The sheer number of things that can go wrong in a household can be overwhelming, and finding someone to provide home services can be just as stressful. There are ways, however, to streamline the process. Digital Trends spoke to Emily Sherman, director of business development of HomeAdvisor, during CE Week 2016, and she explained how the company quickly connects homeowners with contractors.

With a nationwide network of roughly 125,000 service providers — all of whom are screened and approved by HomeAdvisor — the company offers a marketplace of contractors qualified to perform more than 500 types of tasks. The pros cam handle issues ranging from remodeling projects to plumbing emergencies, and they also are rated and reviewed by HomeAdvisor users. To choose a contractor, homeowners can either search through the options or use the service to find a provider on their behalf.

When a subscriber is ready to take the next step with a contractor, the HomeAdvisor instant booking option displays the pro’s schedule and set up an appointment, eliminating back-and-forth communications. Alternatively, users can opt to connect instantly, and HomeAdvisor will get a pro on the phone within 90 seconds. That’s certainly faster than most of us can flip through the yellow pages or comb through internet search results.

HomeAdvisor is integrated with the Amazon Echo, so you can also use Alexa to get a pro on the phone. As Sherman pointed out, this takes the connected device beyond alerting users to problems by giving them the ability to take action. For example, compatible connected devices can inform homeowners of a leak, and then HomeAdvisor would offer a solution. The company plans to add integrations with other smart home companies later this year.

HomeAdvisor doesn’t charge a subscription fee, so homeowners can reach pros for free. The contractors, on the other hand, must pay to be included in the marketplace.

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