Two application types are offered to businesses. One offers a discount for accreditation or professional affiliation for premium subscriptions, and the other offers a discount for premium subscriptions through a link to its business website. Pricing becomes the same for both.
If you require a professional affiliation or special licensing to conduct business or have current accreditation with the Better Business Bureau, please use this application. Accredited or Professional
This includes business professionals such as Accountants, Appraisers, Auctioneers, Bailiffs, Bankruptcy Consultants, Bookkeepers, Business Associations, Collection Agencies, Credit and Debt Counselors, Financial Counselors, Funeral Providers, Immigration Consultants, Insurance Consultants, Investigators, Legal Consultants, Locksmiths, Mortgage Consultants, Printers, Real Estate Consultants, Security Services, and Tax Consultants.
This also includes Health Professionals in the field of Acupuncture, Audiologists, Behavior Therapists, Chiropractors, Registered Counsellors, Dentists, Denturists, Foot Care, Hearing Instrument Specialists, Registered Massage Therapists, Optometrists, Opticians, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Physicians, Physician Assistants, Psychologists, Speech Therapists, and Veterinarians.
If you do not require a professional affiliation or special licensing, please use this application. Credibility Counts
Logging Into Dashboard
All business owners can log into their accounts. The login area is on the Safe and Trusted website’s main page. Once you’ve successfully logged into your account management system, you’ll be presented with the Dashboard and Listings. See video
Safe and Trusted Canada sets up an account using the email given by the business owner. The business owner is sent a temporary password to access its account. The business owner will need to reset its password, which must contain eight characters composed of only letters and numbers. There must be at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number. This is necessary for security reasons as the user can change content for your listing.
When you navigate to the listings, you’ll immediately see the businesses you have the power to manage. The user can oversee unlimited businesses through the dashboard, giving the business owner total control of its operations.
The business has 13 content management areas, and depending on their subscription type, they may be unable to place content in specific tabs. These sections are system components, providing an overview of your business account and the ability to manage your listings. You’ll need an email associated with your business for account access. The company can grant staff access to manage the business account. However, it’s essential to consider that staff might not possess enough knowledge about your business to fill in the credentials area for the business accurately. They may need guidance in that area.
A business owner who selects the Professional Plan may not need an account if they do not want to accept reviews on our system or are not interested in the eQuote system for contractors. Our admin staff will do everything, and communication to get things right can be done through online videoconferencing or email. We start with maximizing the content from the business website.
Basic Info Tab
In the Basic tab, there are several entry areas for the user. See video.
The key concerns are the business name, address, city, province, and postal code. Please don’t copy and paste information into this area because the content management area does not allow extra characters. Sometimes, a copy-and-paste will pick up extra spacing either before or after the text. If you do, the business will not be visible on the Site.
This area is valuable to business owners because if they move to other locations, they can always match what they have on their Google My Business page, which increases the business’s search engine optimization on Google.
The email address never shows up to consumers in a live format. The reason for the entry has to do with your free account setup and is for admin purposes only, as well as sending email notifications to the business.
Receive eQuotes applies only to businesses with Standard, Advanced, or Professional subscriptions. It is mainly for contractors, and it is up to the business to decide whether to participate in eQuotes.
Allow Reviews means that you will allow your customers to leave reviews about your business. Some business owners choose not to do this as it could be time-consuming for the company. Some business owners focus on Google Reviews. One of the services Safe and Trusted Canada provides is making the Google Review process more manageable through the Reputation Management software we provide.
Your website address is your link. Copy the link from your browser and paste the content into the space provided for this input.
Contact Person – This could be an individual. The individual can be searched on the Site. In some cases, if the contact person is simply who answers the phone, the user can put in Front Desk, Reception, Administration, etc.
Affiliations – This is where you place all the business affiliations. It could be an accreditation with the Better Business Bureau, Home Builders Association, Chamber of Commerce or other similar entities. It might be a required business affiliation, such as a legal affiliation. It might be a required health affiliation such as an Dentist affiliation. If the business has a simple account, the links to any content display in a the url of that particular affiliation. Users can take that extension and place it in their browser to see the content. The professional plan is the only subscription that allows direct linking.
