For the Watchmaker & Business Owner

The REAL Problem for Internet-based Watchmaker Business Owners

As a business striving to build or maintain a reputable and distinct on-line presence in watch repair, your problem is actually more complex than that of the watch owner and your potential customer.

Watch owners don't know whom to trust.

In addition, the market for Internet-based watch repair is rapidly changing and evolving. Consider these facts:

More than 100 new, internet-based watch repair websites have been launched in the past 3 years. The market is quickly approaching saturation, if it is not already there.
Less than 5% of these new websites are members of the Better Business Bureau.
Anyone, of any skill level, with or without proper training and/or equipment, and/or business skills, can launch one of these websites. 'Dime a dozen' comes to mind.
There is almost nowhere for the consumer to turn to for genuine confidence in whom to trust. The BBB only addresses a part of this issue.
The new, modern watchmaker 'certification' only solves a part of the issue, albeit a critical one. Only a small minority of watchmakers currently possess this certification, and the American consumer has almost no idea what constitutes a 'certified' watchmaker, let alone its importance.
No real assurance exists for the consumer that a watchmaker's business model is fully legitimate, other than BBB participation and IF the watchmaker who performs the repair follows the 'standards and practices' for service (for which the customer also has little to no knowledge) and operates their business in an 'ethical manner.' What if a watchmaker fails to adhere to certain standards or practices, or behaves 'unethically?' Who would recognize, investigate or mediate any of that? Currently there is little of real significance that can be or is done if a watchmaker violates any 'code of ethics.' Yes, you read that right.
Every year at least 15% more consumers look to the Internet to solve a problem with a watch that they or a family member owns. And what do they find? A murky hodgepodge of watch repair businesses all promising to do the same thing.

Are you concerned about the reputation of watch repair on the Internet? You should be. As an emerging and untested market, Internet watch repair is highly volatile to consumer impression and reaction. Consumers indicate that they remain more comfortable taking their watch to a 'brick-and-mortar' business for a repair than sending a valuable item through the mail and to someone they don't know or trust on the Internet.

The Watchmaker Consumer Protection Alliance has the SOLUTION to ALL of these problems. Accreditation.

Accreditation is NOT the same as 'certification.' Accreditation may rely on, but goes well beyond, certification. People are certified, BUSINESSES are ACCREDITED.

Accreditation is a GUARANTEE that a business meets or exceeds specific and relevant standards for business excellence.

As an accredited member of the Watchmaker Consumer Protection Alliance your business will be allowed to display our official and trademarked accreditation logo, linked to our website, and your company's profile and excellence rating (in development). The WCP-Alliance logo will become synonymous with TRUST & SAFETY in watch repair.

Our Promise to Accredited Business Members

As one of our exclusive and select accredited members, we will guarantee that your market exposure will increase, and your customer base will expand.

To achieve results we carefully select only the BEST internet watchmakers and most legitimate business websites, and verify that our watchmaker members meet or exceed our 'common sense' accreditation criteria, and follow our proven Internet-based business strategies and marketing success formulas.

Our guarantee . . . we will increase your profits and help you grow your on-line reputation, or we will refund your accreditation fees. That's how serious we are about changing the way watches are repaired on the Internet.

We are now accepting pre-applications for Watchmaker Business Accreditation. APPLY NOW to take advantage of our special charter member discount.

Only businesses that provide annual evidence which meets or exceeds ALL of the following criteria are issued WCPA full business accreditation:

Legitimate corporate, partnership or LLC status.
Sales tax certificate from the State(s) in which you operate.
Federal corporate tax returns filed for prior tax year with no tax violations.
Valuables storage procedures including presence of Jeweler-rated safe (TL30 minimum).
Current Jeweler's Insurance Policy to compensate for loss due to fire or theft.
Facility monitoring 24-hours by third-party alarm company for both fire, break in and burglary/hold up.
Service personnel have documented training in watch repair and/or continuing education courses in the past three years.
All personnel on site have passed a criminal background check and have proper I-9 documentation on file.
Two trade references (suppliers or wholesalers)
One customer endorsement from warranty work you have performed on your own repair.
Participation in binding complaint mediation through some neutral third-party such as the Better Business Bureau.
No excessive complaint history with the BBB or other legitimate consumer protections orgs. (resolved or otherwise).
No known evidence of current copyright infringement on its websites or promotional materials.
Warranty policy clearly posted in terms and conditions of repair.
Independently accepts credit cards with a valid merchant account (excludes PayPal) from an SSL site (verified).
Privacy policy either posted and/or reviewed and/or accepted by third-party privacy accreditation services (such as Truste).
Site security monitoring by some third party provider, such as McAfee, formerly HackerSafe.
Modern, calibrated and correct dry and wet pressure testing equipment on site.
Modern , calibrated and correct timing equipment on site.
Facility layout demonstrates separate areas for 'dirty work' (polishing, grinding, milling, turning) and 'clean work' (assembly).
Proper storage of chemicals with MSDS sheets and flammable storage cabinets with ventilation.
Recycling program and/or proper waste disposal program for all hazardous materials and/or recyclables.
Optional - Member Jeweler's Security Alliance or AWCI (receive 10% off accreditation fees)

The WCPA accreditation is also rated, which means that we have assigned a level and/or grade to the reviewed company. Our rating system is based on an analysis of the accreditation criteria, and research into the company's genuine Internet reputation as gauged by legitimate, paying customers.

The Accreditation Rating (AR) system is based on seven (7) levels, and is as follows:

Level -1    Company has applied and failed accreditation review.
Level   0    Company has never applied for accreditation.
Level +1    Company has applied for accreditation and is under review.
Level +2    Company has been granted provisional/probationary accreditation.
Level +3    Company is fully accredited but not yet rated.
Level +4    Company is fully accredited and rated.
Level +5    Rated and in business for a minimum of five years at the same physical, verified address.

Rated accreditation is performed during the level 3 company's first year of provisional and/or full accreditation, and takes the simplified form of an assigned letter grade from 'F' to 'A.'   The primary contributor to the rating is legitimate customer satisfaction as monitored and reported during the company's provisional/probationary level and first year as an accredited business.

Level 5 rated accreditation grading criteria:

A - No unresolved complaints and no more than three resolved complaints in the previous year.
B - No unresolved complaints and no more than five resolved complaints in the previous year.
C - No unresolved complaints and no more than seven resolved complaints in the previous year.
D - One unresolved complaint and/or more than seven resolved complaints in the previous year.
F - More than one unresolved complaint and more than seven resolved complaints in the previous year.

If you believe you may meet some or all of the above criteria, please consider submitting a pre-application for accreditation review. Even if you do not currently meet all of the criteria, you may be eligible for provisional accreditation which will allow you most of the benefits afforded to our fully accredited business members.