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Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question that is not covered here please contact our Membership team on 0800 4581234 who will be delighted to help.
- Why Checkatrade?
- How does it work?
- Trade Associations
- Joining Checkatrade
Why Checkatrade?
Isn't this just advertising?
Checkatrade is not simply an advertising platform. It is not a fire and forget marketing campaign or a set of glossy free-ads. It is a means of establishing your reputation through word of mouth - amplified through Checkatrade's continual marketing on this web site and in printed guides.
Checkatrade is a partnership between the trades and their customers. Checkatrade bring together the public, who are looking for tradesmen they can trust, with trades and service providers who uphold and operate to the Checkatrade standard. Customers supply feedback cards about the tradesmen to Checkatrade - proving their credibility to other potential customers.
I've heard it all before - what makes Checkatrade so special?
We have all heard sales people make claims that simply cannot be true. Sales people can be very seductive and spin all manner of tales. We don't want you just to take our word for it - read what other people say about us. Read the testimonials from other trade members.
Even better, call up any of our members and ask them yourself how Checkatrade has affected their business. No one else would dare suggest this - that's what makes us special!
Most of my work already comes via recommendation - why should I join?
If most of your work comes from recommendations then you are exactly the type of business we are looking for. We want people who are proud of their reputation and who know it works for them as the best form of advertising. If you are not getting work by recommendation, we would be asking why.
Checkatrade membership means word of mouth - through a megaphone! Recommendations are not just passed among friends. They are shared with the general public, time after time after time. You will build up a record of customer opinions that will cover all areas of your work, in all of your locations, and stretch back for as long as you have been a member. So you will be as good as all of your jobs, not just your last one.
What's more, you don't have to maintain files of references or example sites. Your Checkatrade membership and customer feedback cards will do this for you, with the credibility and trust of the Checkatrade brand.
I've got too much work and I'm booked up for months - why should I join?
You have obviously built up a successful business by valuing the customer, doing good work, and marketing yourself well. The majority of our members join primarily for the credibility, and we can maximise this for your continued success. We can help you stay ahead of your competitors by providing another reason for customers to choose you first. Through Checkatrade you can take more of the jobs that are most profitable or enjoyable, and we can help you get them more efficiently and effectively - it is likely that your advertising spend will be cut as you focus on word of mouth recommendation.
I'm just starting out - is Checkatrade right for me?
This depends on how much experience you have in your line of work. Our vetting process requires you to have a minimum period of experience in your trade. If you are an experienced tradesman and are now starting your own business, Checkatrade will help give you the kick-start you are looking for. We can advise you on how best to utilise your membership, give you marketing options, and help you build your brand by publishing your customers' feedback.
Do you cover where I work?
Checkatrade operates across the UK. If you browse our listings of current members you will find that most of our members are based in the south of England. This is because Checkatrade has grown from a local reference service to cover an entire region. However our system does work nationwide.
Members across the country can get the same benefits from the enhanced credibility of being continually monitored.
If you found Checkatrade on the Internet, then so can your customers. And if you are one of the first few in your area to get the Checkatrade advantage then you will really stand out from the competition. Our surveys have shown that being able to demonstrate your credibility through Checkatrade membership increases your quote conversion rate from an average of five out of ten to eight out of ten. That's a 60% increase in work!
How does it work?
Does the vetting process mean a lot of hassle for me?
Our vetting process has to be comprehensive to ensure that we only allow top flight businesses to become members. We have to uphold the customer's trust in us. However, we realise it is not the most profitable or exciting exercise for you, so we do the vast majority of the work.
All applicants are pre-screened and told that they will interviewed, vetted and monitored - and the results good and bad will be made public. This alone deters a lot of trades who know that they have a substandard service. We ensure that the trades and services know we are a consumer information service and that we have to remain unbiased. Our procedures for handling negative comments and complaints are clearly explained.
Our trained staff will assess your suitability and will then arrange an interview, either onsite or at your premises. At the interview we ask for:
- Names and addresses of two trade referees; to whom we then write
- Names and addresses of four recent, local customers; to whom we then write
- Proof of qualifications and credentials (e.g. Corgi, Fensa, Part P)
- Proof of ID: Drivers license or passport, plus utility bills
- A signed disclosure agreement allowing us to approach Trading Standards to see if they have any past complaints
In addition we look at length of experience and your company history as well as VAT and company legal status. We may also run a credit check on you and check for outstanding County Court judgments.
How will you monitor me?
We believe the best people to monitor our members are the customers. This means our members supply each one of their customers with a Checkatrade “Customer Feedback card”.
This card allows the customer the opportunity to give comments and scores out of ten across eight different areas of workmanship and service. The customer completes the card and posts it back to Checkatrade - no stamp required. This unbiased information stream reveals the truth about how our trades and services perform.
Customers' names and addresses are never published, but we do not accept anonymous feedback. We protect our members against rogue consumers or deliberate anti-competitive behaviour. For this reason we spot-check every tenth Customer Feedback Card, and personally verify any complaint made against a Checkatrade member. Where negative comments are made against a member, the Trade is given a "right to reply" - and their side of the story is published on the web site alongside the customer's comments.