Business Start Date is simply the year the business started.
The About Us, Business Detail, Our Ideal Client, and What Makes Us Different areas allow unlimited text. Remember to be factual. When describing your business, it might be better to say what consumers say makes you different to confirm your actual input.
Keywords have nothing to do with Google and are more about extra ways the consumer can find you on the Site. Look at them as alternative names the consumer may find you under.
The hiring area works excellently with a professional subscription. The user can link directly to a job or business website and that information. Other links can include the application and all other details.
Promotions – This can be something that causes the consumer to select you. If you are no longer offering a promotion, make sure that you delete it from this part of your basic profile.
Logo- This is where you can place a correctly sized logo in your listing.
Page views—Every listing has this in its Basic Tab. The number is the number of page views the listing has in live format. A business simply logging into its account area does not add to the number of views.
A business owner who selects the Professional Plan may not need an account if they do not want to accept reviews on our system or are not interested in the eQuote system for contractors. Our admin staff will do everything, and communication to get things right can be done through online videoconferencing or email. We start with maximizing the content from the business website.
Categories Tab
Please note that the user will see the following list of categories when they apply for an account as a business owner. The consumer does not see this and uses the live website. This list is for the business to ensure they can maximize their categories. See video.
Bold Categories are starred and have additional grouped categories so that the business owner can quickly ensure that they have the corresponding categories, which are often related to their business.
The business owner selects the business category first and then the first subcategory within a category so that the site can properly index the business.
The Basic Subscription allows up to 5 subcategories. The Professional Subscription provides up to 60 subcategories.
The site groups categories into significant areas and then bold categories within those areas. Auto Categories are first, Contractors are second and Other Categories are last.
Safe and Trusted Canada may add categories and subcategories as needed. Some categories require a professional affiliation with account status to become part of the Site.
Auto Categories
Auto Accessories Auto Body Auto Air Conditioning Auto Glass Auto Dealership Auto Detailing Auto Maintenance Auto Part Auto Repair Auto Rental Auto Sale Auto Wrecking Brake Service Car Washing Diesel Engine Drive Shafts Engine Muffler Radiator Tire Towing Transmission Truck Accessories Truck Dealer Truck Leasing Truck Repair Wheel Wheel Alignment Windshield
Contractor Categories
Contractors
General Contractors Brickwork Building Demolition Drafting Drywall Finishing Framing Handyman Hydrovac Home Builders Insulation Painting Railings Renovations Stair Builders Steel Construction Stone Stucco Surveyors Welding
Air Conditioning Bathtub Boiler Drain Cleaning Furnaces Gas Contractor Heating Mechanical Plumbing Refrigeration Sheet Metal Water Heater
Air Quality Asbestos Removal Mold Removal
Basement Waterproofing
Cabinet Bathroom Closet Design Countertops Kitchen
Concrete Concrete Cutting Concrete Products Concrete Repair Concrete Supplier Mud Jacking
Doors Garage Door Glass Overhead Doors Windows
Electrical Fire Alarm Home Automation.
Excavating Sewer Septic Trenching
Flooring Hardwood
Landscape Decks Fence Lawn Snow Removal Sprinklers Tree Weed Control
Roofing Eavestrough Siding Soffit and Fascia
Other Categories
Accommodation Hotels Food Restaurants Travel Bed and Breakfast Banquet Room Catering Meat Market
Accounting Bookkeeping Bankruptcy Collection Agency Credit and Debt Financial Tax
Acupuncture Chiropractor Massage Services Physical Therapist Registered Massage.
