How long does matching take?
Matching starts the moment you press. How quickly a provider comes back depends on who's available near you at that moment — which is why we show you an ETA estimate before you accept.
The Process
From SOS tosolution.
Five steps between being stuck and being sorted. Here's exactly what happens after you press SOS — and why it's faster than ringing around.
What happens, step by step.
Every stage is designed to remove a phone call, a wait or a guess — so you can get moving again.
- 01
Press SOS
Tell us what you need and where you are. It takes seconds — describe the situation, pick the closest matching category, and confirm your location.
- Describe the problem in plain language
- Choose from 15+ service categories
- Confirm your location once — shared only as far as needed
- 02
We Match
Our intelligent matching system finds suitable local help. Requests are matched on capability, availability, location and performance — not just who's nearest.
- Capability — do they do this specific work?
- Availability — are they free right now?
- Location — how quickly can they realistically reach you?
- Performance — how have they responded before?
- 03
You Respond
Review the available provider and accept the assistance. You see who they are, their response reputation and an ETA estimate before you commit to anything.
- Verified provider details up front
- Rating and response reputation visible
- Distance and ETA estimate shown
- No obligation until you accept
- 04
Help Arrives
Track the progress and communicate with your provider. Messages, status updates and arrival estimates all sit in one place — no chasing.
- Direct messaging with your provider
- Status updates at every stage
- Clear arrival estimate
- 05
Job Complete
Complete the job, pay securely and leave a review. Your review feeds back into the network so response reputation keeps improving for everyone.
- Secure payment handling
- Leave a review of your provider
- Builds network-wide response reputation
Live SOS Sequence
What you'd see right now.
SOS
SOS Active
Help request sent
Finding local help near you…
- Searching local providers
- Matching capabilities
- Checking availability
- Finding fastest response
Provider FoundAvailable now
KM
Verified Trade Provider
Verified•2.8 miles away
- Rating
- 4.9
- ETA estimate
- 27 min
- Response rate
- 98%
- Jobs completed
- 340+
Illustrative example of the matching sequence. Provider details shown are a demonstration, not a live record.
What it does — and what it doesn't.
Being straight about the edges of the service is part of being worth relying on.
What TradeCore SOS does
- Puts your request in front of verified local providers who can actually do the work
- Matches on capability, availability, location and response performance
- Lets you review who's available before you commit to anything
- Keeps messaging, status updates and arrival estimates in one place
- Feeds completed jobs back into the network as response reputation
What it doesn't do
- It is not an emergency service — for a risk to life, call 999
- It doesn't carry out the work itself; that's the provider's job
- It can't guarantee a match, or a match within a set time
- It isn't a directory to browse — requests go out to matched providers
- It doesn't publish your exact location to the wider network
Questions people ask before their first SOS.
Does it cost anything to send?
No. Sending an SOS request is free and you're not obliged to accept any provider offered to you. Free access is a plan in its own right.
What if nobody's nearby?
Availability varies by area and by trade. If nobody suitable is available, you'll see that rather than being left waiting on a promise we can't keep.
How do I know they're legit?
Providers go through verification before they can accept requests. Verification confirms the information they supplied — it isn't a guarantee of any particular job's outcome.
Can I use it for a job already booked?
Yes. SOS isn't only for breakdowns — it covers the everyday gaps too, like needing materials, extra labour or a specialist on site at short notice.
Who actually turns up?
An independent local provider who accepted your request. You'll have seen who they are, their response reputation and an ETA before you agreed to anything.
Two ways in.
I'm stuck right now
Press SOS.
Describe what's happened and where you are. We'll start matching immediately — no ringing around, no waiting on hold.
Press SOSI'm a trade
Join the network.
Receive local assistance requests that match your skills, availability and service area — and set your own availability.
TradeCore SOS is not an emergency service. For immediate danger, serious injury, fire, crime or life-threatening emergencies, call 999.