Private investigation services come in handy in a variety of situations. Whether it’s a background check you need, or if you want somebody to follow a potentially unfaithful lover, you need to find somebody good who will get the job done. But how do you check out the people who are going to be checking them out? Here are some tips for hiring investigators to help you get the job done right.
Check Them Out Online:
Before you hire private investigation services, you’re going to do a little detective work yourself! Get online and first check out their website. It should be professional looking and give lots of information about their company. If it’s vague and incomplete, this gives you an idea of what they’re going to deliver you. After all, they’re all about getting information, so shouldn’t their site be informative?
Another thing to do online is to put their name into a search engine and see what people are saying about them. You might want to enter their company name with “sucks,” “scam,” “lousy,” and other negative terms. If somebody has said something bad about them in a forum or on a blog, you can easily find it by doing this. This information could be the most valuable dirt you ever get on anyone!
Check With The State’s Association:
Almost every state has its own private investigation services association, and these associations issue licenses. They shouldn’t be practicing without one, but there are lots who do. You should find your state’s association (try looking it up online) and see what they say. You can usually ask them directly if a company is licensed and registered with them. Also ask them if they’ve had any disciplinary action.
Speaking of disciplinary action, you should always check them out with the Better Business Bureau too. The BBB registers complaints from customers for any kind of company that’s been less than ethical. If anybody’s ever complained about their service, you’ll find it there.
See Their Insurance Certificate:
All private investigation services should be fully covered by insurance. Check with them to see their insurance certificate. There are different types of insurance, so make sure they fully explain what type of insurance they carry and what it covers.
Get Everything In Writing:
Whatever agreements you make with the private investigation services, make sure you get it in writing. If they’re vague about giving you documents related to your case (especially where fees are involved!), forget about them and find somebody else. It’s really easy for them to later deny that the agreement exists if it hasn’t been written down and recorded.
Once you’ve checked out the private investigators you want to use and you know their whole story, you’ll be ready to get started. Make sure you’re ready for your first meeting with them and bring all the phone numbers, addresses and other information they’ll need. Make sure they explain the payment terms and fees to you upfront, and keep in steady contact with them while they find out just exactly what’s going on.
