Finding Customers Without Paying Per-Quote Fees

Many tradespeople and businesses in home services and appointment-based work find new customers through online platforms. Some of these platforms charge a fee to see each request, to contact the customer or to send a quote. In this article we look at the different fee models, how to make your costs predictable, and how talep.ai's model works.

How does the pay-per-quote model work?

In this model, the service provider pays to quote on a request or to get the customer's contact details. Because several providers can quote on the same request, paying the fee doesn't mean you'll win the job. When planning your budget, it helps to ask yourself these questions:

• What does a quote cost on average, and how many quotes does it take me to win one job?
• Is the fee refunded if the customer can't be reached or the request turns out to be invalid?
• How many providers can quote on the same request?

The answers show your real customer acquisition cost. Keeping your own records is the only way to compare platforms accurately.

The fixed fee and direct assignment model

The alternative is a model where the provider pays a fixed monthly fee and jobs are assigned directly, without a bidding race. Here the cost is the same every month, so the more jobs you get, the lower your cost per job. What matters is that jobs actually reach you and that invalid requests are filtered out without costing you anything.

How does it work on talep.ai?

On talep.ai you don't pay to see a request, respond to it or send a quote. Jobs reach you in two ways: the customer picks you and a time that suits you in the AI assistant, or our team assigns the request to you based on your trade and service area.

• Monthly fee: Basic plan ₺500, Pro ₺750, and Business ₺1,250 for teams of 5 users (VAT included).
• Free start: your first month after approval is free; it stays free until your first customer arrives (max 6 months) and ends 30 days after your first match. No card needed; details in the Terms of Use.
• Your own customers: jobs that a customer connected through your invite link opens directly with you carry no commission.
• Commission: only on completed jobs; it starts at 15% for new providers and drops to as low as 5% on application as you deliver good service (commission tiers).
• Job guarantee: if fewer than 3 valid jobs are assigned to you in the 30 days after approval, your first paid month is free.
• Invalid request reports: you report requests where the customer can't be reached, or that are fake or in the wrong category or location; approved reports don't count towards your statistics or the guarantee count.

For details, see the job guarantee and pricing pages.

The way to win with direct assignment: respond fast

With direct assignment, a response timer starts when a job reaches you. On talep.ai this is 30 minutes by default (between 08:00 and 21:00; for jobs that come in overnight, 09:30 the next morning). If time runs out, the job moves on to the next suitable provider. In other words, the key to winning customers isn't an advertising budget but a fast, clear response.

Practical tips for responding fast

• Keep notifications on and check the dashboard during your working hours.
• Save the messages you use most as templates so the customer's name and the date fill in automatically.
• If you need to see the job before giving a price, propose a site visit without delay.
• Don't sit on a job you can't take; when you decline, it goes straight to another provider.

Build trust

Customers want to know who is coming into their home. Getting documents such as your ID, tax registration certificate (vergi levhası), Vocational Qualification Certificate (MYK) or professional liability insurance verified makes them appear as badges on your profile. A short, polite public reply to reviews of completed jobs also builds trust.

Conclusion

Whichever platform you use, measure your real customer acquisition cost: divide the total fees you pay by the number of jobs you win. If you'd like to work at a fixed, predictable cost without paying per quote, you can apply as a service provider on talep.ai.