rated people

[derek hunter]

hi anyone use rated people or service magic on here
thanks

 

[lame plumber]

all these sites seem to want your money and your not guarenteed a job, just access to quote for it, I prefer to advertise locally and get my name on company websites as an approved techie with that company

 

[derek hunter]

thanks just trying to get a feel for for it

 

[Rob Sale]

I've used rated people but i binned them last week. been using Servicemagic for service and repair leads, however with service magic they automatically send you the lead whether you want it or not. you have to put leads on hold. it's down fall is you can't cherry pick leads like rated. but next month i'm binning them when its busier.

 

[derek hunter]

thanks for advice its a bit of a lottery then

 

[Rob Sale]

I think for gereral repair and servicing leads your money would be better spent on other ads. I'd say may be ok for people for installs. You''l find penny pinchers on these networks whom don't want to spend or can't afford to spend the money and just want a quote for the sake of it.

 

[warrington]

I have tried trail, seems like loads of them were just people wanted to have an idea about quotes, there were no jobs need doing on most of them!

 

[AMGasServices]

I nearly got stung by one of them sites I was getting calls 24/7. I was thinking of joining one until I caught the sales rep out it was something about giving me an area and not giving it to other engineers. I couldn't be bothered by the lies. Soo thought its not worth it.

I use a free website to get leads.

 

[Whl4852]

I know you asked regarding rated people, but just wanted to warn you that I spent £1000 advertising with home base and a supermarket. Didn't get one single enquiry. I now have a free add on gum tree and I get a steady stream of work, also I use Facebook, think that's great as people talk. Hope this help, good luck :builder:

 

[fubar1000]

I was on 'My hammer' for a bit. Priced loads of jobs but didn't get any work from it, I turned up to price a new install, there was 1 engineer already there (in the property doing a quote) then when he left I went in to do my quote & when I came out there was 2 vans sitting outside waiting to do the same lol

Spent a few ££££ with them but didn't get any back

Been placing adds in the local rags for 4-6 months, spending around £200-£300 a month, biggest job I had was disconnect a cooker then reconnect.

Pulling my adds out of the papers next week, save some money. Seem to get a lot more work from word of mouth, by going the extra mile, being friendly & offering good prices.

 

[GasMark1]

i get bits and pieces from "findatrade" you can specified how many leads a week you want and edit it to what sort of work and where you want it, you do get time wasters but you can request a refund from them leads that are wasters, also "yell" is ok with the elderly as they st il use "yellow pages" and Poole and Bournemouth is full of them, Yell has just changed its name to HIBU so cant see it being all that for much longer .
Mark

 

[JJ The Plumber]

Service magic just bombard you with emails which I found to be absolute rubbish and Rated People were completely useless.
Not a single enquiry from Rated people in 2 months. They told me I'd had 300 people look for me on their site. It was down to how many clicks on their website which I think is just a crock of ****. When I asked sales guy at rated people why no enquiries he had no answer and said this had never happened to them before.
Didn't have a single job from them only phone calls bugging me to take more advertising.

Do yourself a favour and steer clear of both.

 

[demrece]

Hi , I am a gas engineer/plumber and I use to have a tradesman account with Rated People for last 2 years. I used to pay £40 per each 3 months + price for each lead. Last one year I did not buy any leads from them because I have enough job to do but continued to pay them £40 for each 3 months.
Just now before Xmas'2013 I paid £51.20 for a lead 'combi boiler replacement'. They sent me contact details of the client. I contact the client and ask him for available day and time to visit the property, to check the system and be able to give him a quote. Client said that access is not possible at first . On second call he told me that job is not more available , his council is going to do the job. I call back Rated People and ask my £51.20 for this lead to be given back as a credit. They told me that the amount can not be given back and they changed their policy since 11.12.2013 and there is not any more 'refund policy'. I can not describe to you my RAGE. I closed my account with them. They do not do any thing just sell contact details of the client to 3 tradesman and finish. No one care for the client and the tradesman. Clients does not lose anything but we as a tradesman losing money.

 

[northcarr]

I had a company on the phone today wanting £150 for six month's worth of lead's lol and surprise surprise they needed another engineer in my postcode as they did not have enough to cope with the work workload lol. These companies are just Leach's / salesmen I tell all of them that I am more than happy for me to pay them if I get the work but not for possible work as that does not pay my bills but hey ho non of them are interested in that lol.

