www.trustedsaskatoon.com is filling up fast and we only have 34 spaces available as we search the city for businesses that can pass our strict checks, and who will be deserving of ' The Thumbs up' that we give to our clients, as it truly does mean something! Remember, we are THE only company that ensures their clients have to prove themselves to be of a high standard before we work with them.We list the best...other directories list the rest. 

You will see more Trusted listings going live next week...as some are still going through the Trusted verification process..If you know of any businesses that you believe deserve the promotion and endorsement of Trusted, PLEASE contact us and let us know...here is the link to the nominate section of www.trustedsaskatoon.com. Without nominations and recommendations from you the public we would struggle to have found some of these amazing businesses...so THANK you and keep the nominations coming..only by recognizing great businesses and promoting them to the city will standards across the board begin to rise...that is our aim in the long term...we work for you the public and we hope we provide a service that adds value to your busy lives.   

The latest Trusted partner is a wonderful addition to our Saskatoon directory lets tell you why they deserve ' The Thumbs Up'

Conexus Insurance

The third and final Trusted Insurance listing on the Saskatoon directory is Conexus Insurance. It may come as a surprise to you that Conexus does Insurance as it is not that ‘common knowledge’ yet. Most people automatically think of Conexus as the Credit Union, but Conexus actually have many offices across the province: Humboldt, Humboldt Westwood Center, Lake Lenore, Lumsden, Muenster, Regina and of course Saskatoon. They offer Home, Auto, Farm & Commercial Insurance and have a very user friendly website where they have the option of doing SGI ( vehicle and driver renewals) services online…no need to drive to the insurance office , in fact, you don’t even have to get of your PJ’s anymore when you want to renew your plates!

You will have more than likely seen the impressive glass and brick atrium that is the Conexus ( and Century 21) building on Circle Drive, next to Home Depot and Tim Hortons. Go inside the main doors and head to the right and you will find the Conexus Insuance office. Landry heads up the office in Saskatoon, and he is not the kind of Manager that sits in his ‘ivory tower’ …Sara the owner/founder of Trusted went in one afternoon over a lunch hour to drop off some trustedsaskatoon.com door/window stickers and to personally welcome Conexus to the Trusted Family, and at that time there was no one on the reception desk, the only person she saw was a lady in a cubicle who was obviously busy helping a customer on the phone, within 30seconds Landry appeared around the corner smiling and came to see if he could help me…how refreshing!

There is a warm vibe in the office, and you can tell that everyone enjoys doing what they do, and they do it well….they really appreciate the Trust their clients extend them and they certainly don’t take it for granted…they work hard to provide the best possible service and Insurance cover options they can, and this was reinforced when we spoke to their clients during the survey portion of the Trusted qualification process. All of the clients surveyed were thrilled with Conexus and really had some wonderful things to say about the people they dealt with ..check out their listing here to read for yourself!

Welcome Conexus Insurance our Third and final TRUSTED INSURANCE listing on our Saskatoon directory of Safe and Trusted businesses…you deserve the ‘ Thumbs up’ !

All of our Trusted businesses go throught he same rigourous process to be eligible for promotion on our Trustedwebsites...(which you can read about here) this means there is NO risk to the consumer...just Safe and Trusted Saskatoon businesses at your fingertips..all contracted to the 5 Trusted Guarantees:

1.Provide the service and quality promised.

2.Complete the job on time.

3.Charge the price quoted with NO surprises.

4.Communicate honestly and be responsive to customer needs.

5.Resolve any issues with customer satisfaction in mind.

We also had 3 Trusted Regina listings go live on www.trustedregina.com this week. Dangstorp Dental Group became our Trusted Dentists on the Regina Directory. Click here to read their listings and read the testimonials from their clients! Welcome Dangstorp Dental to the Trusted Family!

Trusted is now a member of the CFIB as are many of our Trusted partners.  For over 40 years, they have represented the interests of the small business community to all three levels of government in their fight for tax fairness, reasonable labour laws and reduction of regulatory paper burden...this in turn helps support the local entrepreneurs that generally make up the majority of the Trusted businesses in communities...by supporting small business we are ensuring that customer service remains THE focus..which we all know is often times lacking in the 'big box' stores. 

Thats all for now..stay Trusted my friends..Safe and Trusted of course! 

