Whole Lotta Evaluatin Goin On
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Transcript of Whole Lotta Evaluatin Goin On
WHOLE LOTTA EVALUATIN’ GOIN’
ON!Finding Evaluations of Services and More
Steven JablonskiSkokie Public Library
Today’s AgendaO General ConsiderationsO Evaluations Mega SourcesO Where to Find Specific Evaluations
What is Evaluated?O ProductsO RetailersO ServicesO Individual Professionals
Types of EvaluationsO ReviewsO RatingsO RankingsO Registries of Problems/Complaints
Only
How Are Evaluations Made?
O Lab TestingO Professional Evaluator ReviewsO Peer ReviewsO Mass Consumer SurveysO Individual Consumer ReviewsO Data Crunching
How Do Evaluation Sources Compare?
O For profit or nonprofitO Selective or comprehensive in scopeO Local or just national businesses
evaluatedO Static or interactive display of
resultsO Whether or not affordability is
considered
Grains of SaltO Personal recommendations are usually
bestO No evaluations are completely foolproofO Evaluations reduce, not eliminate, riskO Multiple evaluations are best -- look for
patterns and trendsO Patrons often want highly detailed
information that’s just not availableO The professional discipline process can’t
be relied on
Where to Complain?O The Consumer Action Handbook and
www.consumeraction.govO Best source for how and where to file a
complaintO Illinois Attorney General’s File a
Complaint http://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/filecomplaint.html
O Illinois Division of Professional Regulation www.idfpr.com/dpr
Evaluations Mega Sources
Angie’s ListO Subscription Database (
www.angieslist.com)O Monthly or annual subscription fees
O For Chicago, $7.42 per month plus $10 sign-up fee
O Members review and rate local services and healthcare providers in hundreds of categories
Better Business BureauO Free website www.bbb.org O Accredits, rates, and lists complaints
against businesses and charitiesO Does not rank businesses against
each otherO Accepts and forwards consumer
complaints to businesses
Consumer ReportsO Magazine and subscription databaseO Mostly product reviews with some
exceptions:O Cell Phone ServiceO Credit CardsO HotelsO Insurance (Health and Auto)O RestaurantsO StoresO Tax PreparersO Telecom Providers
Consumer Reports Health
O Subscription Database with content from Consumer Reports and Consumer Reports on Health
O Mostly product reviews with some exceptions:O Hospitals O Health Insurance/Healthcare Plans
Consumers’ CheckbookO Magazine and subscription databaseO Specializes in evaluations of local
services including:O MedicalO Home O AutomotiveO Retail
O Database includes ratings of many services not in print version
Consumers’ CheckbookO Evaluations based on consumer
surveys, filed complaints, and Checkbook’s own price surveys
O Won’t include businesses unless rated by at least 10 consumers
ConsumerSearch.comO Free website
www.consumersearch.com O Mostly product reviews with some
exceptions:O Cellphone serviceO Insurance (Auto, Homeowners, Life, and
Pet)O Long Distance Phone ServiceO Online Banking and BrokersO Tax PreparersO Websites (Dating, Jobs, Personal
Finance, and Travel)
Illinois Division of Professional Regulation
O Free website www.idfpr.com/dpr O Provides license and disciplinary
information for individuals in many fields including:O AccountancyO Health/MedicalO Real EstateO Roofing
Illinois Division of Professional Regulation
O Unlicensed professions in Illinois include general contractors, plumbers, and electricians
O Movers are licensed by the Illinois Commerce Commission www.icc.illinois.gov
O Consumers can file a complaint on website
JD Power & AssociatesO Free website www.jdpower.comO Surveys consumer satisfaction and
rates products and companies O Services evaluated include:
O FinanceO HealthcareO InsuranceO TelecomO Travel
YelpO Free Website www.yelp.com O Largest and most popular website for
reviews by consumersO Major focus on restaurants & bars,
