FAQs

atOnce is an on-line, community based service that directly links households and businesses to professional service providers such as tradespeople, computer technicians, accountants and many more.

atOnce has been designed to improve the status-quo and provide tangible benefits to a variety of stakeholders including customers, service providers, industry associations, charities, councils, community groups and many more. atOnce provides a smarter, more convenient and reliable solution for everyone involved. What's more, as customers help improve atOnce by posting feedback on the service provided, atOnce contributes serious money to serious causes.

atOnce is a commercial venture and therefore certain charges do apply for service providers. atOnce earns revenue in 3 ways:

• "Opt-in" fees for service providers who accept leads.
• "Success fees" for service providers once work has been completed and the customer has left feedback.
• Subscriptions for service providers to accept leads from additional service geographies.

The service provider receives many FREE benefits and, importantly, only pays a small amount when the system works for them.

Why use atOnce?

Customers enjoy an easy, more convenient way to engage quality service providers, and by actively promoting professionalism and accreditation, the best service providers have the opportunity to cut through the noise and win jobs based on merit through atOnce.

atOnce provides a smarter, safer and more efficient alternative to the status quo. We do the running around on behalf of the customer and provide information to help them make better, more informed decisions. atOnce is free of charge for customers to use and our unique model ensures that everyone who uses the system benefits. It's simply a smarter way to find quality service providers.

What's more, as customers help improve atOnce by posting feedback on the service provided, atOnce contributes serious money to serious causes.

What areas does atOnce service?

atOnce currently services Metropolitan Melbourne and will rapidly expand to service all major cities throughout Australia.

What services does atOnce cater for?

We have service professionals skilled in most home-related, commercial and professional service areas. From plumbers to accountants and computer technicians to builders, atOnce will offer a broad base of service providers to choose from.

How does atOnce find the right service provider for my job? Simply "Post a job", provide details of what you require and suitable professionals are matched to your requirements. It is free to post a job and obtain the details of suitable service providers.

Tips on posting a job.

The more details you can give us, the better the response will be for the job you request. Be specific with your job description (part of 'post your job') and include photos where possible. This way, service providers can understand more about what is required and either opt in or out based on what you need. The more detail you can give, the better the response is likely to be.

Are you obligated to use atOnce match providers?

No, we refer providers based on your requirements and provide you with information about them so you can make an informed decision. Whether you engage them or not is up to you. How do I know that the referred service providers are the right ones for the job? atOnce provides a detailed profile on each service provider including recent feedback supplied by other customers for you to make an informed decision. The profiles supplied are compiled by service providers who can list their accreditations, skills and insurances. atOnce does not screen the service providers, offers no guarantee and all feedback posted is gathered from the experiences of other customers. We believe that this is testament to how good they really are and how they present themselves. This is why it is so important to leave feedback when a job is completed.

What is "Ratings & Feedback"?

The atOnce "thumbs up" ratings you see against service provider profiles are a symbol of the word-of-mouth feedback that atOnce gathers from customers. You'll be prompted to submit "Ratings & Feedback" each time you "Post a Job" with atOnce. "Ratings & Feedback" is one of the most important services we offer our customers, and assists them in making an informed choice. "Ratings & Feedback" assists atOnce in improving the overall quality of the service we offer.

When do I submit "Ratings & Feedback"?

As soon as your job is complete. We may prompt you to submit "Ratings & Feedback" before you're ready, simply nominate a date when you know the job will be complete & we will remind you to leave "Ratings & Feedback" then. You can always log into "Job Tracker" and complete "Leave Feedback" then.

Why is it important for me to submit "Ratings & Feedback"?

As customers post "Ratings & Feedback", atOnce will become a more valuable resource for everyone to use. Service Providers who do great work will prosper and those who's work is below par have the opportunity to evaluate feedback and make necessary changes to their offering.

To promote the submission of "Ratings & Feedback", atOnce will contribute $5 to a charity or community cause of your choice each time you leave "Ratings & Feedback". Whether you want to help support a charity, a school, a sports club or a local community group, sparing 5 minutes of your time will go a long way to helping others.

What is "My details"?

"My details" is your personal secure space where atOnce keeps your profile information. This enables you to:

• Add/edit address & contact details
• Change & retrieve password information

Once submitted, you will be able to "Post a Job" without verification and access your "Job Tracker".

What is "Job Tracker" and how do I use it?

"Job Tracker" is your personal space where you can post, monitor and close jobs. "Job Tracker" can only be accessed when you "sign-up" to atOnce.

What is an Agent and how do I become one?

