AZ, we obviously don’t live in the same neighborhood or run in the same circles. My kids are B”H married for years, but that was the going rate when they were dating and B”H we did not have the need to go to a professional. The one to two thousand dollar amount you speak of was the amount of the gift we bestowed (as expected) on the non-professional.
So maybe if parents see that they are not getting anywhere with the Shadchan they should visit more than one or switch to one that will take their child under their wing and work on their behalf. I have heard too many stories from young women themselves who told me “the Shadchan didn’t even speak to me. I was sitting there and she took another call, looked at me for two minutes and waved me out of the room.”
Everyone has a sheliach as well as a zivug and if the sheliach you chose is not working for your benefit maybe that is not the one Hashem chose for you.