Trusted loves to brag about great businesses and tell people why they should choose these local Trusted companies when a need arises…who has time for all that research anymore…people are so busy juggling work, family( kids and / or aging parents) , social commitments…even grocery shopping seems to be so time consuming these days…your free time is precious and the last thing you want to do is to spend it trying to work out who to choose/ contact when you have a need in a category that you are unskilled in/ unfamiliar with or perhaps just have no one that springs to mind for the right reasons!

Well stress no more! Trusted is here to save you time, stress, hassle and maybe even money…we do all that running around, checking ( and re checking on an ongoing basis ) so YOU DON'T HAVE TO! We care about your needs and we guarantee you will have a positive experience with the wonderful businesses that do pass our rigorous checks to be awarded the ‘Thumbs up’ in your city!

OK TIRE SASKATOON

‘Honestly driven’ that’s what they advertise at OK Tire and we had clients of theirs tell us that was definitely the experience they had! Trusted even double checked and we solicited the opinion of  Kelvins Wheel, Tire and Polish, another of our Trusted Saskatoon Tire businesses…which may seem odd, but Trusted clients are not concerned about competition within their category, they just care that the other businesses are run well and with integrity, otherwise they will tarnish the reputation of Trusted and what it stands for….so quite often they nominate good businesses like OK Tire to us! The Kelvins team were happy to give OK Tire the Thumbs up…and they should know!

The 3 OK Tire locations in the city are locally owned and operated by Mid-west group of companies. Ken Achs is the President and CEO, and he was born and educated in Saskatoon at the University of Saskatchewan and is the personification of the western entrepreneur. In 1964, an interest in cars developed into a successful auto body and parts business. By the mid-1960’s, the success of that business allowed an investment in real estate and so began Mid-West Development and eventually the Mid-West Group. Today, Mid-West is diversified with its primary business in real estate development/property management and financing in western Canada and the western USA. The automotive division of the corporate group consists of O.K. Tire stores and several other businesses in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Ken and his wife (and business partner) Colleen Wilson call Saskatoon home and give back in many ways to the community.

When you go to any of the 3 OK Tire locations around the city you are not taking a risk…check out their listing here to read what their loyal customers had to say about them http://www.trustedsaskatoon.com/listings/tires.aspx  From helping you select the most appropriate tires for your vehicle ad you budget, and did you know O.K. Tire locations are complete "Under The Car" service centers. What they mean by that is that all of your brake, suspension, exhaust service, along with your tire service you expected, can be handled by a certified mechanic at an O.K. Tire & Auto Service location. Saskatoon O.K. Tire locations also offer full mechanical services for complete vehicle maintenance such as batteries, oil changes & lubes, air-conditioning, computerized Diagnostic Service and tune ups. Some locations also offer SGI safety inspections! Nows the time to get in to OK Tire to get your vehicle ready for the Winter conditions that are just around the corner!

Welcome OK Tire as our final Trusted Saskatoon directory Tire store .

What a crazy week for the Trusted crew, as we keep ourselves busy meeting with amazing businesses around the province that have been recommended and nominated by YOU the public, who we are here to serve…Here is an example of the kind of nominations we receive daily..

Subject: Saskatoon Website Business Nomination

Comments: I visited Saskatoon recently and heard your radio ads, as i thought your website sounded like an excellent idea...when are you coming to Calgary? I stayed at The Delta Bessborough and had an excellent experience at The Damara Day Spa...as good as anywhere I have been, and they are new, you should have them on your site . Thank you for providing Trusted it really is an excellent resource for visitors and i am guessing residents alike. Your city really is starting to have a buzz! A Happy tourist from Alberta.

We also get a lot of feedback from the public after they choose a Trusted business...see below..

Saskatoon Website Comments from: Trish Voldeng

Comments:. I take auto repairs to Glenwood, they are fantastic. Rob just put on a ladies car care clinic and all the staff were really encouraging to us ladies to do some hands on with our vehicles. I trust these guys completely with my auto needs. Thanks.

Trusted appreciates when you take the time to tell us about good businesses…either through the website’s contact us/ nominate a business http://www.trustedsaskatoon.com/nominate.aspx or through our social media on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Keep the positive spirit going, and remember that our belief is that good businesses deserve promotion…by doing that Trusted will eventually influence all businesses in all of our Trusted cities to raise their standards!

