Business Idea

[willing2learn]

Morning all.

I've been doing a bit of research, about all these current (mostly dodgy, money grabbing!) sites, that provide boiler leads for a cost.

I currently think that their current business model just doesn't work properly. Why should we pay for the chance to quote, only to be undercut by some cowboy without qualifications?

My question to you lovely, hard working Gas Safe Registered engineers is - would you be willing to use a boiler lead site (for boiler replacements initially) where you only paid a small price for the lead, when you actually win/complete the job? As I've seen several people mention they'd be willing to pay when they actually complete the job. I certainly would, as it'd only be a tiny percentage of the final price.

I'd really appreciate if you could take the time to give me a little bit of feed back on this, even if it's a simple yes or no, as to whether you'd be willing to pay (a very small fee) for this service?

I've added a poll above, so feel free to just click, if you're short on time.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Dom

 

[solutions]

Interesting.... I would consider it.

 

[AMGasServices]

Yes you can also have an contract of work on your site. So the engineer and customer is protected for each job.

 

[willing2learn]

Thanks for the feedback so far guys, all duly noted.

 

[Hirstgas]

How many people would be quoting per job?

 

[willing2learn]

How many people would be quoting per job?

I was planning on making it as few as possible, 2 ideally, 3 at most, as the majority of customers will get 3 and go for the middle (the sensible customers anyway!)

im im just at the validation stage at the moment, to see if it's got potential.

i wanted the site to be more beneficial to the tradesmen rather than just a site that customers use to compare prices without much intention of getting the work done.

 

[mfgs]

Whats to stop people saying they did the work outside of getting the lead and then not paying?

 

[mfgs]

Just to add, I like the idea but whats to stop tradesmen exploiting it.

 

[willing2learn]

Whats to stop people saying they did the work outside of getting the lead and then not paying?

yes, I thought if that point already, I'm just trying to work out a system that would prevent this, or at least reduce it.

Just to add, I like the idea but whats to stop tradesmen exploiting it.

Thanks for the feedback - I'm Just validating the idea at mo, so trying to put systems in place to reduce the risk.

 

[Killy Bing]

Yes BUT i would want to have to be verified for the areas of work and being gas safe.

i can see how it can be exploited but hopefully you would do some policing
for example ringing the person who posted the lead if anyone did the work.
if they avoid paying you ban their bum from the system.
No second chances

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

what about make database of engineers willing to do the work with the coverage they do.

 

[willing2learn]

Yes BUT i would want to have to be verified for the areas of work and being gas safe.

i can see how it can be exploited but hopefully you would do some policing
for example ringing the person who posted the lead if anyone did the work.
if they avoid paying you ban their bum from the system.
No second chances

brilliant, good points raised there, thanks for the input.

what about make database of engineers willing to do the work with the coverage they do.

Yep, I'm thinking of something along those lines, also a section for the engineers to be able to showcase some of their previous jobs.

 

[Ermintrude]

You been reading my posts? Tut tut.

A much more beneficial scheme would be a co operative.

Only issues are

1. Who's doing leg work and admin?

2. Who's bankrolling advertising as don't think it's an investment as checked and vetted and trust a trader already made a mess of it and desperately trying to up their game

3. what can you do as remediation when one of your custards is unhappy? Who u going to pay to check job and make informed and impartial dedication ? That's what's lacking and will you also keep negative and harmful comments up?

 

[willing2learn]

You been reading my posts? Tut tut.

A much more beneficial scheme would be a co operative.

Only issues are

1. Who's doing leg work and admin?

2. Who's bankrolling advertising as don't think it's an investment as checked and vetted and trust a trader already made a mess of it and desperately trying to up their game

3. what can you do as remediation when one of your custards is unhappy? Who u going to pay to check job and make informed and impartial dedication ? That's what's lacking and will you also keep negative and harmful comments up?

