I’ve heard about this reputation management software/service ASK THE SEAL – theseal.com through a local competitor and SWS (softwashsystems).
It makes a lot of sense to me as customers see proof that you and your employees are continually background checked plus they have packages that integrate review system generation.
My question is: where is the competition?
Aren’t there other background check companies that allow you to ‘show off’ your investment and offer ‘badges’?
I can find lots of services to offer various level of employee background checks but not finding something close to Ask the Seal.
Does anyone know of competing software companies or have experience with this service?
I think I found the answer: there is not current competition. I had a sales call with them after I posted this and that was their answer.
By the way, I ended up signing up with Ask the Seal, and I’m waiting for my ID badges.
Anyone have any thoughts to share about it who has used or is using this company to do your background checks and assure your customer/prospective base that you’re up-to-date?
Anyone want to post their website and show how they pitch this to their audience?
Excellent question (pricing?). They don’t advertise their pricing and I want to respect their decision.
It’s a monthly subscription model that I feel is very fair (considering everything). There is a setup fee and a $40 fee for every badge they make. It’s not just a physical badge–more importantly, it’s a digital badge so your appointment emails show the badges of the employees coming to the job.
Also, there’s a $40 charge for every initial background check, which is pretty standard in the industry (from what I can tell).
They give some nice marketing materials, as well, so you can leverage the reputation management investment.
There is an annual background check done plus annual checking all your insurance and applicable licenses.
So your customer base has the assurance that you do have employees who are being repeatedly checked for criminal activity.
Reviews:
Something I found most valuable is after your service appointment is done The Seal can send an email to your customer asking how the service appointment went. If they give you a 5-star rating then it takes them to your Google listing for them to post a Google review. Or other review sites. This really can boost reviews–which as we know are quite valuable.
By the way, I’m not getting anything from posting this. I’m just pretty enthused about it since I just signed up. You can ask me a year from now how it’s going and maybe I will have some other things to say.
It’s hard to see in the photo but when you move the badge there’s this fancy, official-looking design in the background. Gives it a high-quality ID badge feel.
And I betting they will change a lot more, including, and more important the badging.
looks like there is a countdown, as to how long you can be trusted. (“background check EXPIRES”)
And its put out there, by THEM.
Half the badge is promoting them, which they apparently need,
…since they haven’t built enough “trust and reputation” in themselves, to simply (read: Boldly) state “The Seal Certified Company.”
Waste of time and money. No one knows what your “badge” means, if a customer asks and you reply “This badge means I am not a criminal”, it just makes people wonder if you actually are a criminal, and just made some crappy badge with a seal on it.
It says that the check is done by a third party, and not them? You’re paying monthly? Dude. You gotta get outta that contract…its not a contract is it?
Don’t the BBB do the same thing kinda? People already assume you’ve done background checks anyway on your own. If they do something bad, you’re in trouble right?? When I get cable, if the cable guy comes to my pad and he’s stuffing his pockets with dorrito’s from my kitchen I’m calling his boss to let him know I’m suing him for eating my chips and to come get his thief off my kitchen floor.
That badge makes me suspicious of the guy wearing it.
