What's With Folks From Angie's List

Gordo

It has been my experience of late that folks from Angie's list seem to feel they deserve next day non-emergency service from a heating company in January.
I don't know about others, but I find their sense of entitlement somewhat aggravating.
I would be interested in what you think.

Docfletcher

I think most likely they don't understand how busy you can be this time of year. Consumers often show little appreciation for the pressing schedules of journeymen, tradesmen and the like.

That's my opinion as a homeowner.

Snowmelt

They don't care about you. I tried using another service to get work, same crap, they asked a millions questions. After like 3 month I cancelled. I'd rather get work directly from the manufactures.

nicholas bonham-carter

Is Angie's list a subscriber/referral service, or is it based on hearsay from various pleased and disgruntled clients?--NBC

BobC

You pay a yearly membership fee to join the list. That entitles you to peruse the list of contractors and what people think about various contractors.

I don't think contractors have to join unless they want to offer a deal through the list. I used them this fall to get my 50+ year old fuse panel replaced and was happy with the service i got.

Bob

icesailor

nicholas bonham-carter said:

Is Angie's list a subscriber/referral service, or is it based on hearsay from various pleased and disgruntled clients?--NBC

Years ago, there was musical group, The Kingston Trio. They actually sold more records than the Beatles.

They had a song that I don't remember the name of, but it sort of covers the Angie's List's of the world.

Bad news travels like wildfire.

Good news travels slow.

Reminds me of Angie's List and all the other chair sitters that want me to let them stick their hand in my pockets to pick my wallet. Those services are just another financial extension of the Wall Street Crime Syndicate trying to vacuum up the rest of the cash money. And they want it right off the top.

icesailor

BobC said:

You pay a yearly membership fee to join the list. That entitles you to peruse the list of contractors and what people think about various contractors.

I don't think contractors have to join unless they want to offer a deal through the list. I used them this fall to get my 50+ year old fuse panel replaced and was happy with the service i got.

Bob

You could have been just as happy by asking the long time hired person that does your plumbing or heating for a recommendation. You know, they guy that you call for annual service that comes promptly and fixes your stuff. And you pay him promptly for good services. And don't go shopping for the "Best" (cheapest) price.

I don't know about others here, but I was always recommending specialty contractors (electricians especially) who I knew and trusted to do quality work. And they didn't have to supply a pair of jeans with a hole in the back and a jar of Vaseline.

No one wants to recommend a slug to a good customer. They/we don't want to hear about it when it goes bad.

Because the cash flows from the customers to us, someone, somewhere, always wants a piece of the action, We do all they work, they collect their "cut" by doing nothing.

Steve Minnich

I get an email a day from Angie's List trying to get me to be one of their minions.

No, thank you.

JStar

I've had very good experiences with Angie's List customers. With Angie's List itself, I have mostly negative opinions.

icesailor

@Jstar:

Joe: You've had more quality recommendations from people here in The Wall that are worth far more than being on Angie's List where you are just another player in the Bingo Game. (Someone else is calling out the numbers)

IMO.

unclejohn

I only get a few calls a year from Angie. Never had a pushy person but my guess is they think your gonna hop right over or they will give you a bad review.

JStar

icesailor said:

@Jstar:

Joe: You've had more quality recommendations from people here in The Wall that are worth far more than being on Angie's List where you are just another player in the Bingo Game. (Someone else is calling out the numbers)

IMO.

I am eternally grateful to this website, no doubt about it.

We get maybe one customer per month from AL. Even they will, by a small majority, have bad things to say about AL's service. It's becoming another Yellow Pages with slightly better quality control.

Docfletcher

I have a AL membership. I've never used any kind of contractor from them. The one time I did call a heating company was to get the notorious black plastic pipe replace with stainless. He could not give me a quote of any sort, saying I would need to pay for his time to get the needed materials together and pay for the installation time. Since he never did one he could not estimate how long it would take. Lastly, he would not come out to look at the job unless I paid him to do so. He said the AL service special did not apply to my type of service.

