Angie's List

[Cookie]

I know Steve talked about this quite a few times, but, I found an advertisement for it in our local paper. I am not sure, if he ever posted a website address, it is as follows: www.angieslist.com

I am going to check it out later.

[jimbo]

I recommend that you search around this and other forums, and google around as well. Not all the reports about angies list have been favorable. Trade people have to pay for referrals, and do not like a lot of "lookie-loo" calls. I have read comments that some of the better people do not use the list anymore, because the cost/return did not work out.

I have no personal experience on either side of the equation, so this is just 3rd party feedback. Just do your research.

[hj]

I may have to check it out, just to see how they operate. All of the referral services I have been acquainted with have been unsatisfactory. Some people think they should get a discount for using the service, while others have a prioritized referral either by zip code or rotation spot on their list.

[Dunbar Plumbing]

This goes by zipcode. I had to put my zip in. No problem. I found my roofer comes highly recommeneded, which I already knew. I am going to put a comment there for the roofer though, because he did a great job on the roof, his price was very reasonable, which all customers did comment on, and he is extremely nice, which again all the customers commented on plus, of course the extremely good work he did. I would absolutely hire him, again, no problem their.

So far as one plumber. Well, he is the plumber/ceramic tile/ handyman --he is commented on under them all, and none too favorable. Would like to make my comment that this is the plumber from hell, but, I will be nice. I will also, be honest.

It is interesting, too look at those. I am sure glad though, lol, no one can check up on me like this, LOL. I am not so sure it is really ethical. It does invade somewhat someone's privacy. Is it constitutional? lol.

Praise the roofer and slam the plumber. If you are absolutely positive poor workmanship was the issue, they deserve the black eye coming to them. I would deserve the same if I was doing ill-respect towards customers in my profession.

Being nice to those who take of you is a matter of one's reasoning. I couldn't hand the thief a plate of cookies at my door everytime they stop by to steal from me.


Actually.....in that system those you give reports on (if they are a member themselves) can see what kind of reports you give to others.....and who you've dealt with in regards to service providers. If you are notorious for being hard-nosed or nitpick contractors to death......well....not only the SP's but other Angie's List clientell will judge whether your intention is to bash or give a legit rating on the SP.

Most if not all of the members are really decent......and when you hear of their complaint of the contractor.......most of the time it is justified and the SP's have to answer for it. It really makes us as service providers accountable for offering the best service to our customers. Those who think it is a hayride to mow down their customers because they can't do much to hurt their public relations? Welcome to Angie's List and it will tarnish your name if the area you live in has a large population of members. Not exactly getting any ground in your bad movements towards others.


A service provider has to be accountable that his private experience with a customer can instantly become public when they take missteps and take advantage of their customer.

It's a public experience all the time for those to talk of others when they do good work; same applies for bad.

Do me a favor and call them tell them you are moving to Cincinnati/Kentucky area and would like to know of the plumbers in that area....

When you inquire by phone it will show up on your "recent categories" or "recently viewed" specific SP's.

Check out my reports/status with them and you'll see why I get bent on people half-assing work for others.

Just about all of that AL base are people who got screwed by SP's. Then I come around cleaning up all the messes.

I have pictures on my cell phone of a contractor (Mr. Handyman) who came in and needed to fix a floor where a toilet had been leaking. I tell the customer to get the floor renewed, don't let them drill the hole for the new flange; I'll take care of the rest.

When I figure out how to get those pictures up I'll finish the story and you'll hear the response that company tried to tell me and the customer that we both didn't know how to fix plumbing. ????

You don't have to watch the WWF to see a body slam after her and I dealt with this company. It was fun.

[master plumber mark]

I am a happy member of Angies list.....

but I feel that Angies list is not actually honest and upfront
about the contractors on their list.....


when I originally tried to get on their list I was told that only
through rferrals from angies list members could I be "blessed"
with membership...

once I was granted this great honor, I was apporached by the salesman at Angies list and politely asked to advertise in their monthly publlication.....