An agent is a Community Group, Industry Group or individual that receives a commission for referring service providers to "Sign-up" to atOnce. All you need to do is post a job with atOnce to have the ability to refer Service Providers and earn money as an agent. The more Service Providers you refer to atOnce - the more money you can earn.

What if I want to cancel the job or change my mind once started?

It's a negotiation. This has to be worked out between yourself and the chosen service provider. Expect to incur some costs for time and materials to that point from the service provider. Please remember to advise us if this is the case by going to "Leave Feedback". This way we won't keep reminding you to do so.

How can I contribute to the overall quality of service providers listed with atOnce?

Simply "Leave Feedback" every time you "Post a Job". Feel free to contact us anytime with any concerns, comments or suggestions. Contact customerservice@atonce.com

Will atOnce remove a service provider from the website after receiving a complaint?

Your feedback is paramount to both the quality of the service we provide & that of listed service providers. If you find this to be compromised and register a complaint, we will contact yourself and the service provider to better understand the situation and respond to both parties accordingly. An unpleasant experience is often caused by a lack of communication or a misunderstanding between the customer and the service provider. In these cases we will do our best to resolve the issue.

However, if a trend persists against the provider in question, we reserve the right to remove the service provider from our website.

How Does atOnce make money if the service is free?

The service to you is completely free. atOnce provides matched service providers within your local area with job leads when you "Post a Job". Service providers who accept the job request are charged a nominal fee for receiving your job details. We then advise who will be in contact with you to service your needs.

How do I know if I am getting a competitive quote.

We suggest you request a minimum of three quotes each time you "Post a Job". This ensures that you receive independent, competitive pricing. We will assist you in providing detailed information about the service provider as well as "Ratings & Feedback" from other customers on our site. Who you select, is up to you!

 

Why should I join atOnce when I have plenty of work and I'm busy?

atOnce provides targeted leads that match your area of expertise and availability. We also provide a FREE listing on our directory where you can create an online profile and promote key information about your business.

atOnce provides you with qualified, relevant job leads to help you grow your business. Use your time more efficiently by letting atOnce do the running around for you and only pay for the jobs that you are interested in.

I already advertise with google, what is the difference?

Advertising with atOnce is FREE. Google Adwords is undisputedly a powerful tool for getting your business seen on the web, but atOnce differs by actively connecting you with customers who are ready to engage a service provider.

atOnce not only targets specific consumers who are actively looking for service providers but we ensure that consumers receive all the information needed to make an informed decision. What you get is targeted, profitable leads without obligation.

How do businesses and consumers find atOnce?

atOnce promotes itself extensively through a number of channels. We educate local community groups, councils and industry associations as to how we can help their members and we represent our services through trade shows and trade publications. Our marketing efforts are designed to reach as many potential stakeholders as possible. Our unique referral programs and community incentives ensures our direct costs are low and therefore our charges are kept to an absolute minimum.

What qualifications must a service provider have to join atOnce?

There is no pre-requisite to join atOnce, however, when creating your profile you are asked to provide information about yourself, your accreditations and memberships to any industry association & relevant insurances pertaining to the services you offer.

We do not screen you and we do not rate your service. The customers who engage your services through atOnce are the only people who can rate your work. So be honest, professional and detailed in describing your business as feedback is collated and displayed against your listing.

How much does it cost to join atOnce?

Joining atOnce and uploading your personal business profile is free of charge. You will receive relevant job leads to your mobile phone or through e-mail and you only pay a nominal "Opt in" fee if you choose to accept the job lead. When you accept a job lead you will only compete against a maximum of three other service providers.

Once the job is complete and the customer has left feedback on your work, atOnce requires a small success fee, which equates to a very small percentage of the overall revenue you made on the job.

How much is the "Opt-in" fee

The "Opt-in" fee covers administration costs and ranges from $6.60 to $13.20 (INC GST) depending on whether the job is residential or commercial.

How much is the "Success Fee"

The success fee depends on the size of the job (in Australian Dollars) and whether the job was residential or commercial. The fees represent a small percentage of the overall revenue and can be seen in this table.

Why are the atOnce fee's so competitive?

By aligning with industry associations and major retailers, we pool our combined resources to reach a vast network of service providers. This keeps our overheads low and therefore we can pass these savings onto service providers through low fees. We understand the challenges of small business and we ensure that service providers only pay when the system works for them.

Do I pay even if I don't get the job?

The nominal fee you pay on accepting a lead is charged whether you win the job or not. Don't forget, you only ever compete against a maximum of 3 other service providers and your chances of winning the job are much higher than if you advertise in directories!

Can you assure that Leads are good quality?

