Yelp is offering users a more refined way to keep tabs on communications with service professionals when they have a problem to fix or want to make some home improvements. Through the Projects tab in the Yelp app, you’ll be able to create, manage and organize jobs. Yelp says that you’ll be able to use the feature to request quotes from businesses, compare prices, message contractors and schedule consultations.
You’ll start a new project when you select Request A Quote. The app will organize each project by the most recent quote requests and there’ll be category-specific icons. It should be relatively easy for folks who have multiple projects on the go to see the status of each one at a glance. You’ll be able to see if you’re still awaiting quotes from some contractors and which businesses have yet to respond to a message or request.
When you get an email notification after a business owner messages you, you’ll be able to click a link in the email that will take you to the Yelp app and automatically log you in if you aren’t already so you can respond. This should remove some of the friction and mitigate some of the stress that comes with managing home projects.
The Projects tab could come in especially handy when you’re moving and are bringing in contractors for a bunch of different jobs. It should be useful for comparing quotes from different service professionals for a single job too.
Yelp is rolling out some changes for businesses as well. A revamped message center will show project titles, the location of the job, timing and message previews. Yelp suggests that this will help service professionals respond to quote and call requests more easily.