Redbeacon (Pro Referral)

Redbeacon allows consumers who need a service performed to find and interact with local businesses and professionals. Redbeacon goes beyond returning business listings with ratings and reviews by helping consumers determine the right service provider for their specific needs and allowing them to compare price quotes and book appointments online. Consumers describe what they need done and specify when and where their job should take place. Using patent-pending machine learning and semantic technology, Redbeacon determines the best local service providers for the job. If matched, service providers get notified by email and text message and are given the opportunity to submit a price quote. Consumers can then select and book appointments with their top choice service provider based on a comparison of business profiles, price quotes, and ratings and reviews from past Redbeacon consumers. Redbeacon is also the only website where consumers can go for urgent or immediate requests (e.g., ''I need someone to come change my tire immediately'') and get back an Estimated Time of Arrival from interested service providers in their area. For service providers, Redbeacon may represent a better value proposition than other online marketing options because it is free to create skill profiles and receive job leads. Service Providers only pay a small commission when they win a job, which minimizes the risk of wasted marketing dollars. Redbeacon is also useful for service providers who wish to offer long-tail services or services at irregular times, such as nights and weekends. The company was the grand prize winner at the 2009 TechCrunch50 Conference.