 

[solutions]

Hi , I am a gas engineer/plumber and I use to have a tradesman account with Rated People for last 2 years. I used to pay £40 per each 3 months + price for each lead. Last one year I did not buy any leads from them because I have enough job to do but continued to pay them £40 for each 3 months.
Just now before Xmas'2013 I paid £51.20 for a lead 'combi boiler replacement'. They sent me contact details of the client. I contact the client and ask him for available day and time to visit the property, to check the system and be able to give him a quote. Client said that access is not possible at first . On second call he told me that job is not more available , his council is going to do the job. I call back Rated People and ask my £51.20 for this lead to be given back as a credit. They told me that the amount can not be given back and they changed their policy since 11.12.2013 and there is not any more 'refund policy'. I can not describe to you my RAGE. I closed my account with them. They do not do any thing just sell contact details of the client to 3 tradesman and finish. No one care for the client and the tradesman. Clients does not lose anything but we as a tradesman losing money.

My experience is exactly the same mate. There just middlemen doing everything they can to make money for nothing. To those who have not fallen foul already, steer well clear.

 

[billybob150811]

done a two month trial on rated people its a race to the bottom price wise ending my trial which speaks volumes

 

[WHPES]

Put a few oil boiler services on ebay at a fixed price (excluding parts other than a nozzle) and got a couple of customers that way. I find that its good to try a few different things for advertising rather than heaping all your eggs in one basket. The rated people type sites only enable people using them to haggle tradesmen down to rock bottom prices which are barely worth getting out of bed for.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Hi , I am a gas engineer/plumber and I use to have a tradesman account with Rated People for last 2 years. I used to pay £40 per each 3 months + price for each lead. Last one year I did not buy any leads from them because I have enough job to do but continued to pay them £40 for each 3 months.
Just now before Xmas'2013 I paid £51.20 for a lead 'combi boiler replacement'. They sent me contact details of the client. I contact the client and ask him for available day and time to visit the property, to check the system and be able to give him a quote. Client said that access is not possible at first . On second call he told me that job is not more available , his council is going to do the job. I call back Rated People and ask my £51.20 for this lead to be given back as a credit. They told me that the amount can not be given back and they changed their policy since 11.12.2013 and there is not any more 'refund policy'. I can not describe to you my RAGE. I closed my account with them. They do not do any thing just sell contact details of the client to 3 tradesman and finish. No one care for the client and the tradesman. Clients does not lose anything but we as a tradesman losing money.

I noticed them squeaking that announcement last month, it's a pretty snakey move

 

[Ermintrude]

As said above they are all r se holes. I'm starting one up but it's going to be much better....

I get the job for you, get the custard to pay you top whack, then when it's all done and everyone is happy you send me £50? On a handshake obviously.


Hope this business model takes off?

 

[IDCHAPPY]

As said above they are all r se holes. I'm starting one up but it's going to be much better....

I get the job for you, get the custard to pay you top whack, then when it's all done and everyone is happy you send me £50? On a handshake obviously.


Hope this business model takes off?

Count me in big boy

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

As said above they are all r se holes. I'm starting one up but it's going to be much better....

I get the job for you, get the custard to pay you top whack, then when it's all done and everyone is happy you send me £50? On a handshake obviously.


Hope this business model takes off?

Good luck with that!!!
We will sign up.

 

[tonto33]

findatrade used to send us emails about jobs trying to get us to sign up to them, lucky for me they put map of where customer lived so zoomed in on google map find the correct street then do flyer drop on that area normally pick up more than one job and not had to sign to any of these companies

 

[gassafe]

Over 50 quid for the opportunity to quote a combi swop! OMG!!!

 

[hammers4spanner]

Over 50 quid for the opportunity to quote a combi swop! OMG!!!

alot of money that is

i could understand if it was a fiver but 50 quid is a tad steep

 

[A1P]

As said above they are all r se holes. I'm starting one up but it's going to be much better....

I get the job for you, get the custard to pay you top whack, then when it's all done and everyone is happy you send me £50? On a handshake obviously.


Hope this business model takes off?

If it was as described ,in other words you provided a combi-swap,'signed, sealed,delivered 'for a £50 fee it would be very fair.

 

[MarieHigham]

My web designer guy has built a website but just for plumbers as that is who he mainly works for. His theory is that if he can get work for individual plumbers and they pay him £500+ per month for social media and se optimisation he can get them for all plumbers if plumbers pay £120 per year taking out commission fees and short list fees such as MyBuilder. I think that is a pretty fair price is it not? £10 a month and he does everything ie; advertisement and he isn't greedy or hungry unlike MyBuilder, ServiceMagic and RatedPeople who all have investors and need to make money at all costs.

 

[A1P]

My web designer guy has built a website but just for plumbers as that is who he mainly works for. His theory is that if he can get work for individual plumbers and they pay him £500+ per month for social media and se optimisation he can get them for all plumbers if plumbers pay £120 per year taking out commission fees and short list fees such as MyBuilder. I think that is a pretty fair price is it not? £10 a month and he does everything ie; advertisement and he isn't greedy or hungry unlike MyBuilder, ServiceMagic and RatedPeople who all have investors and need to make money at all costs.

