Yeah I have had generally good experiences with the agencies on here. It was my first time booking with this agency, and I just don't know what happened.
When I was in my early twenties and new to this industry, I had my fair share of troubling experiences. I encountered deceptive bait-and-switch tactics and fell victim to scams from various agencies. They would send a driver along with a service provider to my door; the driver would collect the payment, and then the service provider would often neglect to deliver any actual service. Instead, she would spend time on her phone and, after 30 minutes, announce that she was leaving and time was up.This happened to me a few times, leading me to assume that all agencies were the same.
One day , while searching for tips to avoid being scammed by agencies, I stumbled upon the Merb forum. Once I registered, my entire experience with service providers changed for the better. Each encounter I had was seamless, and all the new agencies I dealt with were highly professional and trustworthy, they were all advertising on Merb. I believe this was around 2005, and I fondly recall how I received top-notch service from exceptional providers. The difference was remarkable.
Back then, the most disreputable agencies advertised in the Yellow Pages, and they were, without a doubt, the worst. They would set appointments and then fail to show up, scamming people right at the door. Even more concerning, it seemed there was often just one person operating multiple fraudulent agencies, scamming everyone they could. If you're unfamiliar with this industry, you might end up with a poor experience and be scammed multiple times. That's why I feel sympathy for newcomers who find themselves using platforms like Leolist or dealing with dubious agency websites.
If an agency you mentioned is advertising here, there’s a good reason they don’t show up. In all my time dealing with agencies advertised on Merb, I’ve never encountered a single problem.