We vet several key items every year to certify companies and ensure they continue to uphold our high standards of quality.
- Customer feedback via Google or internal surveying
- General Liability coverage
- Workers’ Compensation coverage
- State-required licenses
- Secretary of State status
- Business Credit Check *Only on first-year companies
- Your company must advertise all services you want to qualify for on your website.
Research Requirements
The organization analyzes customer reviews using either a company’s Google Business Profile or internal surveying methods. Qualification is based on all-time review volume and a three-year rating average.
Rating Standards
Every company must maintain at least an 80% score or 4.0 rating based on reviews from the past three years.
Review Quota Requirements
First-Year Qualification
Companies must have 25+ all-time reviews and a 4.0+ rating from the past three years to qualify.
Annual Renewal Qualification
Companies must maintain a 4.0+ rating from the past three years to qualify for renewal.
Published Profile Information
Company profiles display the all-time overall review score.
Qualification Scenario Example
The qualification process uses all-time review volume for eligibility and a rolling three-year rating average to evaluate quality standards during both initial qualification and renewals.
Research Method #1: Google Review Analysis
Requirements:
- Active Google Business Profile
- Meet rating and quota requirements above
Qualification Timeline: Companies meeting requirements qualify instantly.
Published Content: We currently do not have the functionality to publish Google reviews on the fivestarrated.com profiles. If you would like to collect reviews to publish in your Five Star Rated web profile, please see Research Method #2 below.
Research Method #2: Internal Surveying
Five Star Rated contacts customers via email and/or phone for feedback.
Requirements:
- Submit complete customer list from past year to three years (Microsoft Excel format preferred)
- Include minimum customer name, email, and/or phone number
- Minimum 50 jobs per category recommended (150 for three categories)
- Meet rating and quota requirements
Timeline: Internal surveying takes approximately 30 days.
Published Content: We publish every review received through internal surveying on your fivestarrated.com profile.
Insurance Requirements
All companies must maintain General Liability insurance. Where required by the state, all companies must also maintain Workers’ Compensation insurance.
During your initial onboarding, you will be asked to provide a copy of your active insurance policies (the Certificate of Insurance, or COI). As the policies expire, you must provide up-to-date policies to remain qualified for Five Star Rated. Failure to maintain your insurance policies will result in your phone lines being disconnected.
If your insurance coverage or provider changes, please inform us as soon as possible.
If you operate as a sole proprietorship, you do not need to provide proof of Workers’ Compensation. Please inform your Account Manager if this is the case.
Adding an Insurance Certificate Holder
We encourage you to contact your insurance provider and ask them to add our parent company, Ignite Visibility, to the policy as a certificate holder. This isn’t required, but it does make your life easier by enabling us to independently and directly verify your company’s coverage each year. It also allows us to be alerted if your policy ever changes or lapses.
Licensing Requirements
All companies must maintain valid licenses as required by the state for the services you appear in with Five Star Rated. Failure to maintain a state-required license will result in your phone lines being disconnected.
We will only print licenses that fall within our service names, e.g. a company appearing in the Electricians category will display their electrical license. If the same company also has a plumbing license, we will not print that license in the Electricians category.
Please send us a copy of your company’s state-required trade license(s), including the actual license number(s). We will verify this information directly with the appropriate state authority. If anything changes with your trade license(s) during the year, please inform us as soon as possible.
Secretary of State Requirements
All companies must be Active or In Good Standing with the Secretary of State in which they conduct business.
If you operate as a sole proprietorship, you do not need to have an active status. Please inform your Account Manager if this is the case.
Financial Standing Verification
We generate a credit report on every new company considered for participation. We look for basic but critical information including but not limited to bankruptcy history, liens or judgments history, a credit history score, credit limit, and charting histories, which collectively indicate the level of operational stability of a company.
Unless we are unable to locate your company in our financial checks, we do not need you to submit anything to run this verification check.
Customer Complaints
Five Star Rated companies that receive 3 or more help desk complaints and/or guarantee claims in a 12-month period will go through an internal review process to determine whether you are still a good fit for Five Star Rated.
Questions?
Let us know! Please reach out to your Support Representative or Account Manager with questions. We’re happy to help!