Talking about great businesses we have 2 new Trusted Saskatoon businesses to brag about today, which all definitely deserve the promotion and exposure to the public that we are going to shower upon them.

Galon Insurance our 2nd Trusted Saskatoon Insurance listing

Insurance is one of those things that most people don’t like spending money on right? Who thinks that they are going to have an accident or a flood or a crop failure….you get through the year with no incident and then you feel like you paid that premium again for nothing….and anyway, all the brokers offer the same service and coverage and it all costs the same everywhere doesn’t it?

Trusted is here to tell you NO is the resounding answer to all of those questions… It really is worth your while doing research on the Insurance company you are currently with, to see what they are doing for you …and we would definitely recommend you putting Galon Insurance on your short list in Saskatoon!

If you check out their trusted Saskatoon listing here, you can read the testimonials from Galon’s happy clients, the most telling of which is the one that said “Unlike my previous experience, Galon showed me rates from a number of companies, finding me the proper coverage at a better rate than I had ever paid!” . It is not all about price for a lot of people, in fact price becomes less of an issue if the experience and level of service is outstanding, and we are happy to say that Galon Insurance ticks all of those boxes too… Galon Insurance Brokers are a family business now into the 3rd generation, and Jeff Galon has just as much passion for the business as his Grandparents John & Eleanor Galon did when they started it in 1963…they now have 2 locations in Saskatoon and 2 in Regina and the Galon family are dedicated to providing the best possible experience for their clients…doesn’t matter if that is for farmers crop insurance, motor license issuing, home and commercial insurance or even passport photos …they offer wonderful extended hours to meet their clients busy lives and they are open 7 days a week ..in fact they are only closed 3 days a year!!!! They even offer Mortgage broker services too!

Welcome Jeff Galon and the Galon team, we are proud to brag about you! Click here to see the great pic of John & Eleanor Galon with their family in the 60’s and beyond. http://www.galoninsurance.com/AllAboutUs/tabid/132/AlbumID/542-4/Default.aspx 

Trusted will be blogging again over the weekend about the new clients that have gone live this week on www.trustedregina.com in the AUTO DEALER , AUTO REPAIR & SERVICE   and BATHROOM Category on the Regina Directory..that makes 10 live listings in 9 categories ..and lots more to come ..we can't WAIT to launch Trusted Regina to the public ..as until this point they have never had a directory that works for them , full of SAFE and TRUSTED businesses that offer them absolute Guarantees!

Stay Trusted my friends..SAFE and TRUSTED of course!

The colder weather is drawing in , and the days are getting shorter in Saskatchewan..Summer is over, and what a Summer it was.....best in years ..and people definitely made the most of it!

Trusted monitors webtraffic on our websites and others, and knows that the Summer ( generally early June- beginning of September) is the 'slowest ' time for internet traffic as a whole...think about it ..would you rather be sat on the deck in the sun after work , or sat on the computer....weekends are spent at the lake or just outside soaking up the warmth..most internet useage happens at work in the Summer...or perhaps at home on a rainy weekend ( thankfully we didn't have many of those this year!) .....as the fall turns to Winter people begin to gravitate back to their laptops and computers at home ..to source entertainment, engage in socialmedia ..and to do RESEARCH on products and services BEFORE they purchase.

95% of Canadas 25million internet users do research online .....and it takes up ALOT of time to do that research..  

If the future is digital, it seems Canadians are ahead of their time. Canucks spend more time online than anyone else on Earth, according to new data from Web research firm comScore. And it’s not even by a small margin – the average Canadian spends 43.5 hours a month on the Web, almost twice the worldwide average of 23.1 hours. Both male and female Canadian Internet users spent much of their time on directory sites (the single most popular category for men, followed by photo sites and online trading). However, women visited photo sites most often, followed closely by directories and music entertainment sites....and it's not jst under 30's either as by far the fastest-growing demographic when it comes to Web usage in Canada is the 55-and-over crowd. While every other age group’s online engagement levelled off or even declined between the end of 2009 and the end of 2010, the number of older users or SILVER SURFERS jumped by 12 per cent!*

Trusted is here to save people some of that extensive research time, so you can spend more time doing the fun stuff...and we wanted to share some tips with you from some of our experts on www.trustedsaskatoon.com ..specifically when it comes to planning and researching renovations to your home. 

