Thryv

Thryv makes us look more professional. We set the appointment and the Thryv software sends out three text messages as reminders to the client. So, that has been helpful. Clients have shared with me that they like that we send them reminders and all of this is being done without me having to always remember to do that. It just automatically does it. So, I'm very appreciative. I also have the ability to send them receipts once the services are done so, it’s good although they can only receive the receipt via email. In today's time, everybody doesn't wanna give out their emails because they're tired of getting spam mail. So, I would love to be able to send my clients a receipt via text and I have not been able to do that.

Also, when I first started, I used my mobile phone a lot because I'm in the field. I'm not in front of a laptop at the office so at the beginning, I was constantly calling the office asking how the service works on the mobile side. The gentleman who signed me up and the backup team that was assigned to me in case I had any questions were knowledgeable on how to operate the system from a desktop or laptop perspective but when I called in, the knowledge of the support team on how to operate the mobile device was very limited. I had to ask questions and they would have to hang up and call me back a day or two later. They always called me back and I'm very thankful for that, but they didn't know. They would tell me that they weren’t sure how that operates and they would need to find out. So, it sounds like more training will be needed from the mobile aspect. They got it done but it took a while.

We were with a major marketing firm right before we switched over to Thryv, and our rep worked with Thryv, formerly Dex, but before that, he worked with Yellow Pages. So, he’s had an established relationship with their owner for 14 years. I was ready to cancel everything last year, and I wanted to be done with our mega marketing one. I had figured out other ones that I was going to use. I sat down with our rep because he was doing Yellow Pages, and he also had to do some of the Yelp stuff. I was ready to get rid of the Yelp altogether. So, I went into the meeting ready to tell him to go away. Then I was telling him about everything and the frustrations that I was having with Yelp and with the different things, and that Yelp, for our business, was doing what it needed to do.

He started talking to me about how Yellow Pages is different. Then he started talking to me about Thryv. He gave me a demo on Thryv. He sat down and he went over everything with me. And because we were switching our website, whoever managed our website was being switched too. It was a really good trade for us especially because it gave it such a hands-on feel. So, even though we had people helping us and doing things for us and guiding us, we also could do things on our own. That was a big thing. He sold me that day, and I ended up just doing that. It’s been a really good change.

She was fine. I was in a bad mood because I couldn't get that damn app to work and I was trying to get an invoice out to this lady at her house before I left. I told her, "Hold on." But it just would not go. I think that was just operator error, that's why I called them so they could say, "Are you doing this or that and that?" She was like, "It's working fine on my end. So, just delete it." I think it's because I'm not super versed on that app. Every time I go to it, I have to relearn it basically. But I have liked the end product. It has helped me. It's a cool little program. I recommended it to people.

My program is super simple, but it's really outdated. I wanted to switch over to something more online than this. But it could be just my old ways. If I was a first-time user and never had anything else, it might be awesome. I'd be like, "Wow, this is great." But it could have a little more user-friendly interface. It is good, but there could be a slight bit of simplicity added to it, another button to click.

I submitted one request in regards to the workflow. One of my clients came on board and requested a Spanish-speaking rep. I've been managing it, but at some point, I wanted him to start going directly to Thryv. Although he speaks English, there's just that additional comfort level. The reason he came to me is mainly for the fact that he wanted somebody local. I told him that I'm always gonna be here, but I let him know that this is really where Thryv can help him. I was trying to delegate so I can focus on other things. So I did the onboarding.

We never had that piece completely resolved in the sense where there's been a relationship goal and I believe that could be a missing factor as we go forward because I'm in the relationship at this point. We are competing for my client's second line of business, which is a different market. We opened in Palm Desert, which is what I'm overseeing for him using Thryv, and I showed him that if one day I'm gone, it doesn’t matter since he has Thryv and he has a system that’s been built and he owns the system. But the only thing that I was hoping would be made available to him is that Spanish-speaking rep.