Advertising Advertising Specialties Digital Marketing Graphic Designers Internet Marketing Printing Rubber Stamps Signs Video Production Web Design
Art Gallery Artist Picture Framing
Barbecue Fireplaces Hot Tubs Lighting
Beauty Cosmetic Estheticians Hair Hair Replacement Laser Laser Hair Removal Nails Spa Tanning Salon Tattoo
Blinds Draperies Window Coverings
Boat Dealers Boat Equipment Boat Repair
Business Services Auctioneer Batteries Cell Phone Repair Computer Document Shredding Employment Jobs Office Recruitment
Building Supplier Garage Interiors Heating Supplier Lumber
Cleaning Air Duct Cleaning Carpet Cleaning Dry Cleaners Furnace Cleaning Extermination Garbage Graffiti Removal Janitorial Maid Pest Control Vacuum Window Cleaning.
Counselling Psychologist Speech Therapy.
Dance Music Instruction
Dentist Denturist
Engineering Environmental Solar Energy
Fitness Bicycle Golf Course Martial Arts
Flooring Store
Foot Care
Funeral Home Monuments
Furniture Store Appliance Furniture Maker Home Decor Interior Decorators Mattresses Upholsterers
Government Municipalities Political Parties
Hearing
Immigration
Insurance Auto Insurance Farm Insurance Home Insurance Travel Insurance
Lawyer Aboriginal Law Business Law Civil Litigation Criminal Law Employment Law Estate Law Family Law Immigration Law Real Estate Law Tax Law Traffic Ticket
Machine Shops Sharpening Tool Rental
Moving Companies Courier Delivery Hot Shot Shipping Container Storage Facility
Pets Veterinarians
Physicians Pharmacies
Real Estate Appraiser Home Inspectors Mortgage Property Management
R V Dealers ATV Dealer Motorcycles
Safety Health Safety Safety Training Schools Fire Extinguisher
Security Alarm Bailiff Investigators Safes and Vaults
Senior Home Care Retirement Home Wheel Chairs
Sewing Machine Knitting
Trucking Driving Tarpaulins
Water Pumps Water Purification Water Treatment Water Well
Wedding Bridal Shop Florists Gift Jewellers Limousine Photographers.
Regions Tab
Each region is a province. A province displays cities and towns in this order. The largest city is first, and the capital is second. See the video.
All other cities and towns are shown in alphabetical order. The Basic and Plus Subscriptions allow one entry, usually the city or town the business has as its base or is based on Google My Business Listings. The Standard, Advanced, and Professional subscriptions have varying amounts of placement possibilities. The professional subscription allows 20 trade areas in a province. A business that needs more allocated places can contact us for pricing. Please note that all regions with trade areas are indexed and the consumer can see all the categories for a particular city on demand. Businesses listed here are according to the account type and date entered onto the Safe and Trusted website with that account. See Vancouver as an example.
Credentials Tab
The first credentials area is for all businesses. See the video
Here, the company indicates that it has the required licensing and legal requirements in place. The advertised name is legally registered, meaning the business is registered with the corporation’s branch in their province. The company must select that all credentials are accurate and that the owner handles complaints directly. Years in business is the length of time that the business name is registered. A business owner can indicate their experience level in the About Us area of their Basic Info. Please note that if the company is not legally registered, they should not indicate they are. Many businesses are chain related, franchise related and some operate as sole proprietors under the business owner’s name.
The second credential area is just for contractors. Liability insurance and Worker’s compensation are mandatory. All the rest is easy to understand. Will give supplier references to protect consumers from liens. This was brought about after a roofer did not pay the supplier, and the supplier was threatening to put liens on houses that the contractor shingled and did not pay the supplier.
Please remember that if the business indicates that they have a specific credential, we hold them to it because if the business owner places a credential, they do not have in their profile, that may cause an alert on the business and subsequent removal after one year.
Review Sites
Safe and Trusted Canada lists 51 review sites in total to ensure that the business owner has a full understanding of their business. See the video.
Any links to the Better Business Bureau, Google, Safe, and Trust are permanent and cannot be changed. If applicable, 48 other review sites allow a business to be listed as an information-only profile.
The review sites are listed in common areas related to a particular type of business. Hotel and Restaurant review sites are listed in one area. Contractor type review sites are also grouped together. Auto review sites are grouped together as well. Some review sites deal with professional types of businesses including lawyers, doctors and real estate professionals. Optional review sites may be present on the site, but only the business owner, through the business management area of their account, can make the review site active for the consumer.