I was stunned to find out that to have a business sized card in
their monthly flyer that only goes out to about 35,000 people in our state region, it would cost me about $900.......yes thats right
$900...a month.. this is higher than a good sized ad in the big yellow page book!!!!!

Then I was told that if I advertised with them I would get preferrential treatment and would be on their-- "best buddies"--
list of contractors that they recommended to perspective
customers....over the phone....

I politely declined, which they said was ok too.---they just would
not highly recommend me (now aint that sweet)


Since that time, I have been made aware of a number of other plumbers in
town that have terrible track records but are still on Angies list...

one such person put in a 40 gal gas water heater for a customer for $1500 and then gave the customer a 10% angies list discount!!!!!!
wow , what a deal.....



and now it makes me curious to wonder if Angie looks the other way
for these $$Advertiseing buddies $$ when they gouge and mess up



COOOKIE would you not say that this is
what they call in the book

------a shake down of sorts????

I do use their logo,
but I am not going to bribe them for work...

[Dunbar Plumbing]

Indy is home base for AL. I agree with your statement about preferential treatment to their paid advertisers.


I ran a 12 word ad for 2 years when I first got involved with them; got 1 call for an estimate 21 miles away which I turned down.


They screwed up an honor roll advertisement of mine that should of never been sent to print and even though it was printed and looked horrible.....they refused to give my money back or run a correction.

They haven't recieved one red cent since that mistake and I stand out on that system since I have no advertising with them whatsoever.

Been that way for almost 3 years now and that won't change.....otherwise, like you say above.....it taints the trueness of the system.

One plumber in Cincinnati has 224 reports to my small 55. You know why too.

[master plumber mark]

I despise being shook down

I totally despise any plumbing inspector looking
for a handout

I absolutely HATE the YELLOW PAGES and the head games they
try to play with me each and every year.....

and I simply wont play this game......


the consumer has no idea that they are
being bent over by Angie and many , many times
grossly overcharged by their "preferred" contractors.....



I was actually shook down by an angies list member once too...

they reported me to Angies list for literally nothing at all, then
when I confronted them on teh phone about it they told me
it would be erased from the A site if I gave them back all their money.......

I was told by Angie that it was their word against mine
and I think if I were one of their $advertiseing buddies$ they
would have made it all go away......


After a screaming match on the phone,
with this fine upstanding fellow
I gave this puss bucket back his money

but of course he never totally kept his word...

anyway what comes around goes around..

[Mike50]

I would only use Angies list as a tool for research on a vendor.
No problem with that at all.

Get creative and really learn to do research beyond a cursory google search.

Before I selected the company to replace my septic tank---I knew more about the owner than you can believe.

I bet if you give Angie enough dough, good old Angie would nominate you for the Nobel Prize. I could be wrong but I doubt it....

If I owned a business that needed to do serious research on vendors/people weekly I would be using Lexisnexis. It's not cheap.

Luckily I live in a small town so I just call the local hardware store for referrals.
Can't beat low-tech sometimes.

Mike

[Mike50]

If you have to???- use a nic and non identifying info.
You don't want a water heater thru your living room window. ;-)

Dont libel yourself.

[Mike50]

Aw. Geez. What did you say...?
just remember to duck...lol

I speak out as well Cookie. 2006 was a good year. I wrote 3+ positive letters about service/vendors/products.
Toto was one.

That being said---there is world of Diff between a tradesguy who is just a boob having a bad day--OR someone who is seriously a Cheat-Liar-Bum.


Mike

[Dunbar Plumbing]

Steve, (Rugged)

You got a commendable record with Angie's List. Congrats! You would be hired in a heartbeat.

Should mention, they got a new sector closer to your area, you should absolutely include that area, too.

Cookie

Thanks. 54 A's and one set of C's just because I cancelled a estimate 4 days in advance isn't too shabby.

