About Us and FAQ's :D

ABOUT US

When the partners began discussing the development of the BidPuppy website it was in direct relation of how difficult it was to get a bid for services. At first we primarily concentrated on construction related services. After some thought we figured there were quite a few more services that could be estimated online. As service professionals we were frustrated on how hard, time consuming and expensive it was to be able to compete in any industry. BidPuppy eases the frustration on both sides. Service providers big and small will have equal opportunities to bid on the same projects without the big expense. All consumers have to do is post their project, upload pictures if possible and let professionals respond with competitive bids. We hope to stimulate the economy and make it easy for consumers and organizations to come together for a common purpose and make it simple and quick.

*____________________________________________________________________________________*
CONSUMER FAQ'S


1) What is BidPuppy? It is a website where consumers can request bids from service providers for a variety of services in their immediate local area, get competitive bids and get more offers in less time than any other method of finding service professionals to perform the work they need done. BidPuppy is intended for services that are biddable online.

2) How can I benefit from BidPuppy? There are numerous benefits such as:
*No more flipping through the phone book.
*Ability to upload pictures to better explain your project.
*Request up to 7 bids.
*You will not be bothered by phone calls unless you contact a service provider.

3) Why use BidPuppy and not the yellow pages? When using BidPuppy you will receive a bid/estimate online instead of making an appointment and hoping for one. Service Providers come to you instead of you trying to reach them.

4) How do I use BidPuppy? You simply go to BidPuppy.com home page and find the category under which your request a bid falls, and write a description about your needs and optionally upload photos, right from your computer.

5) Is BidPuppy free? Yes Absolutely! The Consumer does not have to pay to request and receive bids. Service Providers will pay a minimal fee on a monthly or yearly basis.

6) How many bids should I request? You can request up to 7 bids for each individual project.

7) Should I accept the lowest bid? Only if you feel comfortable with it. Whatever bid you receive online from a Service Provider should be followed by a written contract after personal contact has been established.

8) How do I know that the Service Provider I hire is trustworthy? BidPuppy highly recommends that you hire a company with the best credentials and not just the Service Provider with the lowest bid. You can visit Angieslist.com for unbiased reports and reviews about service companies. You may also contact The Better Business Bureau, Yelp.com or a reporting agency of your choosing. BidPuppy will soon deploy its own rating system which is strictly put together from consumer feedback.

9) Should I meet the Service Provider and get a signed contract or estimate? Absolutely! You should always get something in writing no matter what the size of your project is.

10) Can I renegotiate the bid from the one I receive online, once I meet the Service Provider in person? Not every job can be perfectly estimated online there may be some variance once personal contact has been made. If the Service Provider comes back with an amount that is significantly higher, you may want to contact the next lowest bidder. The bidding process in many industries involves negotiating a fair price. If you are not satisfied with a bid, and the Service Provider is unwilling to negotiate, you may move onto the next acceptable bid from a different Service Provider.

11) Should I ask the Service Provider for references? BidPuppy recommends that you always do.

12) How many times can I post on BidPuppy? You can post as many projects as you want. In fact we encourage it! Also if your project does not receive bids or expires, you may want to reword it and repost it.

13) If I don't find the category I need, can I still request a bid? Yes, go to the category that is closest to what you need and post under OTHER. Please send us your feedback to request a category which you feel should be there.

14) Does BidPuppy warranty any of the work performed by Service Providers? No, BidPuppy does not warranty any work. Please ask your Service Providers for warranties prior to starting any work. Additionally, in some industries, it is highly advisable to select Service Providers who are bonded and insured.

15) Should I list my address and phone number when I request a bid. BidPuppy does not encourage you to list anything personal. Please be as thorough as you can when describing your project, which includes uploading pictures. This will encourage the Service Provider to bid the project online instead of just calling you without an estimate. After you receive a bid you can call any of the service providers. Also, if you wish to keep your identity private, be sure that the photos you upload don’t have street addresses or identifiable landmarks visible in the photos.

