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Looking Back & Moving Forward: Counting On Quality Ratings & Contractor Reviews

 
Gord Amphlett

Toronto, Ontario

Posted: January 10 2022

O.K. I’ll come clean right out of the gate. (made of 6 x 6s’ of course)

I am the Founder of The Contractors Site.  A web-based platform designed for Contractors, Labourers, Homeowners and Building Product Suppliers to find and connect with each other.

For most of my 22+ years as a renovation contractor I worked by myself, but there were times when good help was desperately needed.  The very few sources of skilled manpower that I was aware of, had mostly run dry.  If I was really busy, then so was everyone else!  At the time, there were very few options. My toolbox was light – I was short on access to good sharp chisels!  I was new to the internet and its small number of online public job boards. I jumped into the deep end and started trading messages with a tile installer who ensured me that he was the best in the business!  You’re Hired!  Wow!  This is going to be easy!  I immediately started to plan my transition into Project Management and expected great things. I’m sure many of us have completed that journey, with Blind Enthusiasm as our guiding light.  And, I’m certain that you’ve heard the Punch Line, more than once - Yes, I did want to Punch him – especially while I was breaking up and removing poorly installed tile so I could complete the job properly myself.

To be fair, I did experience some limited (very limited) success in my quest for quality manpower, however, that was seldom the case.

As I aged and began to feel those aches and pains, I continued to wonder where I might have been if I could have found those quality workers to help out, or even employ full time.

Reflecting on my experiences, I often wondered what may have helped me the most and contributed to further my overall success.  I established The Contractors Site with the hope that it may help provide a solution to even just one of the many age - old problems associated with finding and hiring good quality Contractors and Construction Labourers.

All Things Go Boom!

The World Changes!

Internet – Information – Online Shopping – Jobs & Job Boards

Things certainly have changed from the days of having to wait for newspaper Help Wanted ads, weekly grocery flyers and T.V. news, that broadcast only at 6 & 11 p.m.  We truly are inundated with connections to every type of information feed that you can think of. That’s Great…Right?

This technology is Awesome, but with these advances come a whole new array of problems.  Searching for the Good, Honest, and Genuine is becoming more challenging. The sophistication of this technology and its ability to present us with better access and more streamlined avenues to the destinations we are looking for, do come at a price.  There seems to be a hook that is hidden and always attached to us.  Whether its our personal information, buying habits or another, yet to be discovered feature of our lives, we must be cautious.

Having brought the subject up, I’d like to open the conversation with regard to the accusations, that suggest some ratings have been unjustly created and attached to Contractor profiles that appear within some of the well-known online job sites. It did surprise me when I saw multiple claims challenging the authenticity of these reviews.  In some cases I read that “Bundled Reviews” are actually available and for sale to members, with the intent of boosting a ranking position to a more favourable level. This new ranking could reward the profile holder with more job leads etc.  I’ve also seen it mentioned that some poor ratings were attached to profile members who claim they didn’t perform any work services for the individual who submitted the rating.  I’m certainly not pointing fingers as it may be argued that both situations could be trumped up and false. An article published in Canadian Contractor.ca * back in 2015 identifies these issues and addresses the intent to “sniff out” and remove these ratings by 2 of the larger online players. Following original comment threads that stretch up to the present day, it would appear that the problem has not been “snuffed out” quite yet and are viewed as a point of contention.  I know as well as the next person that reviews are often trustworthy and we have come to rely on them. They are important, especially in our industry where potential problems can develop around every corner and may be devastating in both size and financial scale.

I believe that The Contractors Sites Dual Rating System may be the solution ** but I would like to invite comments and discussion around the situation - or if you’ve had any firsthand experience that you’re willing to share.  

Please add your comments or experiences in the space provided below.

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