Also, the initial video that was published appeared that once the domain name was picked and it was published, the video quickly came right after that, and the branding was wrong because the new logo and the new colors weren’t established yet, but the video is produced. But that was resolved. We informed them that it wasn’t the right branding, right colors, and then the new video was shut, which was great. Overall, Thryv is a great product. It helps the business centers. But it would be very beneficial if we can plug an API into credit card processing.

So far, the business is slow. It's the wrong time of the year. I know this area like the back of my hand. People ain't picking up phone books or looking at phone directories. I just got a call 15 minutes ago from a person who wants me to pay $130 a month to put me on 60 directories and all over search engines, and lead finders. I don't do that. I find my own leads. I'm old-fashioned. It's time to get back to the basics, the word-of-mouth and face-to-face. All this technology screws and goes down. When the power grid goes out, everybody is gonna be confused.

I've looked at my coupons and they don't have picture. I don't know how to put them up because I'm doing everything from my mobile phone. I don't have a PC, so the deals I'm offering, I just have a tag there. I don't have a picture. So far, things have always been good. I’ve got three deals going on so I wish they could put a picture. They can dig them out from my website. It’s on Google. If they put a picture with it, it would help me a bit. But I don’t know if they could do that. I’m paying for one phonebook right now and I’m getting one county. It's a big county. It’s got two major cities and it’s got the local airport, the airport that gets to plane the President if he wanted to. I'm a bit late on the payments this month. But so far, anything I’ve asked them to do, they've done. They responded very well.

But the only thing I really got a B-minus for Thryv was the email shows an advertisement. The lady said she bought a house in Bungle, Tennessee and offered to work three days a week. I couldn't meet her. She wants me to take her keys, and pay for a Realtor. I went to the bank and checked it out. I have to be licensed in the state of Tennessee to sell property. And I told her, “I’ll go check this property out.” And I’ve not heard anything back. I’ve not seen the keys yet. So I don’t know if that was a scam.

HomeAdvisor and Charter called me and they were soliciting calls because I have a service number. I’m getting so scared, I've only been making so much a year. If I go $1,100 over, I have to report that because I don't make that much. I've done three gardens in May, I got $120 this year, so next year isn't looking too great. But I’m paying them.

The guys at Thryv do the social media and the website, which is perfect but I don't know how to use the service. They offer a lot of things and I know it’s there but it’s not easy to use. I got all my clients and I can do invoices, and I was gonna send information to my clients but I don't know how. It's frustrating. You need to know the steps in order to do the stuff that it's good for. I’m still in contact with Jason but he doesn't discuss anything about Thryv. I wish the salesman was Jason. It's better for me to show him because he's gonna answer questions and he's a real person that I can call. That'll be a lot easier and better.

Also, we got concerns that when I assign a job for a certain person, he doesn’t get it. It takes forever for him to get the information and sometimes, he doesn’t even get it at all. Thryv has been trying to help. When we call them about a concern, they answer, call and do the stuff right away. But it takes a little bit in order for us to understand how to do it and how it works. Because we may think something, but it's not the right way. And when we run into issues, we cannot get real life answers. We have to call, make an appointment or send an email. By the time they answer, we’ve forgotten about it.

Thryv reported us to the credit issues that we weren't paying the bill. I didn't tell the rep, but I told the supervisor that I would not pay it because we were not supposed to be double billed and have double ads going on. But they finally reconciled that as of three weeks ago. We don't owe that anymore. But the trust and her selling the Thryv product and then the other products is gone. But right now, we're happy with the Thryv product.

We gave Thryv a shot. We were looking for a new website. We offer a daily lunch menu we were looking for something we could send out via text or email as well as weekly advertising. Maria was fabulous and was always available whenever I reached out. She was always helpful and cheerful. She was always going the extra mile to help us out and see what we needed. I feel like she met our needs. I would highly recommend. It was a great working relationship. So far, we're in the preliminary stages of seeing what happens to us if Thryv has increased our business.