Jake’s List lets service businesses review customers

Jake’s List has launched nationwide with a platform that lets contractors and other home-service businesses anonymously review customers and check homeowner scores before taking residential jobs. The company says the tool is meant to give service providers more transparency and balance in an online review system that has long favored consumers.

Why it matters: - Jake’s List gives service businesses a way to evaluate homeowners before accepting residential work. - The platform aims to help contractors spot payment disputes, access problems, cancellations and other risks before sending crews into a home. - The company says the model could create a more balanced review system in home services, where consumers have long held most of the power.

What happened: - Jake’s List launched nationwide last month and is now drawing attention from service businesses. - The platform lets contractors anonymously review customers. - Service businesses can also search homeowner scores before agreeing to a job. - Jake’s List is built for residential service industries including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, landscaping, concrete, remodeling, painting, flooring, cleaning, pest control, garage doors, restoration, tree service, pool service, fencing, handyman services, pressure washing, junk removal, appliance repair and general contracting.

The details: - Jake’s List is designed to support both positive and negative reviews. - A homeowner can build a positive reputation by paying on time, granting access to the property, communicating effectively and treating workers respectfully. - The platform is intended to help service businesses identify both reliable customers and difficult ones. - Jake, founder of Jake’s List, said the company was created to help “level the playing field” by giving service businesses the ability to review customers too. - Turner said the goal is transparency on both sides, not discouraging legitimate homeowners from hiring contractors. - More information is available at the company’s website.

Between the lines: - Jake’s List is trying to turn customer reputation into a new category of online review data. - The pitch taps into a real pain point for contractors who often have limited information before arriving at a job site. - If the platform gains traction, it could become a practical screening tool as well as a reputation-management database.

What's next: - Jake’s List is focused on growing its nationwide network of service businesses and customer reviews. - The company’s longer-term goal is to become a central resource for residential contractors researching customer histories and making job-acceptance decisions. - The company is also promoting its social channels, including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

The bottom line: - Jake’s List is betting that contractors will pay for the same kind of reputation insight that consumers have had for years.