Our leads are put through a rigorous matching system using our unique and unbiased algorithm. You only receive leads that match your area of service and skill set. Remember you can view the lead, decline for whatever reason and this will cost you nothing at all with no obligation or penalty. You only pay for the leads you decide to accept!

Why should I pay for leads when I currently get most of my work by word-of mouth referrals?

Word of mouth referrals are great but they are unreliable, often outside of your regular locality and they often come with a certain amount of obligation.

atOnce filters jobs that have been posted and delivers you leads that match your exact profile. If you're too busy or not interested you have no obligation to respond whatsoever and there is no cost.

Can I receive leads for areas other than my local area?

Yes. It's free to service a nominated single council. However, if you service larger geographies you can subscribe to other service areas for a small fee per month. This fee is to ensure that service providers are treated equally and fairly.

What do additional service areas cost?

View additional service area charges.

Can I assign different contacts to receive leads in different geographic areas?

Yes. You can even manage an entire sales force through atOnce, assign sales people to different areas and categories so that they receive leads relevant to their areas of jurisdiction.

Is it safe to give atOnce my credit card details online?

atOnce uses SecurePay to provide a secure environment for the authorisation of credit card and charge card transactions. Confidential information including card details are encrypted using Level 1 Service Provider PCI DSS Compliance which provides the most secure platform available in today's market.

Is there a dispute process for feedback that I disagree with?

At the end of the day, feedback is paramount to the quality of the service provided but you may not fundamentally agree with specific feedback at times. If a customer registers a complaint, we will contact yourself and the customer to better understand the grievance. We will then conduct an evaluation and respond to both parties accordingly.

An unpleasant experience is often caused by a lack of communication or a misunderstanding between the customer & service provider. We will do our best to resolve the issue.

How do I improve my feedback rating?

Review the feedback: Any kind of complaint or poor feedback should be reviewed by your business. What was the complaint about? Was it valid? Give yourself a chance to let it sink in before you simply reject it as untrue. It's important not to take things personally as there maybe something valid behind the complaint. Feedback should be taken on board where possible as it will help you improve your service at the end of the day!

Get more good feedback: Target happy customers from the past to post feedback online (if they haven't already). If you have sorted out the issue with your customer, ask for a new rating: If you have spoken to the customer and sorted it out, request a re-rating from atOnce as part of the resolution process.

Can I use atOnce to post a job myself?

Yes. In fact, it can be a great way to subcontract work if you're busy or you are seeking a service provider to get stuff done that you might not necessarily have the skills for yourself.

Are quotes legally binding?

Quotes are not legally binding. You should however be very clear with what your quote does and doesn't include so there is no confusion with your customer. If additional things are requested that were not specified in the job description then it should be expected that the quoted price will change.

How do I make atOnce work for my community/not for profit group?

AtOnce allows you to raise funds for your community/not for profit group. Simply register your group with atOnce and you will be added to the list of groups that customers can contribute to once their job is complete and they have provided feedback.

Put simply, by getting your members/friends/family to use atOnce to get stuff done they can assist in raising funds for your group. And the best part is, they get a great service at no extra cost to them.

For each job completed with feedback, $5 will be contributed to your group.

How do I raise funds for my NFP?

Simply register your group and spread the word to your members. It's easy and there is no cost to you or your participants in using this service. It's also ongoing so anytime in the future that a job is completed, your group can be nominated to receive funds.

How do we receive the funds?

You will receive the funds via direct deposit on a monthly basis. A statement will be sent to you each month via email and also available when logging into your profile page.

Do you have an easy way for me to present the atOnce concept to the NFP committee?

We can assist you in letting your members/friends/family know about raising funds for your group with email communication. Simply email us for assistance.

Can our organisation use atOnce to post a job ourselves?

Yes. Post as many jobs as you like and receive a $5 contribution every time. We encourage you to get your members using atOnce, whether they themselves are service providers or consumers seeking service provision. The more atOnce is used, the better our service & the more our community benefits.

Are quotes legally binding?

Quotes are not legally binding.

What is an Agent and how do I become one?

An agent is a Community Group, Industry Group or individual that receives a commission for referring service providers to sign-up to atOnce. Please email us for more information on how to become an atOnce Agent. Mail agent@atonce.com

What is the benefit of being an agent?

As an agent you are rewarded for letting Australia's service providers know about atOnce, each time a referred suppliers joins atOnce and receives job leads your organization receives a $1 commission, regardless of how many jobs are quoted and regardless of whether or not you are a selected beneficiary as a result of consumer feedback.

Potentially, your organization can earn up to $6 for every successful job completion.