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Lead Service Lets Consumers Spec, Bid

Friday, October 30, 2009

Sears Holdings, the nation’s service-call giant, has introduced an online lead service with a twist: Contractors can search for posted projects that consumers describe and price.

Basically, ServiceLive.com combines the online auction model of eBay and similar sites with a lead service.

“ServiceLive.com is going to change the way people hire services for their homes,” said president George Coll.

“We have created a marketplace that puts the homeowner back in the driver’s seat by allowing them to name the terms and manage the process completely online. It benefits service providers as well, by creating job opportunities and enabling speedy payment.”

Here’s how ServiceLive.com works:

• Users review and select pre-screened service providers in their area, and then describe a repair or improvement project in detail, including the price they want to pay and desired appointment time.

• The project is then routed to selected providers after the user uploads funds to his or her ServiceLive account.

• The first provider to accept the terms electronically wins the project.

• After a project is completed to satisfaction, the user pays and rates the provider online.

ServiceLive has spent the last year recruiting nationwide and conducting background checks on service providers, including painting contractors. Thousands of contractors have been approved, the company says.

The company says it offers considerable opportunity for contractors. Its market research concluded that 89% of homeowners say their homes need work, but 44% have deferred projects because they don’t think they can afford them.

“ServiceLive.com offers users a way to take care of their homes at a price they can afford, while giving service providers a way to supplement their business,” says Coll.

For more information, visit www.ServiceLive.com or call 888-549-0640.

Sears Holdings is a major retailer of home appliances, electronics and automotive products. Its brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard. The company also is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually.