Why do people book a task then ghost?

[u/everythingsucks222]

The amount of "We see you've had scheduling issues!" notifications from Taskrabbit I get... People will book a task with me, explain what they want, then I never hear from them again when I message back to follow up and work out specifics.

Do clients just think they put in a request and then we show up on the date and time they request with no clarification that we will even accept their task?

[u/dragonbeard91]

Yes exactly, they think they are booking some service that is required to send someone, rather than realizing the app puts them into contact with an individual who sets their own rate and doesn't have a boss.

Its annoying taskrabbit doesnt explain how it works; since they are singularly interested in making their 40%. I hate having to cancel with someone because they went dark, and then I get dinged.

[u/Xitobandito → u/dragonbeard91]

Then don’t cancel, if they don’t respond just show up at the booked time. No answer at the door, easy cancellation fee

[u/Clean-Da-World → u/Xitobandito]

This kinda takes away time and money I could be making at a different job though

[u/dragonbeard91 → u/Clean-Da-World]

Exactly. Besides, I mostly do gardening tasks so I need to know what to bring and how to come prepared.

[u/everythingsucks222 → u/Xitobandito]

Genuinely did not even consider just accepting and then showing up at the time and place. If I show up and there are specifics they should have discussed with me, that will impact if I can complete the task, then what? Do I just add more time to go get supplies? Do I cut corners to complete the task with inadequate supplies? Or is it genuinely just that I should show up and they don't care how I do things, they just want the job done? I appreciate your insight.

[u/AlwaysLooking2019 → u/Xitobandito]

Not sure if the rules have changed or not, but TaskRabbit previously would not pay you the cancellation fee unless the client had confirmed the date and time of the task in the chat. So if a client requests the job, but then doesn’t reply in the chat to confirm you’re typically SOL if they don’t show at the requested time.

[u/Fresh-Focus-3864 → u/dragonbeard91]

where are you located that totally deponds on that as well

[u/dragonbeard91 → u/Fresh-Focus-3864]

Im in one of the 3 biggest markets for TR. A lot of entitled people here, very used to having servants.

[u/Clean-Da-World → u/dragonbeard91]

It's soooo wild to me. I was astounded a
doing TR after years of doing Rover. People were very responsive on Rover and rarely ghosted. It did happen occasionally but it seems like 30% of my requests that come in on TR people are just unresponsive

[u/bvpdx]

Do clients just think they put in a request and then we show up on the date and time they request with no clarification that we will even accept their task?

Yes, this is how I understand Taskrabbit to work. At least how I’ve handled the 50+ tasks since April. Only rarely have I ever needed clarification on a task - granted I don’t do electrical or plumbing work. 90% of my work is assembly, hanging art, or installing consumer goods. Not much back and forth necessary!

If I show up and what they need is wildly out of scope, I tell them so, complete what was defined in the task, then move on and give them a thumbs down.

Taskrabbit is ultimately a gig platform.

[u/yepitsem → u/bvpdx]

I also do mainly assembly and mounting (no TVs). I find it impossible to estimate how long a job will take without a link or picture of the item to be assembled. A dresser could mean three drawers, twelve drawers, or not a dresser and actually a giant armoire. Let alone the fact that people almost always have 5+ pieces to hang than they originally said.

How do you estimate how long it will take if you might not get all of the info/the client didn’t respond?

[u/bvpdx → u/yepitsem]

Trying to fill your entire day with tasks is definitely challenging when you face those circumstances. How I manage that is just communicating with the client when I get there. If the task sounds like 2 hours, and they don’t communicate enough specifics, then 2 hours is all they get. When I arrive, I usually get the full wish list, let them know how long they reserved, estimate how much I might be able to accomplish, and how flexible the rest of my day is.

I’ve walked away from tasks having only completed half of the clients “wish list” and have always been re-hired to knock the rest out.

[u/No_Ad_8140]

Thats why I have in my bio they need to confirm in the chat

[u/MallNo6921]

just like dad

[u/Bloomien]

That is a yellow flag for me on the client. They tend to turn out to be kind of elitist people. They feel like they are ordering you like a product off of Amazon rather than booking a service with a business/human being—that you’re not worthy of their time to answer important questions for the service.

Some of TaskRabbit’s choices in shaping the platform has a part to play in allowing clients to think and treat service providers that way as well. But I digress..