This feature in Pumper reports noteworthy conversations that take place at the Pumper Discussion Forum, an online forum for industry professionals found at www.pumper.com. Pumper Discussion enables exchange of information and ideas on septic and drainfield installation and maintenance, trucks and equipment, portable sanitation, chemical and additives and much more. Information and advice in “Overheard Online” is offered in good faith by industry professionals. However, readers should consult in depth with appropriate industry sources before applying such advice to a specific business situation.

Question

I am looking for feedback from anyone out there regarding Angie’s List [www.angieslist.com]. I am told I have been favorably reviewed but only picked up a few pumping jobs from that source in 2013 before I retired from the pumping business. Now I am only performing inspections and small repairs. I could sign up to advertise with them, which would result in more jobs. But living in an area where over half of the homes are on municipal sewers and only 3 percent of homes are for sale and would require a septic system inspection – these are my prospective customers – I am thinking this is not the way to go.

Answers

This is almost funny. Angie’s List touts on TV how you have to earn being on their list and you can’t pay to get on their list. But then they solicit businesses to pay for their service. For that reason I’ve always been out. And on top of that, with all the reviews I’ve had on their site and the BBB (Better Business Bureau site), I haven’t received enough work from both of them put together to amount to much. If I had to choose between the two I would go with the BBB.

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I have been advised there is a new outfit called HomeAdvisor [www.homeadvisor.com], which is about the same deal as Angie’s List except that it is free. I just got off the phone with the BBB before I turned on my computer this morning. I was with them for a couple of years about 10 years ago, but I only got a few jobs from that venue.

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I’ve been on HomeAdvisor for about two years. It works out well for me. It’s not free. They charge anywhere from $14 to $21 per lead. I close 95 percent of my leads. They have an app for your smartphone, which I like.