How Annuvell comparisons work

When you are choosing between two or three local businesses, the hard part is rarely finding information. It is lining that information up so you can see the differences. This guide explains what the compare tool on Annuvell Local does, where its information comes from, and what it can and cannot tell you.

What a comparison shows

The compare tool on Annuvell Local shows facts about a small number of businesses side by side, so that the same kind of information sits in the same row for each business. Rather than reading three separate listings and trying to remember which one mentioned weekend opening, you see each fact next to its equivalent for the other businesses.

The facts shown are the kinds of things a business publishes about itself: what it does, when it is open, how to contact it, and any accreditations or memberships it says it holds. The point is to make comparison easier, not to add opinion.

Where the information comes from

Every fact in a comparison is drawn from the business's own published information. Annuvell Local does not write descriptions on a business's behalf, fill in gaps with guesses, or infer what a business probably offers from what similar businesses offer. If a business has published something, it can appear in the comparison; if it has not, it cannot.

This has a consequence you should be aware of. A business with a thorough, well-maintained listing will show more information in a comparison than a business that has published very little. That does not mean the first business is better. It means it has told you more. Business owners can find and update their listing to add what is missing.

What "verified" means

Some facts in a comparison are marked as verified. A fact is marked as verified only when it has been checked, rather than simply stated by the business. Where a fact has not been checked, it is shown as the business's own statement and is not marked as verified.

Two things follow from this:

• A verified mark relates to a specific fact having been checked. It is not a rating of the business, a recommendation, or a judgement about the quality of its work.
• An unverified fact is not a false one. It is simply a statement that has not been checked. For regulated trades, you should still do your own check with the relevant register, for example the Gas Safe Register for gas work or the General Dental Council register for dentists, before you rely on it.

What "Not stated" means

Where a business has not published a particular piece of information, the comparison says "Not stated" rather than leaving the space blank or assuming an answer. "Not stated" does not mean no. A business that has not stated whether it offers evening appointments may well offer them; it just has not said so on its listing.

The quickest way to fill a "Not stated" gap is to ask. Each listing on Annuvell Local shows checked contact details and a Request Quote option, so you can put the question directly to the business and compare the answers you get back.

No ranking by payment

The compare tool never orders businesses, or presents their facts, according to what a business has paid. A business cannot pay to appear above another in a comparison, to have a fact shown more favourably, or to have a competitor's information hidden. What you see is what each business has published, presented in the same way for all of them.

What a comparison cannot tell you

A comparison lines up facts. It does not tell you:

• How good the work is. Two plumbers can publish identical facts and do very different jobs.
• What the job will cost. Prices vary with the job, the location and the time of year, and the only reliable way to find out is to ask for a quote.
• Whether a business will suit you. Communication, reliability and manner matter, and they do not fit in a table.

Use the comparison alongside your own checks: professional registers, written quotes, references for larger jobs, and a conversation with the business.

Getting the most from a comparison

• Compare a small number of businesses, ideally two to four, rather than a long list.
• Decide before you look which two or three facts matter most to you, so that you are comparing on your priorities rather than on whatever happens to be filled in.
• Treat "Not stated" as a question to ask, not a reason to rule a business out.
• Where a fact matters and is not marked as verified, check it yourself.
• Follow up with a quote request to the businesses that look right on paper.

Next steps

Start with a search for the service you need, or browse by category or location, and pick a few businesses that look suitable. Compare them, note what is verified and what is not stated, and then contact the ones that stand out. If you have questions about how the directory works, the FAQ page explains more.