I have been trying to find a house cleaning service for quite some time. If I check my facebook statuses, I can say that I’ve been looking for 6 months. As a single mom with a full time job and a part time blogging/website business on the side, I want to spend quality time with my children rather then the whole weekend cleaning. Let’s just face it, juggling so many things on your plate is what us single moms do. If you can afford it, I say outsource certain things. That’s why I’m glad there is a service such as RedBeacon around. Redbeacon is a Home Depot company so the folks that sell the materials are helping businesses get the work they need to help our economy. So what is Redbeacon and how is it different from other home service sites?
What is Redbeacon?
Redbeacon is an online service that allows you to find professionals that provide services to your home. Whether you need help on a new project or current project they can help. The best part about it is that it’s free registration. You don’t have to pay to put in a quote request or to sign up. The process is pretty simple. Once you are registered, you make a request. For my particular example, I needed housecleaning services.
Here is a quick general outline:
- Make a request for your specific service type (housecleaning, yard work, plumber, electrician are a just a few examples) – You provide some information about what you need done. For my experience I gave details on cleaning services I wanted done, how large my house was and how many bedrooms. You can even upload photos and videos to the site. Then you click on the send button. As you can see below you can put in a general request and it tries to nail down specifically what you need.
- Within minutes you may receive emails from local companies in your area providing quotes or requesting appointments to offer a quote. You will get up to four competitive quotes from Redbeacon. Once you get the quotes, you can evaluate each one not just on price but by company, testimonials, reviews and a Redbeacon ranking system. Below is a confirmation email I received for my request.
- Once you’ve chosen a company, you can set your appointment online. Redbeacon guarantees each job so if you’re not completely satisfied, they will cover you up to $1,000. It’s called the Redbeacon Home Service Guarantee.
- After the job is done, you can provide a review and testimonial on Redbeacon. The company will send you a follow up email for you to review the company. You can do all of this from your personal computer or from their own iPhone app which is a real plus for busy moms on the go all the time.
What you’ll see online on your Redbeacon Dashboard
When you finally do get your quotes you will see up to four of them. Each one is outlined in the same manner as the photo below. I blocked out the name of the company but you can see a few important things that I highlighted with arrows. Each shows up in the order from which it was received. The arrows I added on here so that you can see their rankings or Pro Score out of 100 as well as other things such as whether they are background checked, licensed, bonded and insured. You will also see the quote information and details and companies can also send you a message with your quote.
One of the most important things you’ll notice are the tabs at the bottom of each company. You’ll see View Quote, View Company Profile, Set Appointment and provide a review via the Review Pro tab. Once you set an appointment the system will ask you for your contact info and the company will contact you.
My Personal Experience
Like the site says you get quotes pretty quickly and I got four quotes within the hour. The first company I checked with I scheduled an onsite consultation for a rate and I’m scheduling a few more to see if what I specifically want is in line with their price quote. I received a few emails and I’m going through it right now. I think this makes the process so easy. I also really like the rankings, the reviews and testimonials. The rankings on a score of 100 give me an understanding in my level of confidence, especially for a company that is willing to guarantee the work. I like the layout and ease of use. I thought it was pretty quick and while I’m still evaluating companies, I think they provide a lot of resources and with the app it makes things so much easier. I love this site and I have recommended their model to other businesses in terms of my user experience. I may be receiving a partial credit in exchange for this post but I’m getting a recurring service that is coming out of my pocket so cost is still a factor. If you are a single parent then you know this.
How the ranks work?
The screenshot below is form their website and it’s very easy to understand. The closer to 100 you get, the better. This is designed to give you a quick measurement of a company’s adherence to Redbeacon’s standards for qualifications, reputation and service.
The iPhone App
Available via iTunes, the app is a real strength in connection with the website. It is very user friendly and easy to use. I think I would probably use the app more then I would the desktop site only because it seems I’m always running out of the house to do an errand or I’m at work. If you do have a home emergency, you can easily take a photo or video with your phone and send it in with your request. The app itself is only available in select cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Chicago, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, DC, Portland, Denver, and Boston. We’ll be launching in new cities soon so stay in touch. Here’s an example screenshot from the iTunes store for Redbeacon Home Services – A Home Depot Company – Get Quick and Easy Quotes for Home Repairs – RedBeacon, Inc
My overall ranking: 5 out of 5
I love it. The site loads fast, they make entering your request very easy. If you are a busy mom like me you can take this service on the go and get updates and quotes via the app. I’m still evaluating home cleaning services but overall the way the site works and their commitment to ensuring I have a good experience makes this more than likely one of my top ten apps for 2012. So download the mobile app or register for this service online. If you are a homeowner, you need to get this now! Homeownership is a lifestyle not an investment. However, let’s make that investment easier with an app that finds us the best companies and the best prices. I recommended this to some individuals I know that have rental houses. This is perfect for someone working in real estate or who owns rental homes. If you need something fixed quick, you can find a company you need here.
Disclaimer: The above post may contain affiliate links. Promotional consideration in the form of compensation, credit or otherwise was given in exchange for trying out this service. All opinions presented are 100% my own.
