Frequently answered questions

• Answers to our most frequently asked questions
  • Guests
    • Welcome to Ask Around. We hope you will find answers to most of your questions here in our help section, or on our welcome page. If you don't find what you need please tell us.
      • How do I join Ask Around?
        • Enter your details here. We will send you a quick email with a link to validate your membership.
          Joining Ask Around is *FREE* and new members get free cogs to start checking out businesses right away.
      • How much does it cost?
        • Its *FREE*! When you enter recommendations on businesses you have used recently you get to use Ask Around for free. If you prefer not to enter recommendations you can pay to use the site.
      • What are Cogs and Cogs codes?
        • Cogs allow members to use Ask Around for Free. When you enter recommendations you earn cogs. When you check out business listings you use or 'spend' cogs. Your balance is listed on 'Your Page' along with your other membership details.
      • Can I enter ratings anonymously or without joining Ask Around?
        • You must be a member to enter recommendations and view the full details for each business. Ask Around members expect information they can trust, so we need to know who posts each recommendation. However, we will never disclose your personal information to anyone else, so you can safely give an honest recommendation, even a negative one.
          Joining Ask Around is fast, free and friendly. Join here!
      • Where is the French version of Ask Around?
        • We're working on this. There are special challenges to running a bilingual database. In the meantime please post your comments, or contact us, in either official language.
  • Members
    • Your Details
      • Why do you need my physical address?
        • Ask Around gives you recommendations on local businesses, so we need to know where you live. Sometimes we also like to send out 'Thank Yous' so we need to know where to find you!
      • How do I change my membership information?
        • Go to your page and click on update your details. Make the changes you need, copy the validation code then click on submit.
      • I have forgotten my password
        • Your Ask Around user name is the email address you gave us when you joined.
          Your password has at least 8 characters and includes at least one number, one lower case character and one uppercase character. It has no spaces.
          If this has not helped, click here for a reminder by email.
    • Cogs
      • What are Cogs?
        • Cogs allow members to use Ask Around for free. When you enter recommendations you earn cogs. When you check out business listings you use or 'spend' cogs. Your balance is listed on with your other membership details.
      • How do I earn Cogs?
        • Members earn 100 cogs each time they complete a recommendation for a business. We often have special offers where you can earn even more Cogs for recommendations, and we give extra Cogs for recommendations that include helpful comments. We also give Cogs as a 'thank you' when members take the time to send us suggestions and feedback.
      • Where do I get free Cogs?
        • You recieve free Cogs to get you started when you join Ask Around. You can also find codes in our regular advertisements and promotions to add even more Cogs to the box on your page.
      • Can I buy Cogs?
        • If you prefer not to enter recommendations at Ask Around, but still want to check out local businesses you canbuy Cogsonline.
          When you buy Cogs you can still earn more when you give recommendations, and use Cogs Codes to collect even more.
      • Can I pay by cheque?
        • Yes please! We love cheques. Send your cheque to: Ask Around, Suite 150, 99 Fifth Avenue, Ottawa, K1S 5P5 Write your email address on the back and we will add your Cogs as soon as your cheque has cleared.
      • What are the 'cogs codes' on your adverts and web pages?
        • You earn Cogs when you enter recommendations at Ask Around. You can earn even more by entering the 'Cogs Codes' from our advertisements and flyers, and by responding to special promotions. Type Cogs Codes into the box in the top right hand corner at www.askaround.ca.
      • How do Cogs get 'used up'?
        • Members use up their cogs when they check business listings at askaround.ca. Each business page 'costs' 10 Cogs. If you run out simply enter a recommendation to get more Cogs, and always check out our 'Special Offers' Page to earn even more.
      • My page says I am 'Low on Cogs'?
        • If you have been using Ask Around for a while without entering recommendations, or buying cogs you will have used up your Cogs. You can check this at your page.
          The 'Low on Cogs' message reminds you to top up your Cogsby entering recommendations on businesses you have used recently, entering Cogs Codes, responding to special offers or buying more cogs.
          If you run out of Cogs you will need to top up to be able to see the recommendations listed on Ask Around.li>
      • The Cogs in my box have not been calculated correctly?
        • Oops! Sorry about that. Please let us know where we have gone wrong and we will put things right.
    • Business Listings
      • What are Business Categories?
        • We organise businesses into 7 categories to help you find your way around: Home Improvements; Emergencies and Repairs; Routine Maintenance; Outdoor work; Vehicles; Kids; and Pets
      • What is a service?
        • Services are the types of businesses listed in each category. The same service appears in more than one category because Electricians, for example, work on both Home improvement projects and Emergencies and Repairs.
      • Can businesses pay to be listed at askaround.ca?
        • No, they can only be recommended by their customers and clients.
      • There are no businesses listed under the service I need.
        • Oh dear! Were really sorry. This still happens sometimes. Please let us know what you were looking for and we will try to help; we sometimes Ask Around the old-fashioned, unplugged way when members need that extra bit of help.
        
        
    • Recommendations
      • How do I enter a recommendation?