16) Can I contact the Service Provider that responds with a bid other than by email? Yes, you can contact the Service Providers by any means that you want. Typically, a Service Provider will provide the preferred method of contact in their bid to you.

*____________________________________________________________________________________*
SERVICE PROVIDER FAQ'S


1) What is BidPuppy? BidPuppy is a bidding site where Consumers log on to request bids from local Service Providers on a variety of services. Service Providers have the opportunity to search through a list of posted projects in their market and respond directly to the Consumer with a bid from our website.

2) How will I benefit from using BidPuppy? These are just a few examples:
*Conveniently check for leads online.
*Bid only on jobs or projects you want.
*Bid on as many projects as you want. If the project is available to you in your category, you can have a chance at winning the bid.
*No more traveling on bad leads. It is easier to qualify your leads before you send your sales people or estimators out to the potential worksite.

3) How much does it cost to join BidPuppy? BidPuppy will be a free service in the approaching months. However we will introduce a paid membership which will be payable on a monthly or yearly basis. The small membership fee will include unlimited bidding in your registered category.

4) How do I use BidPuppy? Once registered on our website, you subscribe to categories of services in a region/market, and you can start bidding on request for bid from Consumers. If the Consumer likes your bid and wants to pursue the business relationship, the Consumer is empowered to contact you directly, and the rest is up to you.

5) Do I have to pay every time I want to bid? You will not have to pay for every bid. After you become a member you can bid on as many projects as you want.

6) Can I bid on more than one project? Absolutely! You can bid on as many projects as your company wants to. Provided you are a subscriber for each category you wish to bid in.

7) After posting a bid, how do I know if my bid is chosen and accepted? The Consumer will contact you by email or with a phone call.

8) Can I contact the Consumer other than by email? We have encouraged Consumers not to give out phone numbers or addresses. You may email the Consumer and ask for a phone call back if you need additional information to bid a project. This will also level the playing field for all Service Providers.

9) Can I change my bid once I see the project in person? Yes, not everything can be bid online to perfection. You may or may not need to visit the job site to give and accurate quote for the project, but you can use this tool to qualify or disqualify potential leads earlier on in the sales process, thus creating more efficiency in your sales efforts. You pay BidPuppy for access to bidding opportunities in your area and field of expertise, and that’s it. The rest is up to you and the Consumer.

10) Is BidPuppy responsible for paying me after finishing a job/service? No, BidPuppy is not responsible for payment on any completed project. Payment arrangements are between the Consumer and the Service Provider and should be stated in a written contract.

11) Can I post bids in other categories? Yes, provided your business offers services in those categories and you have paid for BidPuppy subscriptions for the categories you wish to access.

12) Can I advertise on the BidPuppy website? BidPuppy is offering Service Provider advertising as well as a directory with a listing of all Service Providers.

13) Can my company be rated by BidPuppy? BidPuppy is developing a rating system for Service Providers. Ratings are going to be based on Consumer feedback.

14) How big of a project can I bid on? The sky is the limit, as long as someone is posting a request for a job for a job that big. We do not impose any limits on the size of a job. However keep in mind that not all projects are biddable online.

15) Can I upload pictures? Yes, you may upload a limited number of photographs of your work, brochure, or even your place of business. If you think doing so may help inform the Consumer about your company or skills, then do so by all means. We want to enable you to help the Consumer make the right choice as well. Coming soon we will also offer video capabilities.

*____________________________________________________________________________________*

And there you have it. Consumer FAQ's, Service Provider FAQ's and our About Us in one nice neat little package for you!

Please visit our walk sites:
*http://tinyurl.com/dbcchh<-- Our USA Village walk site
*http://tinyurl.com/amew5v <-- Our UK Village walksite come and visit us!
Follow BidPuppy on Twitter:
*http//twitter.com/bidpuppy

Happy Blogging,
Samantha Lipkin
Sr. Social Networking Dir.
BidPuppy!