I agree with Steve. I think using the word “awarded” is misleading, since most customers won’t look further to see HOW they were awarded.
Wc.com should just take the word “awarded” out and just say that their network of companies are the best, at least people know that is subjective. Until both non paying and paying companies are considered for this “award”, I’d agree it is being dishonest.
It’s just like how the BBB used to give higher ratings to paying customers. That was also dishonest and they got called out on it.
Just like I pay to be at the top of Angie’s list. What would you guys that don’t like it consider to be a legitimate award ? Would the award we won from the newspaper that ended up costing us 500$ to run an ad with be legitimate? Would an award from our chamber be honest enough? What awards have you won that are completely unmotivated by the awarder benefiting from the awardee?
I wonder how Chris feels about his thread getting hijacked?
As for examples Steve… watch a YouTube review where they claim a certain product is the best. Almost all of them have been paid for. But guess who’s reputation is on the line if someone buys that product and it’s garbage? The one who was PAID to create the video. The individual or company creating the review (and getting paid for it) still makes sure they believe and stand behind the product or their reputation would quickly sink and they’d be out of business. Yes, we believe our members are the best. We believe and stand behind every single one. It’s our reputation on the line.
If you want to create a thread about our choice in who we recommend as the best then please create a thread for it and I’ll answer any questions or concerns you have. But Chris thinks his websites look great!
I would say a legitimate award results from a legitimate contest. If only one company, applies to wc.com, don’t they still get the award if they pay, even though they may be the worst company in town? What if 3 companies apply, and just happen to be the three worst companies in town. One of the three will still be awarded the title of best in town as long as they continue to pay.
Really want to award the best window cleaning company in town? Advertise a contest and give the award based off of scores given in known categories with no extra weight given to paying members.
Angies list may put you at the top of the page if you pay for advertising, but they aren’t claiming you are the best. Your customers have to do that on their site.
Chris can delete this thread if he wants to if you’re worried about it showing up in google, but I doubt he’d do that because he believes in open discussion and values differing opinions.
I take issue with your site because I’m in a small market and you’ve “awarded” a company who isn’t even in located in my city the #1 window cleaner in my town, even though I don’t remember being given the opportunity to compete or even be interviewed. So in essence you are my competitor too.
I tried to quit my sites a couple months ago and Mark helped me through it with some counseling so to speak. I hung on and now the past couple months, the activity has picked up. It’s now more than paying for what I spend and the new look is great. I’ll hang on for awhile longer. Honestly, last year it wasn’t paying for itself, or barely, and I was trying to put my ad dollars in areas that were more profitable. I wasn’t using the site well either. I’m not a computer savy guy and Mark and his people helped me out. I am ranked #1 in my area, so overall, it’s doing what it is supposed to. I know it’s not a glaring recommendation Mark, but it’s better than when we talked in March. :rolleyes:
You can claim that your customers are qualified, or even say that they are the best, but claiming that they were “awarded” the best is crossing the line. They were awarded the best based on 1 factor, they pay their monthly subscription fee…
Regardless of the wording, the service works. I have 10 towns and plan to get more. I use the branding on all my mailers now, as well as the provided tracking #s
The sites are amazing and basically run themselves. I can’t recommend window cleaning.com enough.
The customer support from Mark and team is amazing as well.
They have me as a customer forever. I should also mention the more you use the branding and reference it in your other marketing materials the better it works
Gotta agree with [MENTION=1313]Octopus[/MENTION] and others on this, the only true way to have an award is to have a contest where any can enter (even if you make it clear that they must pay to enter).
Maybe you could call it an “Advertiser Award” or a “WCR.com Recommended Business” or something of the like.
Maybe we call it what we want and you worry about running your business.Sounds fair? You can say you are a window wizard full of sorcery and such and I could give two craps.
I don’t think anyone is saying that it doesn’t work for some people. I think the rub here is that the wording is disingenuous and unverifiable. If your competitors in the supply business were awarded “best window cleaning supply company” by the IWCA and given a banner on their site because they were the first to pay up and be “certified” you’d probably understand why some people have a problem with it.
Blah blah blah - You’re crying on deaf ears dude. They aren’t going to change the wording because you don’t like it, Steve. Even if they did you would still find something else to btch about…
I understand why people that dont have it have a problem with it…
Using the IWCA as an example isnt really comparing apples to apples, its a trade association.
The comparison would be if there was a site called bestwindowcleaningsupplies.com and they sold advertising space by region. If they did that I would just buy some space if I saw the value in it.
WC.com is a joke…but for those who have it - good for them. Yes, they are being dishonest about who is the best…however if wc.com feels that they have found the “best” window cleaner in an area, even if it is paid for, and even if no one else is competing for the accreditation, then they are not lying after-all. However what irritates me is them basically muddying up google listings with “paid for” results.