        • Check whether the business you used is already listed at Ask Around. You can search by name, postal code, telephone number or other details.
        • If you find a listing for the business you used click on 'Add your recommendation for (the business)' at bottom left on the business page.
        • If the business is not listed, click recommend in the menu bar, chose a category and a service and click on the 'Add a new business' link at the bottom the page. You will be taken to a page to enter contact details for the business.
        • At 'Enter your Recommendation' you will see the name of the business at the top of the page. Simply move down the page, selecting responses to the questions about the work this business did for you. If the pull down items do not give enough detail type your comments in the box underneath. Type in some comments anyway - you may earn extra cogs!
          Thats all there is to it! You can return to questions and change your responses at any time until you click the 'Submit ' button. You will earn cogs, help your neighbours and provide endless referrals for a business you wish to recommend. So go on - make yourself feel good, and earn cogs for next time you need to Ask Around.
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      • How are the overall ratings calculated?
        • We use a scoring system and a database calculation to combine recommendations on a business into an overall rating. We also show you how many recommendations have been entered for the business. You can click through to check individual recommendations, so the overall rating is only the first step in deciding whether a business is likely to meet your expectations.
      • I made a mistake. Can I change or delete a recommendation?
        • We really hope you wont need or want to change or delete the recommendations you enter at Ask Around. Let us know if you have a problem. If you are having difficulties making your information 'fit' into our system please ask for help. You can even phone us on 613 688 8061. We will return your call quickly.
          If you have made a significant mistake in a recommendation you submitted please contact us. We very occasionally delete a recommendation but it is very hard for us to make changes to the values you have entered. let us knowLet us know where you think you have gone wrong and we will see what we can do.
      • Can I contact the member who posted a recommendation for more details about the job and the business?
        • We never disclose personal or identifying information provided to us by members. However, if you are planning a large project you are absolutely right to look for referrals from previous customers. To ease this dilemma you can ask us to contact a member on your behalf to ask for more details on a particular job. We can only provide this service for larger jobs. Send an email if you would like us to contact a member or business on your behalf.
      • How many Cogs do I earn for each recommendation I post?
        • Members earn 100 cogs each time they complete a recommendation at Ask Around. We often have special offers where you can earn more Cogs, and we give even more Cogs for recommendations that include helpful comments. We also give Cogs as a 'thank you' when members take the time to send us suggestions and feedback.
      • How long will it take for a new recommendation to show up on the site?
        • Our database is renewed regularly so, once it has been checked for consistency and obvious errors, your recommendation should show up within 24 hours.
          There are some exceptions, but if you are entering straightforward details for a business you have used recently your recommendation will show up quickly.
      • How should I use the recommendations I see at Ask Around?
        • The same way you use other recommendations from your friends and neighbours: one more source of useful information.
          When many members have taken the time to give a business a good rating this is a strong, positive recommendation. If there are less than 3 recommendations or the ratings are inconsistent you should probably dig a little deeper; Look at the individual recommendations to see whether anyone has used the business for similar work, and whether that member was happy with the job.
      • Do you only accept positive recommendations?
        • Absolutely not. If you want to dish some dirt on a firm that failed to meet your expectations we want to hear all about it. Your neighbours want to know who they should not hire, as well as your positive comments and as we never publish your name you can rant in anonymity . . .
      • How can I be sure that the recommendations are genuine?
        • Data integrity is a priority here at Ask Around and we have many checks in place to ensure that our system is not abused.
          While we never disclose personal or identifying information about our members, we can connect ratings back to the members who submit them. We make a series of checks for consistency and validity before ratings are confirmed for the database.
          If you think a fake or misleading recommendation has slipped through please let us know: we will check again . . . and again . . . and again if necessary, and tell you what we find.
      • What is to stop me entering fake recommendations to earn credits?
        • Ooooh, you mean and devious person! You would attract bad karma and mislead your neighbours! Also we monitor submissions and ratings. You may earn some cogs in the short-term but you can be sure we will find out. We will then cancel your membership.
      • Will my recommendations and comments be published exactly as I write them?
        • Comments and longer write-ups are reviewed by Ask Around before they are published online. Most are posted 'as is' although we do reserve the right to edit for length and content to protect the integrity of our data.
      • What are business categories? .
        • We organise businesses into 7 categories to help you find your way around: Home Improvements; Emergencies and Repairs; Routine Maintenance; Outdoor work; Vehicles; Kids; and PetsWe group services together into 7 categories to help you find what you need here at Ask Around.
      • Which Category should I chose for my recommendation?
        • If you are not sure where to put your recommendation, think about the type of problem you were asking the business to solve for you. Was it an emergency, an improvement or renovation, or a routine task such as cleaning that needs to be done regularly.
          An example: Perhaps you wish to enter a rating for a plumber. If you called the plumber in the middle of the night to shut off a split water tank, then your rating would come under 'Emergenices and Repairs'. Shutting off and winterizing an outdoor water supply would be a routine job that needs doing every year. (It might also be outdoor work but you won't find plumbing services under 'outdoor work'). If the plumber added an extra bathroom to your home, that would be Home Improvement.