How important are the Customer Feedback Cards?
The customer feedback cards are very important for the Checkatrade process and provide vital benefits for you:
- If you hand a customer feedback card to your customer before you have even won the job, you will give the customer immense confidence in you. It tells the customer that you are willing to be held accountable for the work you do. The customer knows that they would have someone to complain to should any issues arise, and is immediately less fearful about commiting the work to you. The customer feedback cards will help you win business.
- The more cards you give out, the more scores you get. Consumers will choose you from our web site based on the number of recommendations you have, so the more comments you collect, the more enquiries you generate.
- The scores and comments are a real encouragement to you and your team. You can feel proud when customers give you unbiased compliments and praise. You can also use the feedback to see what is important to your customers - often by making just small improvements in the right area you can make a difference to your bottom line.
What happens if a customer complains about me?
If we receive a complaint from a consumer about the work of one our members, we first ensure that they have completed a customer feedback card. Completing a customer feedback card ensures we get their full picture of the situation, along with the customer's contact details and permission to pursue the issue.
When we receive a reporting card with a negative comment, we start our complaints procedure which is overseen by one of our experienced customer services staff. A report of the card is sent to you, and also back to the consumer. At this point, the customer feedback card is not published to the public.
You can either:
- Address the complaint and put the job right. The customer will then submit a new feedback card to replace the original.
- Or if you feel the complaint is unjustified, send us your side of the story. Your reply will be published on our web site next to the customer's comments.
If you do nothing, the comment will be published as it is after 21 days.
What about awkward customers who complain with no valid reason?
Fortunately this is quite rare, but it can happen. Our complaints procedure helps to protect you from unreasonable claims or malicious comments. Rest assured we will listen to your side of the story and use our experience and judgement to help you resolve issues with customers if and when they arise.
Trade Associations
What makes you different from a Guild or Federation?
To our knowledge most Guilds and Federations are orientated towards providing a service for the trades. Here at Checkatrade we understand that for a service like ours to work it has to be focused first on the consumer. We believe that if you give the consumer what they want and do it well, they will repay you. This principle has been proved time and time again by our members.
Most trade association memberships involve a one-off or perhaps an annual check on their members. We monitor our members continually through Customer Feedback Cards. We give the consumer confidence to employ a tradesman, and that generates work. We estimate that customers reward our members with a total value of £12 million worth of work every month. Our consumer-first philosophy works!
I'm already registered with Fensa / Corgi / Part P. What else can you offer me?
Checkatrade is a marketing platform that not only brings credibility but also causes your phone to ring with new quality customers.
When was the last time your phone rang just because you were Fensa, Corgi or Part P registered?
Checkatrade helps to distinguish you from the rest.
What is TrustMark?
TrustMark is based around a set of Government-endorsed standards for trade associations, certification bodies and other organisations that wish to become approved scheme operators. Only these scheme operators are allowed to award the TrustMark to registered firms.
TrustMark was launched to the public in January 2006. Only companies who satisfy the stringent conditions of the scheme are authorised to display the TrustMark logo.
Can I join TrustMark through Checkatrade?
Checkatrade are running a pilot to become a TrustMark Scheme Operator. Checkatrade membership covers most of the criteria needed to obtain the Government Endorsed Standards - the two main additional requirements are an independent assessment (every three years) and the other is an enhanced insurance policy which offers your customers a warranty on larger jobs, both of which we can arrange for you.
Full information can be obtained by calling our Customer Services department on 01243 608806.
Joining Checkatrade
What will it cost?
Before you can judge the cost you have to know what you are getting.
Work out the value of a Checkatrade membership to your business, and then you can look at the cost.
- How valuable is it to be able to say "I'm accountable for my work"?
- What is it worth to win a much higher proportion of quotes - because you can prove your reputation and your competitors can't?
- Look at the benefits of Checkatrade membership, and see how they compare to a listing in a phone directory.
- 97% of our members renew their membership year after year because they know it more than pays for itself. Many have doubled their turnover as a result.
The benefits of Checkatrade membership start at less than ten pounds a week. Can you afford not to join?
Contact our Membership team on 0800 4581234 or enquire online to find out more.
Do I have to pay up front?
We know cashflow is an issue when running a small business, so to help you we can take your membership fees by Direct Debit each month.
Can you send me more information?
We would be delighted to send you an information pack about joining Checkatade. You can request one online or call our Membership team on 0800 4581234 to order one. However, apart from information about our current pricing levels, there is nothing in the pack that is not explained or shown on this web site.
To get a full picture of the benefits of Checkatrade membership and what it would mean for your business, you can arrange a meeting with one of our membership representatives. This gives you a chance to ask any questions you may have, and often we can perform some of the vetting process should you choose to get started there and then. We do not need hardsell tactics to get sales, and requesting a meeting puts you under no obligation whatsoever.
Call our Membership team on 0800 4581234 to arrange a visit.