The business user may deselect any optional review site through their account management area. All they need to do is select hide from the site, and their listing will no longer show that review site.
Social Media
The Site allows the business owner to link to numerous social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, a Blog, WhatsApp, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger. See video.
Safe and Trusted also provides software to users so they can do their social media posts more easily. The software is AI-assisted and allows unlimited posts to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and the business Google Page. It is currently priced at 29.00 per month. There may need to be a small set-up fee for the user if they are not familiar with social media posting.
Images
The Site allows premium plans to upload images to their profile. See video.
The Standard Subscription allows five images, the Advanced Subscription allows ten images, and the Professional Subscription provides up to 20 images. Images or workmanship, products, food dishes, hotel rooms or treatment areas provide extra reasons why the consumer should select you. The business owner must compress the photos, or they will load incorrectly. If the business has images on its website and a professional subscription, a better way is to provide a direct link to your website where the photos are stored.
PDF Uploads
The Site allows premium plans to upload PDF documents to their profile. See the video.
The Standard Subscription allows 1 PDF upload, the Advanced Subscription allows 5 PDF uploads and the Professional Subscription allows up to 10 PDF uploads. The Size of the PDF is restricted to 2 meg.
A PDF could be an application form, a restaurant menu, a price menu, a contract form or even documents showing required standards such as liability insurance, compensation coverage or more.
Again, if you have these documents on your website, a better way is to have the professional subscription which allows the business owner to provide a direct link to these documents on the business website.
Video Uploads
The premium plans allow the business to place multiple YouTube videos into their profile. See the video.
The Standard Subscription allows one YouTube video, The Advanced Subscription provides up to 5 YouTube videos, and the Professional Subscription allows up to 10. The videos the business uploads can be its videos or the videos on YouTube that display products the business sells or provides to its customers. Consumers prefer videos over pictures. Make sure you have a YouTube channel where all your videos are available. YouTube is considered to be a great search engine comparable to Google. All you have to do is take the the YouTube video link from your browser and insert that link into your content management area.
Subscription Tab
This will tell the business what the current subscription is for their business.
The business can change subscriptions through this tab. A better and quicker way is to phone at 1-888-979-6490.
eQuotes Tab
Premium plans like the Standard, Advanced, and Professional Subscriptions can view consumer requests. See the video.
This tab gives the business owner the information necessary to contact the consumer and more details about what the consumer wants. The business must first opt into quotes in their primary tab. Please note that consumers select who they want to contact through the live site. They will first select the city, then the business category and narrow their search down to the business through the credentials search. If the consumer is looking for choices of contractors, they can ask for a quote form up to 10 contractors in one simple request.
Embed Tab
When the user opens this tab, the Embed code allows the user to connect its website and Safe and Trusted profile. It is simply a smart thing to do because it directly connects your profile content to your website. See the video
Safe and Trusted Canada notes that we present two marketing options to businesses.
One is the Accredited BBB or Professional option, which has up to a $100 discount for businesses accredited with BBB or with a professional affiliation.
The other is the Non-Accredited plan, which offers up to a $100 discount for businesses that connect their website and profile through the embed code. In this way, the Site gives equal options for discounts for all businesses.
Reviews Tab
The reviews tab is for businesses that allow reviews for their business. See the video
Remember, in the Basic Info tab, a business can decide not to accept reviews from anyone because they already have a review process for other sites like Google and are concentrating their efforts on that area.
Those businesses that have decided to allow reviews on the Safe and Trusted website, can see their reviews and publish them if it is an actual client of their business. The business user can reject the review if the person leaving the review is not known as a customer of that business.
A customer can only leave one review about any business. The review comes from a verified email address, but this not mean that the person is a customer of that business.
The review system alerts businesses when they are doing something right or when they may have failed a customer. No reviews are allowed from anyone connected to the company. Should a business owner approve reviews from people connected directly to the business, that is a cause for an alert and subsequent removal from the Site.
Safe and Trusted Canada does not mediate issues between customers and companies and states that in text and video at the end of every listing on the Site.