Needless to say I did not think to much of him. and I never really AL seriously. Partially because I am here in Newtown Ct and few contractors of any sort are nearby.

RobG

Docfletcher said:

I have a AL membership. I've never used any kind of contractor from them. The one time I did call a heating company was to get the notorious black plastic pipe replace with stainless. He could not give me a quote of any sort, saying I would need to pay for his time to get the needed materials together and pay for the installation time. Since he never did one he could not estimate how long it would take. Lastly, he would not come out to look at the job unless I paid him to do so. He said the AL service special did not apply to my type of service.

Needless to say I did not think to much of him. and I never really AL seriously. Partially because I am here in Newtown Ct and few contractors of any sort are nearby.

What is the notorious black plastic pipe that needs to be replaced with stainless?

Docfletcher

Here it is. The Black plastic boiler Exhaust.

http://screencast.com/t/mD97dAYiHZ57

Steve Minnich

HH's "Find a Contractor" generates more quality leads for me than everything except maybe referrals. The people who find me through this site tend to be more knowledgeable about hydronic heat (which I love), are far more interested in having it done the right way than down and dirty prices, and are able see the benefits to what I offer moreso than others.

icesailor

When I'd go on a service call, and It only took me 10 minutes to fix, when I was leaving and walking through the kitchen, and I noticed a hanging cabinet door (out of alignment), I'd stop and do a five minute adjustment. Because I know how. If I worked on your toilet or cleaned your boiler, the area was cleaner than before I got there.

No one ever paid me for making and leaving a mess. But they always gladly paid me for being neat and tidy.

Even if they weren't.

Steve Minnich

I try to do the same. I tell Tim we always leave the place cleaner than what we found it. Keeps trouble at bay.

I've been lucky enough to gain some other skills through the years too. Licensed electrician, was a union tinner for Local 73 in the 80's so if I'm able to help in other ways, I do the same.

Gordo

There is a side to angie's list that many homeowner members might not be aware of.

While it is true that a contractor cannot buy their way onto The List, once a contractor starts to garner a few positive reviews from members, they become angie's new bestest friends.

In other words, the irksomely persistent calls and emails from their frat house "boiler room" operation start and won't stop unless you threaten divine retribution.

They offer, at a cost of hundreds of dollars per month, to put your listing "at the top of the list" or some such rather nebulous promise.

When one demurs at the steep cost for little benefit, the offered price is immediately cut in half, but only for special friends of angie and that offer is good only until close of that business day.

When one asks if one becomes displeased with the service offered and if it can be cancelled, the cost to get out is 25% of the total remaining contract plus three months full price.

No thank you.

Long Live HeatingHelp.com!

Gordo

Stephen Minnich said:

HH's "Find a Contractor" generates more quality leads for me than everything except maybe referrals. The people who find me through this site tend to be more knowledgeable about hydronic heat (which I love), are far more interested in having it done the right way than down and dirty prices, and are able see the benefits to what I offer moreso than others.

Amen!

RobG

Stephen Minnich said:

I try to do the same. I tell Tim we always leave the place cleaner than what we found it. Keeps trouble at bay.

I totally agree, caveat! If you have ever been called out to a hoarders house all you want to do is RUN!!

icesailor

"" I totally agree, caveat! If you have ever been called out to a hoarders house all you want to do is RUN!! ""

Animal hoarders are the worst. Especially cat hoarders who don't have outside cats.

I'd rather go offshore fishing in long greasy swells than work in a cat hoarders house. The results will be the same. One you chum fish, the other requires a barf bag. Or a doggie poo bag.

Why is it that people always put the cat liter box next to the toilet? And never remove it when the plumber comes to fix the toilet? Not everyone enjoys the aroma of Eau Du Cat like they must. You certainly can't spend any quality reading time on the Porcelain Throne.