Posted on August 6, 2009 - by Janet Smith

Vet me, please! Businesses Differentiate on Quality by Having their Reputations Validated

Are you confident that your quality and reliability should set you apart from the pack? Are you frustrated because you are an expert craftsman but just another card in the mail, ad in the paper, radio spot, internet search or yellow page listing?

RHS Certified™ is a nationally recognized social network of small businesses that differentiate their companies based on quality.   See CARFAX for Contractors: Consumers have no time to vet businesses and just want to get the job done right the first time.  

Membership allows high-integrity, niche businesses serving local markets (20 mile radius+) to differentiate their business by collaborating with other talented, experienced, validated, high integrity businesses – winning new business and cross-referrals as a TEAM.  Like VeriSign and Energy Star, RHS Certified® is an at-a-glance insignia that establishes comfort and trust in consumers.  Members display it on their websites, trucks and advertising.   But businesses have to be exceptionally good.

Top 12 Reasons why members join the RHS Certified® network (contractors’ view):

Referrals I make come back to me.

 I have a niche contracting business; my customers love my work and are always asking me for referrals to other lines of work.  I hate it when I give someone a referral and never get one back.  My relationship with other RHS members brings me business and vice versa. I also get discounts for referring other great businesses to RHS.

Membership differentiates my business.

Advertising and signage provide brand awareness, but even Harvard confirms advertising is no statement of quality.  There’s no ad police; anybody can say anything anywhere and they do.  I’m part of a team of elite players and it feels good.  I’m getting more first calls, instead of calls to fix the screw up of some fast talker with a business card.

All members pass the scrutiny I did.

And trust me, no stone was left unturned.  Patent-pending, Referred Home Services™ vets businesses by checking TEN references, licenses, insurance, BBB, corporate registration, the attorney general’s office and conducting two hour interviews with the business owners.

Bidding government contracts as a team.

In 2007, government contracting was $460 billion and today, stimulus money is coming.  Local government facilities need repair, maintenance and improvement.  The process is arduous but if done as a group, we can win RFI’s as a group.  My business has opportunities to grow with RHS that I didn’t know how to approach on my own.

RHS introduces me to people that I can’t get to.

It sure is nice to attend an RHS function and have a hot dog and a beer at a ballgame with the COO’s of prestigious local communities.  It certainly beats being another face in the crowd sending letters and calling to get an appointment. I have won business that I couldn’t even access before.

Let’s face it, community managers don’t have time to vet contractors year after year and they can’t risk having their residents see the truck of a disreputable contractor working on community business.  Their reputation suffers.  This works for them too.

I am presented as a subject matter expert.

Those two hour interviews RHS conducts allow me to explain my craft. This conversation turns into a published article that I would never be able to write! Writing is not my skill set.  At this interview, RHS and I really get to know each other. I like it – no one has ever asked me ‘Where I want to be in 5 years’ or ‘What is something about me my clients don’t know’ – it made me proud of the work I’ve done with my life.

Quality matters.

I live the tagline Reputable Businesses, Exceptional Craftsmanship™. RHS members I refer to my clients have the same definition of: responsive, trustworthy, professional, ethical and qualified as I do.  They will serve my customers well.  People remember a bad referral or don’t believe you when you say you don’t know someone. Ongoing evaluations occur to assure the quality of members’ services doesn’t degrade.

I choose my territory.

With the price of gas and travel time, I want my guys to be active in a 20 mile territory.  I like my business this size; I can control the quality of work and satisfy my customers.  RHS let’s me decide what territory I want at a price I can afford, and allows me to add on others later.

Members charge fair prices.

Price gouging or undercutting bids are not acceptable business practices.  RHS checks.  Normally, the staff gets three bids on services from other companies to see if a candidate member is in line with the market.  $340 to install a dishwasher in 30 minutes?  It doesn’t matter how big your wallet or IQ is, nobody likes to feel taken.

Mistakes happen.

I’m a small business; jury duty and the flu can make it a bad week, but that’s doesn’t make mine a bad business.  RHS supports me by understanding that the best companies honor their services and support issues long after the sale.

Dispute resolution services.

Sometimes homeowners want something for nothing (disreputable people live somewhere!) and are trying to cheat me.  Sometimes the homeowner didn’t understand something. Sometimes my guy messed up and I didn’t know about it.  Regardless, RHS steps in and gets people communicating to find a solution.

Education and networking seminars.

Online and in person, Affiliate members like bankers, workers compensation attorneys, contract law attorneys, sales consultants and IT solution providers present and help us run better businesses.  It’s nice to get together once a month and have a presentation that directly applies to my business.

My opinion matters.

Once a month, RHS management stands in front of all members in that territory and tells us what’s on the calendar for events and promotions.  I may not get everything I want, but I am definitely heard.  I know they will think about it and address it.  The yellow pages never did that for me.

Charity in my ‘hood.

The “We Can’t Cure Cancer but We Can Fix Your Roof” RHS charity program allows us to give to people right here who need it.  A lot of us are quiet givers; we just do the right thing because we can.  This program allows us to organize and be close to home as opposed to giving a check to a national organization.  Our campaign for kids with cancer supported a local charity and we fixed roofs and fences and laid concrete for wheelchair access. We were able to get the manufacturers to pitch in products as well.  Everyone liked the local PR that was presented professionally and with dignity.

The RHS Certified® seal indicates the small business has met the nationally recognized certification standard for its industry. For more information, contact us .