stores, beauty & fitness, and nightlife
O Reviews overwhelmingly positiveO Insiderpages (www.insiderpages.com
) similar but not as big
Finding Specific Evaluations
Banks & Credit UnionsO Bankrate.com’s Safe & Sound Ratings
www.bankrate.com/rates/safe-sound/bank-ratings-search.aspx
O Weiss Ratings (Banks Only) www.thestreet.com/bank-safety
O Bauer Financial Ratings www.bauerfinancial.com/banksandcredit.htm
Brokers & Financial Advisers
O Only license and complaints/disciplinary information availableO For brokers, http://
brokercheck.finra.org O For financial advisers,
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov
CharitiesO Better Business Bureau Charities
www.bbb.org or www.give.org O Charity Navigator
www.charitynavigator.orgO 5,000 major charities
O Guidestar www.guidestar.orgO 1.8 Million non-profit organizationsO Free registration required to see
additional data
Doctors (“Best”)O Castle Connelly Guides
O America’s Best Doctors, Chicago magazine, and www.castleconnelly.com
O Peer ratings on 25,000 top doctors O Free profiles of 5,000 doctors on website
O Consumers’ CheckbookO Consumers’ Guide to Top Doctors and
subscription databaseO Peer ratings of 23,000 top doctors
Doctors (General)O HealthGrades www.healthgrades.com
O Patient ratings plus disciplinary, malpractice, and other background information
O ABMS Certification Matters www.certificationmatters.org O Information on certification in 24
specialties O IDFPR www.idfpr.com
O License and disciplinary status only of Illinois doctors
Hospitals (General)O HHS Hospital Compare
www.hospitalcompare.hhs.govO Government data behind other hospital
ratingsO ConsumerReportsHealth.org Hospital
RatingsO Slightly more user-friendly government
data O Consumers’ Checkbook Hospitals
O Government data plus physician survey
Hospitals (Speciality) O U.S. News Best Hospitals http://
health.usnews.com/best-hospitalsO Search for best hospitals by medical
conditionO HealthGrades
O HealthGrades Guide to America's Hospitals and Doctors and www.healthgrades.com
O Search for best hospitals by medical procedure or award
Insurance (Customer Service)
O Consumer Reports (Auto and Health)O Consumers’ Checkbook (Auto and
Homeowners)O Consumersearch.com (Auto,
Homeowners, Life, and Pet)O JDPower.com (Auto, Health, and
Home)
Insurance (Financial Strength)
O A.M. Best (Life, Health, and Property)O Best’s Insurance Reports, Life-Health
and Best’s Insurance Reports, Property-Casualty and subscription database
O Weiss Ratings (All Types)O TheStreet.com Ratings’ Consumer
Guides and www.thestreet.com/insurers
LawyersO Martindale www.martindale.com
O Select peer ratings of top lawyersO Avvo www.avvo.com
O Proprietary “Avvo” and client ratingsO Illinois Attorney Registration and
Disciplinary Commission www.iardc.orgO License and disciplinary status only
Nursing HomesO Medicare.gov Nursing Home
Compare www.medicare.gov/NHCompareO Government data behind other
nursing home ratingsO U.S. News Best Nursing Homes
http://health.usnews.com/senior-housingO Provides enhanced searching for
Medicare’s Nursing Homes Reports
Schools (K-12)O School Report Cards (Public
Elementary and High Schools) O Illinois Interactive Report Cards http://
iirc.niu.edu O US News Best Schools
www.usnews.com/education O Rates select high schools
O Rate My Teachers www.ratemyteachers.com O Students rate teachers
Schools (College & Beyond)
O US News Best SchoolsO Best Colleges and
www.usnews.com/education O Rates and ranks colleges and graduate
schoolsO College and University Rankings
www.library.illinois.edu/edx/rankings O Collection of links to dozens of college
and graduate school rankings
Schools (College & Beyond)
O Princeton Review’s College RankingsO The Best 373 Colleges and
www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings.aspx
O Students rate schoolsO Free registration required
O Rate My Professor www.ratemyprofessors.comO Students rate professors