Hi Ermintrude,

which posts? I think I commented on one of yours the other day

I'm doing a business development course at the moment and just looking to validate ideas, but i think this one has potential IF it's well thought out at the beginning.

ill have to do a lot of the work myself to start with, I'm well aware of that, but then I could look to outsource the web/admin/techy side of things. I don't want the site to be full of ads, maybe just a few links to other related sites. Try and get something going with a few boiler manufacturers.

the third point, it depends on what business model i go for, as in whether they become the engineers customer once the lead is passed on, if that makes sense. but there'll have to be some sort of vetting process to try and ensure we get the better engineers on side, and then have some sort of an area for the engineers to show case their work. I know this will be the tricky part of the set up of the site, as I know there are customers out there that just like to moan, even if there's nothing wrong! I think the negative comments should be allowed to go up, after hearing both sides of story and also showing how the problem/dispute (if any) was solved.

 

[A1P]

A basic question.Where is the work coming from? If from a Website ,it will be exceedingly costly to compete with what is an already overcrowded market place.I do not see any easy way of eliminating/reducing the time wasters.We get them in our day to day work but soon develop ways of weeding them out.(Ignorant customers thread).There is quite a lot of trust involved but hopefully you would not be hit too badly.You would need a careful recruiting process.
This might sound a bit negative.I would like to think it is realistic.It could work.I have started to do work for 2 other tradesman and pay a finders fee depending on the job.I keep detailed records of the work.I have been happy with the quality of the customers(mainly boiler repairs)and hopefully the money will be well received when we meet up shortly.This is not what you are proposing but has a lot of what you need in terms of trust and quality leads.

 

[willing2learn]

A basic question.Where is the work coming from? If from a Website ,it will be exceedingly costly to compete with what is an already overcrowded market place.I do not see any easy way of eliminating/reducing the time wasters.We get them in our day to day work but soon develop ways of weeding them out.(Ignorant customers thread).There is quite a lot of trust involved but hopefully you would not be hit too badly.You would need a careful recruiting process.
This might sound a bit negative.I would like to think it is realistic.It could work.I have started to do work for 2 other tradesman and pay a finders fee depending on the job.I keep detailed records of the work.I have been happy with the quality of the customers(mainly boiler repairs)and hopefully the money will be well received when we meet up shortly.This is not what you are proposing but has a lot of what you need in terms of trust and quality leads.

Thanks for the reply. No, not negative at all, all good feedback. Yes i agree, its all down to trust, and weeding out the time wasters would be one of the major challenges but it's something I'm willing to really put some thought in to.

Yes, the finder's fee thing works, keeps everybody happy that way.

 

[A1P]

Thanks for the reply. No, not negative at all, all good feedback. Yes i agree, its all down to trust, and weeding out the time wasters would be one of the major challenges but it's something I'm willing to really put some thought in to.

Yes, the finder's fee thing works, keeps everybody happy that way.[/QUOTE
We are able to talk to possible customers either by phone or face to face and can usually sniff out time wasters.If it is all done on line this option is not available.One possible way would be to do a 'What we expect from our engineers' List e,g highly qualified ,customer centred etc. Balance this out with a 'What we expect from our customers'. List or we only have 2 requirements -Have a genuine job which they want doing ie Not time wasters. Pay on job completion.

 

[willing2learn]

Thanks for the reply. No, not negative at all, all good feedback. Yes i agree, its all down to trust, and weeding out the time wasters would be one of the major challenges but it's something I'm willing to really put some thought in to.

Yes, the finder's fee thing works, keeps everybody happy that way.[/QUOTE
We are able to talk to possible customers either by phone or face to face and can usually sniff out time wasters.If it is all done on line this option is not available.One possible way would be to do a 'What we expect from our engineers' List e,g highly qualified ,customer centred etc. Balance this out with a 'What we expect from our customers'. List or we only have 2 requirements -Have a genuine job which they want doing ie Not time wasters. Pay on job completion.

Agreed, almost like a 'vetting system' for customers as well as engineers. Maybe even have a very broad pricing guide on the site, that could be area specific, just to try and eliminate the customers from wasting engineers time when they're just after an idea of price, rather than actually wanting the job done soon.

 

[Ermintrude]

Fixed pricing dosnt work. People love to 'discuss' price oh isn't this isn't this but that but this!

 

[willing2learn]

Fixed pricing dosnt work. People love to 'discuss' price oh isn't this isn't this but that but this!

Yes I agree, as there are always so many variables to each individual job.

 

[willing2learn]

Thanks to everyone that's posted and left an answer in the poll. All your feedback is greatly appreciated, good or bad.

Dom