I haven't received a report in awhile. Usually October brings a flurry of members calling me because that is the time they start hounding the service providers to advertise. This year it didn't happen to me and I'm in no position to take on anymore work than I already can handle.

Most work from that system brings on elective plumbing work which I'd rather be the one who goes out on the drop of a dime to fix a plumbing emergency rather than someone who has a punch list of numerous plumbing issues.

You get to a place in every profession that you want to do what makes the best bang for the buck and has you back home having a personal life aside from work. At one time I was driven that all that matters is work. I'm slowly getting a good balance where if the phone rings I don't feel like a dog with its leash being tugged.

I'm in the "oh well" category that no matter how many calls I turn away....my advertising and word of mouth keeps my hands moving every week without complaint.

The only goals I have with my business now is to pay off its debt, concentrate heavily on direct-mail advertising in my local area instead of 2 or 3 counties away and become organized on the paper side of this business. A huge relief follows if I can get my new secretary and myself with continual follow-ups with new or repeat customers, annual reminders to existing customer base of certain to do's on their recent expenditures.

[Mike50]

Let the buyer Beware.

All this online reviewing business is in it's infancy folks. As long as you are armed with the knowledge of how easy it is to give bogus reviews then go for it.

I use wikipedia for definitions and research.
Should your kid use it for college term paper purposes? NO.

I buy books from Amazon. Are the reviews all honest? NO.


Are some of Angie's list reviews (good and bad) agenda driven and fabricated by consumers as well as service providers? YES

No substitute for critical research.

[rudytheplbr]

Well, I don't think I would use their list for anything, I entered my Zip to see if there is any plumbers or contractors on the list in my area, and this list does not know the town for the zip code entered.
They gave me Edna Bay instead of Ketchikan, AK

[Mike50]

Let me say this: The real beauty of the internet is all the free information available. You don't have to be a Techie or data-miner to become semi-expert at gathering data.

Before I invested in a very expensive septic system earlier this year I had it nailed down to one vendor pretty fast.
I found out about his family's local history in the septic business which went back over 80 years.

I also found documents
in the public record.
This guy testified in Washington DC regarding gray water issues and systems about 5 years ago.

It's all free-it's more work and you must be creative.
Right enough, I do some pro bono research for a non profit organization so it easy for me-but easily learned.

It's not rocket science to create any ficticious company you want and plant glowing reviews
for others to "discover"... that would likely come up in google searches after a little while.

I also met a fellow several years back who authored a book offered on Amazon.
Guess what--he and his friends loaded up the reviews section with 4 stars.
The book sucked BTW imo. lol

That is also Why I'm not giving bad reviews of anyone unless they outright
stole or cheated me.

The best plumber in town will have a bad day where everything goes wrong
and the customer is pissed off. The rest of the year he is just Stellar-in all ways.
Do You really want a guy like that to be saddled with a searing review that will affect him and his family for many many years? Not me...
This stuff is "forever". Even these posts are. There are people that actually archive
messageboards. Not sure why-but they do-and store it on disc.

If I don't like you-or him me--it's irrelevant imo.
Not to mention you have crazies & drunks writing reviews all day long.

Checking good\bad\average boxes is one thing.
If you must slam the guy you best get familiar with online libel laws,right now.
That is reality..

As I said in another post Angie is just One tool in the toolbox.


This is all new and changing daily.

Mike

[Dunbar Plumbing]

I did work for a AL member I've done work for a few times and he made a point of telling me that the Cincinnati chapter now has a way to include pictures into the reports.

This is the first I've heard of this but for those in any profession are thinking they'll be able to talk themselves out of a mess, this latest addition to the system will hurt like salt in an open wound.

Some of these members won't even disclaim that they belong to such a system just to see how the contractor operates to the general public.

Accountability says it all when you work for the public. You screw up/take advantage of others and systems like AL become the enforcement group to protect others from shoddy workmanship.

That system in 3 years has expanded quite rapidly in many states. Before too long every state will have numerous chapters. It goes far beyond the limitations of the BBB with the juicy details and pictures to boot.