Frequently asked questions about the guide and rankings
- What is the InputKit Customer Excellence Guide?
- It is a public guide to Quebec service businesses, ranked on verified customer excellence. Unlike a pay-to-list directory, every position is based on measured data: Google reviews, review responsiveness, and 12 months of customer-experience performance.
- How are businesses ranked?
- Rankings combine verified Google reviews, owner reply rate, the InputKit Customer Excellence Award, and tenure in the guide. InputKit's exclusive signals — CSAT, NPS, and recovery time — complement public reputation for a more accurate picture of real customer experience.
- Can a business pay to rank higher?
- No. No business can buy, negotiate, or sponsor its position. Rankings reflect only measured customer performance. That is a founding principle of the guide.
- What is the Customer Excellence Award?
- It is InputKit's annual award given to businesses that genuinely put customer satisfaction first, measured on real customer-experience data. Winners and honorable mentions are highlighted in the rankings.
- What data does InputKit use for rankings?
- InputKit cross-references public reputation (Google ratings and reviews, owner reply rate) with exclusive data collected over 12 months: customer satisfaction (CSAT), recommendation (NPS), and speed of recovering unhappy customers. These metrics are not available on traditional review sites.
- Which sectors and regions are covered?
- The guide covers major service sectors across Quebec — healthcare, food, automotive, professional services, and more — with rankings by sector, city, and administrative region. See the All sectors page for the full list.
- How often are rankings updated?
- Customer-experience data is measured continuously on a rolling 12-month window. Rankings and Customer Excellence Award distinctions are recalculated regularly to reflect the most recent performance.
- How can my business appear in the guide?
- Quebec service businesses may be listed when they have sufficient, verifiable customer-experience data. To improve visibility and aim for the Customer Excellence Award, contact InputKit or read our Methodology page.
- What is the difference between a winner and an honorable mention?
- The Customer Excellence Award winner is the business that stands out most in its sector against the 12-month selection criteria. Honorable mentions recognize other businesses with remarkable customer performance without being the primary laureate.
- How is this guide different from Google reviews?
- Google reviews reflect one-time public opinion. The Customer Excellence Guide combines them with continuously measured customer-experience metrics (CSAT, NPS, recovery), owner responsiveness, and an independent award — for a fuller, less gameable evaluation.