (pretending it's just some awesome service they just happened to find) and how easy it is to use. But yet don't seem to actually hire someone.
2) in their little cartoon video of how it works. They make it sound like mom's are too feeble to talk to a contractor. And that contractors are just mean and combative to deal with. Then show how the app works. They vetted all these contractors so you know it's safe (but yet they never vetted anything about me, fact they don't even call to find out if I am the real deal, they just send a non personal text message that if I want to go bid I can pay them and they will give me someone's information) The cartoon mom chooses the lowest bidder. Job finished. Then they pay the cartoon mom for using the service............WHAT THE F***? So tradesman have to pay someone that will pay someone else to hire said tradesman? ( I wonder if they were made to disclaim up front. "Download our app. Then we will charge contractors money to bid on your project to which they will up the price to cover that cost. And so you will end up paying more then if you would have just contacted those evil mean and combative contractors yourself ")
3)there are a whole bunch of "investors" that are getting in on this company.....troubling.
4)tons of comments all over about neat app. But none of them saying how they have used it them self.
5)........oh jeez how many other bad problems with this could I list.

 

[VinylHanger]

I got one too. Being told I have first priority made me feel like I had won the lottery... in Nigeria.

 

[SuperiorHIP]

I got one too. Being told I have first priority made me feel like I had won the lottery... in Nigeria.

You won that too? Damn pot is getting smaller and smaller.

 

[SectorSecurity]

If the customer can't be bothered to do some research and find contractors doing what they want done then I can't be bothered with them.

To me its just another middle man wanting a chunk out of the pie for doing next to nothing.

 

[EthanB]

I don't use any of the lead services but, having worked in other industries, contractors seem to be a little uptight about marketing services. Marketing services exist to make a margin on introducing customers to suppliers. That's the job. It's not personal.

If the FT numbers are accurate then I'd say they're pretty reasonable. $5 to meet a lead is nothing, 5% is something but it's not ridiculously high for a CLOSED sale. It's also capped at $500 so that lowers the percentage even more if you're average ticket is over $10k. Most businesses spend far more than 5% on advertising. It's not like they aren't doing anything to earn the money, they're directing the leads to you which means they're marketing THEIR services, which costs money.

You may not like the service but it seems a lot more transparent than Angies List.

 

[Unger.const]

Define transparent. ....hahaha


I like what angies list started out as. But when they started messing things around by pissing off half of the people in their system by becoming some genius marketing program they lost their way in my book.

I get the idea of marketing or even being a middle man that's not my issue. It all the extra shady stuff that has me all bent out of shape.........like our businesses need any more black eyes.

They send me a text saying I have first priority to bid a project. But then come to find out they sent the same text at the same time to another contractor. (How many others did they send it to?)

3rd party biz would be one thing. But they are a 4th party! So when someone does one of their app things. Friend trusted goes onto angies list and bombs contractors in that area with texts. So if it were not for angies list then friend trusted would have to get out of their mothers basement and do some homework to go find contractors in an area.

 

[Unger.const]

Guess my hunch was right. They are feeding of other sources true or not.