These are the questions Burnaby owners ask most before changing how their business handles customers, appointments and follow-ups. The short version: month-to-month terms, accounts in your name, one change at a time, and honest measurement. The detailed answers are in the questions above; the sections below add context on the topics that come up most.
Frequently asked questions
How much does this cost?
Our work follows the Trades.Agency plans, from $1,999 a month month-to-month or $1,499 a month on annual billing, plus 5% GST for Canadian clients. Software subscriptions are billed separately to your business by each provider. We put the scope and expected costs in writing before you commit.
Do I have to sign a long contract?
No. You pay month by month and can stop with 30 days' notice. Choosing annual billing is optional and brings the monthly rate down.
How long does it take to see a difference?
A single change, like switching on appointment reminders or moving records into one shared system, usually takes two to six weeks including training. A full rebuild of records, booking and follow-ups is best spread over a few months.
Who owns the software accounts and the customer data?
You do. Every account is opened in your business's name with you as the main administrator. We document how to export your data, so nothing depends on us.
We tried an agency or consultant before and it went nowhere. Why would this be different?
We can't promise it will be, but we work in a way that makes failure visible early: one change at a time, measures agreed in advance, accounts in your name and month-to-month terms. If something isn't being used after launch, we find out why and fix it or say so.
Can you promise more revenue or fewer no-shows?
No, and you should be wary of anyone who does. We agree on measures such as no-show rate, quote follow-up rate and admin hours, take a baseline, and report the real before and after.
Which software do you use?
We don't push a brand. We recommend established, off-the-shelf tools based on your size, trade, budget and how your team works, and explain the trade-offs between two or three options.
Do you install or repair anything?
No. We are a digital marketing and business consulting service. We configure software and train people; installs, repairs and service calls are always yours.
What about privacy rules for customer records?
BC's Personal Information Protection Act applies to private organizations that collect, use or disclose personal information. We set systems up to collect only what you need and restrict sensitive notes, but we don't give legal advice; the OIPC for BC has guidance for businesses.
Can automated texts and emails get us in trouble?
Canada's anti-spam legislation expects consent before commercial electronic messages are sent. We separate service messages from promotions, record consent and make opting out easy, and we point you to the official guidance for anything specific.
How do you report progress?
In plain language, usually monthly: what changed, the numbers we agreed to track, what isn't working and what we suggest next. No dashboards full of vanity figures.
Do you work with businesses outside Burnaby?
Yes. This site focuses on Burnaby, but we work with businesses across the Lower Mainland and Canada through our group, and we're based in Vancouver.
Money and commitment
Our pricing follows the Trades.Agency plans, and there is no long-term contract. The entry plan is $1,999 monthly, dropping to $1,499 monthly when billed for the year, with 5% GST added for Canadian clients. Software is billed to you separately. Full details, including what drives the cost and a worked example for checking whether it's worth it, are on our pricing page.
Most owners worry less about the monthly fee than about wasting it. That's why we scope the work in writing first, often through a workflow audit, and recommend the smallest change that solves your current problem.
Ownership and control
Everything we set up belongs to your business. That includes software accounts, customer data, message templates and the written guides for your staff. We hold delegated access while we work, and you can remove it at any time.
This is a lesson owners often learn the hard way: a previous provider set up a tool in their own name, and leaving meant losing years of customer history. We avoid that from day one.
Timelines and disruption
Expect a few weeks per change, with training built in. We schedule working sessions around your busy periods, test with staff before customers see anything, and launch to regulars before the public. For a Burnaby clinic or trade, the busiest weeks are rarely the right time to switch systems, so we plan around them.
When things don't go to plan
Problems are normal; hiding them isn't. If staff aren't using a feature, if an automated message causes confusion, or if a tool turns out to be the wrong fit, we tell you and adjust. Our training and adoption work exists precisely because most system projects stall in the weeks after launch.
Privacy and messaging rules
We build with the rules in mind, and we point you to the people who interpret them. Two pieces of law come up most in this work. BC's Personal Information Protection Act governs how private organizations such as yours collect, use and disclose personal information. Canada's anti-spam legislation focuses on commercial electronic messages and expects consent before they are sent.
In practice, that shapes a few habits we bring to every setup: record only the customer details you will use, limit who can see sensitive notes, keep promotional lists apart from appointment and invoice messages, note when and how each customer agreed to hear from you, and make stopping messages easy. None of that is legal advice. If your situation is unusual, such as health information in a clinic, check the official guidance or a lawyer.
Who this is a good fit for, and who it isn't
It fits owners who are willing to change one habit at a time. The Burnaby businesses that get the most from this work usually have between two and twenty people, steady demand, and a sense that admin is eating time they should spend on customers or on the work itself.
It is a poorer fit if you want a system switched on overnight with no staff involvement, if your process changes every week, or if the real problem is not enough enquiries. In that last case, marketing comes first, and our group can help through Trades.Agency. We'll tell you which situation you're in during the first conversation.
Still have a question?
Ask us directly. Read more about how we work or browse our guides, then call, text or email. We usually reply within one business day.