          If you asked the plumber to bath your kids or your dog we would love to hear from you because we have not added plumbing services to the kids or pets categories as yet!
  • Businesses
    • Questions and Answers
      • How do I get my business listed on Ask Around?
        • Ask your customers to enter a recommendation when you complete a job for them. An Ask Around listing is one of your best sources for referrals, so encourage your customers to join Ask Around. Just be sure you are ready for the flood of business a listing can bring.
      • What can I do to change an unfair recommendation?
        • Don't worry if your ratings are not all perfect. People vary and even the most attentive business occasionally meets a difficult customer. Your best reaction to a report you feel is unjustified is to ask your many satisfied customers to submit recommendations.
          We rarely alter a recommendation submitted by a member. However, if you are in a dispute with a customer we undertake not to make things worse by publishing inflammatory material. Please phone us on 613 688 8061 if you need our help with this. Any information you give us will be kept in strict confidence.
      • How do I encourage my customers to add recommendations to my Ask Around listing?.
        • Well, you could ask them! Or perhaps add this line to your invoice:
          If you are happy with the work we have done for you please take a moment to recommend us at www.askaround.ca. If you are not pleased phone us right now
      • Can I advertise on Ask Around?
        • If your business is listed at Ask Around and your customers are posting recommendations, you are receiving some of the best advertising available . . . for free!
          We cannot accept advertising from businesses that might be listed at Ask Around; members trust Ask Around for genuine advice and recommendations. This trust is very precious so we cannot risk even a hint of unfairness or bias.
          If your business is not suitable for a listing on Ask Around, but shares our target market, we would love to discuss advertising options with you. Please phone us at 613 688 8061
      • Why are most of my ratings just 'fair'?
        • If your customers select a lot of 'Not Applicable' (N/A) options your rating is going to come out in the mid range. We do this to avoid penalising businesses when customers don't take the extra time to add details to their recommendations. Don't worry too much - you are still in the system. Ask your next satisfied customer to take the time to enter a detailed recommendation.
      • How do I join Ask Around as a business?.
        • Contact us. We will ask for some details about your business, ensure that it is properly listed at askaround.ca and set up an account for you. We will send you 'Thank you' cards to give to your customers to show your appreciation and encourage them to add a recommendation for your business at Ask around.
      • If my business belongs to Ask Around can I also have an individual membership? .
        • Yes, of course. Business members have different privileges to individuals so you will need a regular membership when you want to check out local businesses yourself
  • The Fine Print
    • Questions and Answers
      • Privacy Policy
        • Ask Around respects your privacy. We will not share your email address or personal details with anyone . . . ever.
          We take all possible precautions to safeguard your personal information, both online and offline.
          If you receive communications from us that are not welcome please let us know.
      • Spam
        • We operate a lot of email accounts here at Ask Around, so you can be sure that we dislike Spam (unwelcome email messages) at least as much as you.
          We will not share your email address with anyone without your expressed permission. If you receive email from us that you consider to be spam please let us know.
      • Refund Policy
        • If you are not happy with your purchase at Ask Around please contact us here and we will refund your payment to your credit card account. If you request a refund within 7 days of your purchase we will either refund the full amount you paid or, if you have used more than 30% of the cogs you purchased, refund the value of your unused balance. If you request a refund later than 7 days after your purchase we will still refund the value of your unused Cogs balance.
      • Website Security
        • www.askaround.ca is a secure xxxx website. Our security certificate is here. When you use your credit card at www.askaround.ca your transaction is processed by Psigate so your credit card details are never seen at Ask Around or stored on our servers.
      • Membership terms and conditions
        • Ask Around™Ltd will not share a member's personal information with anyone else.
          Members remain solely responsible for any, details, opinions, measurements and views they enter at askaround.ca. Information submitted to the site remains the property of the originating member and Ask Around™Ltd is not responsible for accuracy, fairness or any other aspect of its content.
          When members join they agree to follow the policies, rules and directions listed at askaround.ca. These policies, etc, may change from time to time, at the discretion of Ask Around™Ltd. Members agree that they will follow and be bound by whatever policies are listed on the site at the time when they make use of the service.
          Members will not seek to mislead others by information they submit to the site. In addition:
        • Members will not submit information for any business in which they have a financial, family or affiliate interest.
        • An individual may only hold one membership with Ask Around™Ltd (although they may also hold a business membership for a business they own or operate).
        • Members agree to enter information only for businesses theythemselves have used.
        • Ask Around™Ltd will cancel the membership of anyone who abuses either the stated policies of the website, or the implied good faith of other Ask Around members.
      • Recommendations: Terms and conditions
        • When you enter a recommendation at askaround.ca you are agreeing to and confirming the following:
        • I have used or been a customer of the business whose details I have entered on the site.
        • I have no financial, business, family or other interest in this business, or any competing company.
        • I am solely responsible for the details, opinions, measurements and views I have entered about this business or service. The information I provided remains my own property and Ask Around LtdT is not responsible for its accuracy, fairness or any other aspect of its content.