ServiceMagic/123 Getaquote

[rocker]

Any body used these folks? hey seem to go under the name service magic, 123 get a quote, or any combination of the two, and they have two websites. I went on their website ages ago for a free listing, and they havent stopped ringing me since (usually daily). I just don't answer the phone now.

My question is: has anybody used these guys? I'd hate to be hanging up on these guys every day assuming it's some kind of scam, when I could be missing out on actual work. It does seem exceedingly shady, though....

 

[Notsosmart]

A couple of links to enable you to make your own mind up.

Consumer complaints about ServiceMagic

http://service-magic.****edconsumer.com/yes-i-can-confirm-servicemagic-is-a-scam-20100211170918.html

I wouldn't touch people like this with a barge pole, nothing is for free and usually this actually means 'pay through the nose'

 

[rocker]

Have blocked their number. Nice one.

 

[djb_1983]

Enquired about it, then heard bad things about it so didnt follow it up. They had my number on system and will not stop ringing, i told them to stop as i wasnt interested but they still keep ringing!!!!!! Think you have to pay £15 for every supposed lead they give you even if you dont get the job or decide to price for it.

 

[acat]

I think its best really if you do your own website and link it to the competent person sccheme that you belong to.

These days you dont need to know HTML CSS etc the software does it for you. Its cheaper than many forms of printing if anyone needs advice on their own website then pm me and I will do what I can to help. It would also pay to link our own websites together for higher rankings.

As for constant calls BT do have a system for about £3.00 a month that allows you to block persistant callers.


Chris

 

[lloyd1980]

the way they work is like this
they register you on their system then they send you jobs by e-mail, I was contracting away for 3 weeks and checked the business email when got back and it had about 4 potential jobs in there within an 25 mile radius of my postcode
the jobs sounded ok, mrs jenkins needs a price for full rewire but to get the contact dets you needed to ring them, I rang them and in a nutshell. they charge you per lead they give you, but they farm the lead out to 5 other sparks, so you are in effect competing with 5 other sparks (at least) thats without the other firms mrs jenkins has called out the yellow pages!!!
for satelite and arial its £5 a lead and electrical its £15 per lead but the min you can spend with them is 200 a month!!!!
i wouldnt mind this if it guaranteed work but all it does is put you in touch with customers that are getting quotes from tons of tradies, so the winning price will no doubt be to the bones every time
I wouldnt use these but i supose people do, hence the reason these co's are springing up everywhere!!!!!!!!!

 

[rocker]

Lloyd man, where've ya bin?

Yea after doing a bit of reading it looks like they are proper rubbish. Farm quotes out to 10-20-30 people, charge you for sending quotes without your say-so, then refuse to stop sending the quotes and charging you. The yank end of the operation is allegedy being subpoena'd for scamming, but the UK leg seems to have kept under the radar thus far. Steer very clear would be my advice to anyone else reading this.

 

[lloyd1980]

alrite rocker
been contracting in bristol and torquay for a month, wiring portacabins for the highways agency, 7-12's
in just over 2.5 weeks i clocked up 235 hours...as you can imagine the invoice was well.............RATHER LARGE
happy days!!!!

 

[Twentysomething]

Being using these guys for 3 weeks now a I have not won every job but I have doubled my takings from the jobs I have since joining and repeat business is fantastic, this wont work if your not willing to try work the system they set out but it is extra exposure that I needed!

 

[rocker]

Hi twentysomething are you a spark then? What koind of work are you doing for them? Is it domestic or commercial? If it works, I may look into it again.

 

[Twentysomething]

Ya im a sparky i joined this service to help me gain some contacts for the industry,as i found it hard to get myself out there, they are giving me a mix of everything, i mostly do CCTV and Security but my partner does the rewiring and new builds which is great and im spliting the costs with him!! we spent £130 odd pounds so far and got work over £2k,any other Q. please ask! where r u based Rocker?

 

[rocker]

Oh nice. I'm doing mainly domestic on subtended floor buildings on high concretes and steel frame - running thwax breakers, flange handles, under and over sleeper jakes - you know the stuff. Basic front-end stuff but I don't know if they would have a great deal of work for me as I normally deal with LEAs rather than direct with the consumer. May have a look at it though. I'm thinking about getting into alarm and CCTV stuff in the future so may be some help.

EDIT oh I'm in wales

 

[rocker]

Hmmmmm, no reply. That's odd.

 

[Echo]

Heard nothing but bad things about them, Twentysomething is the first person i've heard that rates the site.

The only problem with these sites are every tom, dick and harry quotes for them. Priced a job on rated people, went on to find an old dear wanted a new cooker feed, and sockets in her new kitchen, as well as a few additional sockets throughout the house and a few light fittings putting up in exchange for pendants.

Her budget was £400 and I got my price as low as possible (£500) which was cutting it pretty fine, only for her to tell me a somebody had come round the night before and priced £300.

However having said that, have had a few jobs off rated people so it is paying for itself and keeping me busy

 

[adc4109]

I gave service magic a try as we have just registered on the MCS for solar pv. Bought 20 credits to try it and have used 4 so far and quoted £48k from them in the last 2 weeks. Its not worth it for Old Mother Hubburd wanting a light bulb changed but worth it for the bigger jobs. They do only send details to 5 companies and then the listing closes.