The Grand Strand Certified badge provides the consumer with the extra assurances that a business or organization has undergone an extensive verification process confirming their business is legit and conforms to the high standards and expectations typical to our area.
Any and all firms displaying the Grand Strand Certified badge must undergo a business level verification process confirming their legal ability to do business in their area, verification the business is in good standing, business license, etc. Sole proprietors not filed with the SC Secretary of State or County, must provide verification of last year’s tax filing and proof of residency.
Professionals of industries that require state, local or federal licensing must provide the latest license verifications. Insurance information will also need to be submitted and verified for nearly all businesses as required by law.
Entities must have a website that lists what they do, and what they have to offer in clear writing. These websites must also have a privacy policy, terms of service or use where appropriate. Sites selling products must provide information on their shipping and returns policies that are easy to find.
Websites must be encrypted with today's standards in SSL encryption (that little padlock) to verify that transmissions between the consumer and the server website are fully encrypted and can not be eavesdropped on. Websites must also be clear of malware or phishing schemes.
Companies must have at least 10 reviews combined at Google and Bing and must have maintained an overall review score of 4.0 or better for at least 90 days.
These verifications are there to ensure that the professionals you work with day to day here on the Grand Strand have been properly vetted and that you will receive the best products or services possible.
All verifications are performed locally by Grand Strand Online. Some automated processes and their programming are currently underway. Temporarily we are doing these processes manually. Contact us for more information on getting your company or organization Grand Strand Certified.
