My pool guy stopped showing up a month ago.  I tried Craigslist, but it was too hard to reach an actual pool guy.  I guess most of them are cleaning pools and not answering their phones.  It only makes sense.  Yesterday I thought about the system we built for Architel and thought it might help me with my pool guy problem.

Architel’s referral system allows the sales team to transfer non-qualified prospects looking for immediate IT support to independent contractors.  We entered the cell phone numbers of more than 25 computer guys into a dedicated phone system and when we find someone who need help now (i.e. help Architel can’t provide) the system calls all 25+ engineers at the same time.  The first person to pick up their phone and press one (i.e. indicating their ability to take an immediate support request) is connected to the caller.  There is always atleast one guy available to take a call.  Neat huh?

Well, Mike built this system for Architel and I thought, “why don’t we apply this same idea to other ’service’ business like pool guys?  It seemed simple enough and since we already built it, why not create a referral network for a number of services in each city.  The system is NOT a matching engine, but rather a system that allows for immediate connections between people who need service and those who provide it.  No emails or voice mail messages ~ just live connections.  We call it ‘ServiceGuy’ (guy is gender neutral in my world).
This evening Jeremy laid out a simple design and after RailsConf, the guys plan to populate Dallas.  LogoWorks is doing the logo (cross fingers).  Thoughts?  Ideas?