It seems that alot of people are talking about doing renos and improvements next year ......perhaps with tax return money , or simply because it is time to update that kitchen or finish that basement..so where do you even start the process ? Trusted was talking to Kevin, the owner of KTS Custom  ,who specialise in 're-facing' kitchens and is one of the  Trusted kitchen listings on http://www.trustedsaska Cabinetstoon.com/listings/kitchens.aspx , and she told us that most people he deals with take 6months from deciding to do ' something ' to their kitchen , to actually booking the job...so what are people doing in that time? ...well first they look at the options based upon the budget they are thinking of...and as a refaced kitchen from KTS ( when the layout of the kitchen is not altered , the cabinets themselves are kept then the doors, countertops etc..are all changed for a really ' magic' transformation) is less costly than say, a Custom Kitchen from Kevin Samms, the owner of  KTS Custom Cabinets who will design a kitchen based on your unique needs from scratch and your old kitchen will be totally removed and replaced with a stunning new one.. the TIME the reno might take may be an important factor for people to consider..refacing can take place in a few days with minimum disruption to the household, where a custom kitchen is going to take longer and involve more work..everyone is different...and the reasons you choose the option you choose is based on your unique set of needs...if you are doing other renos in the house like basement developments or even exterior work like decks , siding, roofing  etc.. the time frame from thinking about it, to deciding how to go about it, choosing the right option and then contacting the chosen Contractor or business is still not going to happen in a few days, but more likely in a few months , as we all have busy lives to work around too. 

Sara the Trusted founder was speaking to a very smart lady last week ,she had gone to Trusted to find someone to do renos on her home, she said she had read the listings on  http://www.trustedsaskatoon.com/listings/renovations.aspx over and loved the fact that there were REAL client testimonials to read, she had already had wonderful experiences with other Trusted businesses and she especially liked that all the Trusted Saskatoon businesses were contracted to the 5 Trusted Guarantees....When choosing a contractor to do a big reno , the fact that Trusted contracts them to GUARANTEE that they will

1. CHARGE THE PRICE QUOTED WITH NO SURPRISES and

2. COMPLETE THE JOB ON TIME

Means that it takes the 'risk' out of selecting a company....and also in the listing of the renovator she chose to contact it stated that the company would never rush one job to start another...and it would be smart to book in advance to ensure that you get the dates YOU want for the work you want doing.....she is planning on the renos in late Spring..and she is booking her contrator in OCTOBER..a full 6months before, and by PLANNING today she ensure that she has the contractor she wants, who she can trust, and on HER timelines. If she had done all the research then tried booking someone in April for May, chances are she would have missed the boat, and may have paid dearly for that. Contractors that can do big jobs with a few weeks notice may NOT be as good a choice as one of our Trusted Saskatoon contractor/ renovations options 3 n' 1 Construction.  

So, in conclusion, as you start researching on the internet for ideas and options..make it a priority to decide which contractors or renovation companies are part of your short list ...call them asap....as the Winter sets in they will have more time to sit down with you and offer alternatives that perhaps you weren't even aware of ( a few of Ken Eade of 3'n1 Construction's  clients told us he offered great options that they ended up going with...without his input they wouldn't have know existed)   ....try getting them to sit down with you when the snow begins to melt and the first jobs (the smart people who pre booked well in advance) of the season are starting and you may be just pulling your hair out!    

TRUST Trusted to help in the selection process..we stand behind our Trusted businesses and endorse them...not for $cash ,but because they passed our very strict application / verification process and they live by the 5 Trusted Guarantees....we find them so YOU don't have to ...WE are the ONLY directory that works for you!  

Stay Trusted my friends..SAFE and TRUSTED of course 

*source: Globe and Mail: March 8th 2011

Trusted is thrilled to be welcoming Campbell Homes to www.trustedsaskatoon.com as our third and final Trusted Saskatoon Home Builder, and we can't wait to brag about them, and tell you what sets them apart from ' the rest' and why you are Safe choosing any of the 3 Trusted Saskatoon Home Builders on http://www.trustedsaskatoon.com/listings/home-builders.aspx  . but first lets talk about why trusting your homebuilder is VITAL.