Hi Marie,I read your various posts with interest.You are making your way in this trade and it is not easy.You seem to have a great deal of faith in the power of the internet.I hope it works for you but do investigate thoroughly.
Firstly let me deal with all these internet companies that leech on the honest trader and in many ways are less than honest in their business dealings.I am like the vast majority on here.I would not pay anyone for the possibilty of finding me work for what often can be the wrong type of customer who only want quotes,cheapest price etc.You are tied into expensive arrangements and the only winner is them.I accept some do OK.
Regarding your web designer guy and the costs.I had a long time when I was scraping buy and living at home because I had to,not because I chose to.There is no way I had £500+ spare per month and if I had it would not have gone on advertising on or off the web.Tools/van/putting myself through college were the priority.I believe you sell yourself and your skills and getting your foot in doors is the key but not convinced internet firms or even personal web sites are the answer,especially at the prices you mention for an optimized web site.I see websites as possibly more effective as a show case for your business rather than relying on it to establish it.
Re-the alternative to My Builder etc,'How would that work?'What would be the costs and what would you get?

 

[northcarr]

Hi Marie,I read your various posts with interest.You are making your way in this trade and it is not easy.You seem to have a great deal of faith in the power of the internet.I hope it works for you but do investigate thoroughly.
Firstly let me deal with all these internet companies that leech on the honest trader and in many ways are less than honest in their business dealings.I am like the vast majority on here.I would not pay anyone for the possibilty of finding me work for what often can be the wrong type of customer who only want quotes,cheapest price etc.You are tied into expensive arrangements and the only winner is them.I accept some do OK.
Regarding your web designer guy and the costs.I had a long time when I was scraping buy and living at home because I had to,not because I chose to.There is no way I had £500+ spare per month and if I had it would not have gone on advertising on or off the web.Tools/van/putting myself through college were the priority.I believe you sell yourself and your skills and getting your foot in doors is the key but not convinced internet firms or even personal web sites are the answer,especially at the prices you mention for an optimized web site.I see websites as possibly more effective as a show case for your business rather than relying on it to establish it.
Re-the alternative to My Builder etc,'How would that work?'What would be the costs and what would you get?

Ahaaa someone with sense and years of experience wise words.

 

[Dusty23]

My mate who used to sub a bit to "property developer" had problems getting money out of the said character , he tried screwing the customer on extras that did not exist and the customer did not settle the extras but paid for work that had been done . The developer then tried blaming the subbies for it , but at the same time told the subbies that the customer refused to pay .

The customer found the "developer " on one of those sites and after along episode my mate went round and had a chat with customer directly which was very revealing . None of the subbies got paid . they had also left very bad / negative feedback for the "developer" . Within 24 hours the feedback was removed from the site . When they contacted the site they refused to comment on it .

This is just goes to prove that not only do the sites take your money but it also proves that these "rate my .........." Sites are nothing but crooks and as bad as the cowboys they take the money from . No bad if you like robbing people and protecting the guilty so they can do it again

cheers

 

[Dusty23]

My mate who used to sub a bit to "property developer" had problems getting money out of the said character , he tried screwing the customer on extras that did not exist and the customer did not settle the extras but paid for work that had been done . The developer then tried blaming the subbies for it , but at the same time told the subbies that the customer refused to pay .

The customer found the "developer " on one of those sites and after along episode my mate went round and had a chat with customer directly which was very revealing . None of the subbies got paid . they had also left very bad / negative feedback for the "developer" . Within 24 hours the feedback was removed from the site . When they contacted the site they refused to comment on it .

This is just goes to prove that not only do the sites take your money but it also proves that these "rate my .........." Sites are nothing but crooks and as bad as the cowboys they take the money from . No bad if you like robbing people and protecting the guilty so they can do it again

cheers

 

[willing2learn]

It seems sites like these will soon be found out, bad news travels faster than good. Shocking how they operate. I agree with the person that said regulation of these sites would be a very good idea.

a little blog.....

Aqua Tackler | WordPress Ramblings of a Disgruntled Plumber

 

[Ermintrude]

Yep just set up my site. Fist job is a combi swap in Piccadilly it's a sunny d to ideal logic 30+

Horizontal std flue, conny into stack.

Custard has paid and job is yours for £50.

You will be paid £1600 plus expenses and you can stay in house foc for a week.

 

[willing2learn]

Yep just set up my site. Fist job is a combi swap in Piccadilly it's a sunny d to ideal logic 30+

Horizontal std flue, conny into stack.

Custard has paid and job is yours for £50.

You will be paid £1600 plus expenses and you can stay in house foc for a week.

what site?

 

[vern]

All full of empty promises, heard too many horror stories, money taken and no work etc

 

[willing2learn]

All full of empty promises, heard too many horror stories, money taken and no work etc

Yep, i agree. Im toying with the idea of coming up with a better model. One that is more friendly to us plumbers.