We all fancy ourselves as handy, but when the sink starts spewing water like it’s possessed or the gate works better as a brick wall than an actual gate, it’s high time to call in the professionals.
Unfortunately, finding a decent plumber or gate repairman can be more difficult than fixing the problem itself. Where do you even begin to start?
Yelp. It’s a highly popular website for helping people find the professionals they need, making it the first choice on your list, but for some people, it’s still an enigma. How can this site actually help you decide on the worker for your project?
Good thing you asked. Here are a few ways to use Yelp to make the selection process not only more effective, but even fun:
1. Enjoy a Large List
The key to choosing the right repairman is having options. Since there are many people out there that consider themselves handymen, but aren’t exactly handy, it’s easy to fall into a trap of hiring a bad professional for your job. Yelp offers to solution by giving you a wide list of people to choose from. If you find yourself confused about where to start, this is the hub to begin your search.
- It Has Diversity
Yelp is ranked as one of the best websites for customers when it comes to finding the right professional. The thing is, businesses know this and purposefully want to cash in on the exposure, flooding the site with a wide range of accounts and a wide range of specialties. Not sure just who you need yet? No worries; there are countless deals and skills for you to choose from, all in one place.
- Compare Your Options
Now that you have an idea of what’s out there, it’s time to start considering your options. Since there are so many to choose from, you can use this to your advantage by comparing their services, prices, reviews, and previous work to each other, narrowing down your list of candidates to a dream team. It’s easy for a plumber or repairman to post a blanket price for their work and say it’s fair, but with your ability to compare this cost to the rates of other handymen, you can determine what the normal price range is and avoid being scammed.
2. Visit Yelp Events
The most successful professionals know the value of getting their names out there, and Yelp can help both them get noticed and you find the perfect choice for your home’s needs. Yelp Events can be hosted to advertise special deals or to get clients speaking with one another about the quality of work a professional can offer. By tapping into a few local ones, you can receive referrals from happy customers, get insights on the “norm” for the industry, or even receive suggestions to other professionals better suited for your situation.
3. See Their Work
Several trustworthy professionals on Yelp post pictures of their office, themselves, and especially of the work they can deliver. This allows you to look over the quality they have and see if they’re specialized in the areas you need. Adding this to the suggestions, reviews, and especially the list of professionals you’ve created, you can narrow down your selection even further.
4. Check Out the List of Reviews
Yelp’s most favored feature is its review function. Since others have worked with the professional you’re considering, you can scroll through their star ratings and opinions to get an idea of how truly quality a worker is. After comparing this to what the professional says themselves, you can gauge their honesty and reliability.
- The Reviews Are Current
Yelp, unlike some reviewing sites, focuses on keeping reviews current. Should a client leave a positive review early on, this may fade away from the page as time passes and as other reviews come along. This prevents ancient dealings from giving inaccurate impressions. Sure, they may have been fantastic early on, but they’ve let themselves slide. Alternatively, your considered repairman or plumber may have started out poorly but learned a lot on the way, offering a much better service now than they did to early clients. You can get the most up-to-date opinions without getting lost in the clutter.
- They’re Unbiased
You can say your niceties while looking a repairman in the face, but Yelp allows a certain amount of anonymity and privacy for customers. If they’re unhappy with the work they received, then they can say so honestly, with no obligation to say otherwise. This allows you to get an unbiased and valuable assessment on the professional you’re considering, avoiding paid reviews or purposefully tailored testimonials that make a professional look good when they’re actually offering something sub-par.
5. Get Referrals
What originally brought Yelp to stardom was its ability to suggest the best places for food and entertainment on the go. Since then, it’s grown to encapsulate everyone from lawyers to doctors to, of course, repairmen and plumbers. The original features still remain, allowing you as a client to enter Yelp and ask people about their personal favorites. Did one person have a great experience with a lesser-known plumber? You can get their opinion and a connection to this lead all through a few keystrokes with Yelp.
6. Talk with Previous Clients
While the reviewing service allows you to get insights on the real quality of work the professional offers, Yelp also allows you to interact more directly with the clients themselves. Was a review a little vague, but still told a shocking story? You can reach out and ask for more details, getting the complete experience to make the best choice.
Yelp has a range of features to help you find the right professional, and by taking advantage of just a few, you can make a more informed decision, a more cost-effective one, and all in all, the better choice for your project.