Buying a home is generally the biggest purchase you will make, and BUILDING a home is many peoples dream.....but unfortunately all too often that dream turns into a nightmare ..just type ' Home Builder Horror Stories' or 'Home Building Nightmares' into Google ..and you will see the sites dedicated to these horrific stories of peoples experiences building a home..it really is almost enough to put you off even starting the process in the first place. We even found a website that was created JUST to describe all of the terrible experiences one family called the Stutlers in the USA had with their Home Builder...click here  to link to their site www.tkhomessuck.com .

There are so many things that can go wrong when building a home ...not least because so many different trades are involved ..and without careful and meticulous planning between all of these different trades ( sometimes different companies all together) communication fails and costs start to escalate...then to keep things on budget corners can get cut....the snowball starts rolling down the hill and good luck trying to stop it!  

Fortunately the 3 Home Builders we give ' The thumbs up'  to on www.trustedsaskatoon.com are safe and trusted ...in fact they are contracted to the 5 TRUSTED GUARANTEES which you can read by going to the website link ... 1 of the Guarantees is : Charge the Price Quoted with NO surprises ...all of a sudden a big risk is taken away..that together with the checking and re-checking that Trusted does ( which makes us UNIQUE in the world of directories..and advertising as a whole) on our Trusted businesses makes your choice of a Trusted Saskatoon Homebuilder to be an excellent one.

Campbell Homes

Campbell Homes came highly recommended to us...and it may surprise you that we were WARNED off more builders than we were recommended home builders ..so even here in a smaller city like Saskatoon, where word gets around , there are far too many bad experiences that poeple can tell you about.

Campbell Homes however  did not come with any warnings attached, in fact when we called to survey their clients from the list of 25 clients names and numbers that Roger Grona,(the Sales Manager at Campbell ..who, by the way is a great guy to deal with) provided us with as part of the Trusted verification and checking procedure ( ALL of the Trusted business have to go through this process to be accepted as a Trusted business) ...every single person we spoke to had WONDERFUL things to say about Campbell, and how they go above and beyond for them before..during and AFTER the house is built.....IF you are thinking of building a home the AFTERCARE can be the most vital part ....the warranty should be there to protect you ..but all too often people are let down by the home builders after when something goes wrong, and they try to ' put problems' off..or just do'temporary fixes'until the warranty period is over........NOT the case with Campbell Homes ..you don't call them if something goes wrong ..they call you ..constantly....to check how things are going ...they make sure to walk through the house with you to check everything over before you move in AND before the warranty period is over .....this is part of what they do...why? Because they CARE ..they take real pride in the homes they build, and they consider each one to be as important as the next....on their website they CLEARLY state their intention..and in doing so you can see exactly what kind of personalites are involved in the company and what motivates them ...here is an excerpt from the COMPANY PROFILE Section of their website :

 "We understand that our organization is one of service, and that the competition is ever present, that words are weak and performance is remembered; our future depends on our ability to be reliable and professional while providing the highest standards of excellence in service and quality."

You can also go to their website Testimonial section here to read what their clients say ..here is just one example: 

"We stayed in our new home last night! Thanks for your patience working with us and creating a great place to call our home. The Campbell Homes team did a remarkable job from start to finish and we couldn’t be happier with our home. When we were looking for a builder, the quality of your work stood out in your show home and we see the same attention to detail and pride in your work at our place. The building time was incredible and combined with high end quality makes a strong statement about Campbell Homes. Thanks for the gift basket at closing day. Thanks again for a job well done." Mike, Yvonne, Cale & Casey

Jason Campbell, the owner, started the company in 1996 and he realized early on that a solid reputation is earned. He continually strives to exceed customer's expectations one home at a time by providing each client with the individual attention required to transform their dreams into reality. As he said " attention to detail & construction quality, combined with our personalized customer service have formed the cornerstones of our success."

Check out their Trusted listing here and read the testimonials Trusted took from clients that we suveryed....with the knowledge that we are NOT bias towards them for any other reason than that they passed our Trusted tests with flying colors and deserve our promotion and endorsement..we are PROUD to have Campbell Homes on board and we can assure you that your experience with them will be a POSITIVE one!  

We welcome Jason, Roger , Gary, Colin, Jeff, Gwen , Gary and Dennis..the Campbell 'Trusted team'

 The inside of a Campbell home...Go to their website www.campbellhomes.ca to take a virtual tour for yourself today!

WE have lots of listings for Regina pending final approval..so we will be back soon to brag about them...

Stay Trusted my friends...Safe and Trusted of course!