Nominate the ‘Bold City Best’

If you have a tree service you have used in the past, where you enjoyed the experience and trust this company, it is quite likely you’ll call them the next time you need tree work. If your neighbor does not have a tree service that they trust, they may ask you for a recommendation. Based on your good feedback it is quietly likely they will call the company you recommended.

This is how the world used to work. Companies did good work and developed reputations. Your friends, family and neighbors recommended the companies and people they trusted. Companies that had a poor reputation, and who people did not trust nor recommend, did not survive.

The world has moved online, but the process described above still exists. Online reviews from companies like Google, Yelp and many others allow us to read reviews. We may search for ‘drywall repair Jacksonville’ and then read the reviews of the companies presented, or we may have a specific company in mind and simply go read their reviews.

Sites like Facebook and NextDoor allow us to ‘ask’ our neighbors and folks in our social circles who they know and trust.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to trust. Any company can have a hiccup, but reputable companies deal with the issue – whatever it may be. None of us want to deal with the company that takes payment and is never seen again. And a warranty is no good if the company will not return your call.

And so, each year, the Times Union and Jacksonville.com, run their ‘Bold City Best’ contest. Who are the ‘Best’ companies across a wide range of categories? There are categories grouped into Beauty & Health, Dining, Entertainment & Leisure, Home Services & Finance, Kids & Education, People & Places, Services, Shopping, Spirits, and Automotive. It is quite the spread, and the winners are the companies, and people, that have the most fans behind them. If you have a need in one of the above categories, wouldn’t you like to know who readers of the Times Union are most excited about?

When the winners guide is published later this year you will have an instant reference point for the “Best” of over 150+ different things you may need at some point in time. That is handy to have. Right now, however, we are in the nominating period. This is your chance to nominate a person or company that you think is worthy of being the ‘Best’ in their category. They cannot make the finals without your nomination today. Please visit BoldCityBest.com to nominate somebody you feel is worthy.