Frequently Asked Questions

Contents

Why should I join? Why did Lifeline make this site? What area does Friends of Lifeline cover? What do quality, reliability, and courtesy, refer to? Friends of Lifeline Newsletter subscriptions Can I support Lifeline in other ways? I no longer wish to be involved For businesses:
Must businesses make a donation? Why do you have a minimum donation of $25? Can I change what I've agreed to pay? I received a reminder for a job I never did? Can I dispute a rating that I have received? Can I add ratings from my previous customers? Is it worth donating more?

General Questions...

Q. Why should I join?
A. This website is designed to help customers find good service providers, and help good businesses to be found. It was developed to support our community by supporting Lifeline.

Please read the many reasons and benefits of joining.

Q. Why did Lifeline make this site?
A. This site was made by Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury – a local centre of Lifeline. We wish to raise awareness of Lifeline’s counselling and other services in the community, and raise money to support these services. Lifeline helps people in need, in many ways.

This website is here to help people who are friends of Lifeline. We know it can be difficult for someone to find the right person for a job and we have provided a way for you to help each other. In doing so it helps you and it helps lifeline.

Q. What area does Friends of Lifeline cover?
A. Friends of Lifeline is an initiative that covers the Harbour to Hawkesbury precinct. This includes suburbs from North Sydney up to Brooklyn. View a map of the region.

Q. What do quality, reliability, and courtesy, refer to?
A. These 3 fields show members’ perceptions of a business on past jobs, and can help other members choose the right person/business for their job. Higher scores are better – 5/6 is expected to indicate an average service (still a respectable rating).

Quality:

this refers to the standard of the work (the degree or grade of excellence). The rating reflects how high the rater perceived the standard to be.

Reliability:

a dependable business – high scores for service providers who arrive on time and who finish the job on time, on budget, & to the standard promised. It reflects providers who do what they say.

Integrity:

an ethical business - high scores for service providers perceived to give an honest assessment of the job, who seem worthy of trust, and seem to charge a fair price for the job done.

Q. Can I subscribe to (or unsubscribe from) the Friends of Lifeline Newsletter?
A. Yes. Once logged in, click on "Manage your account". Check the box next to "Yes, keep me up to date with Lifeline's progress in our community" to subscribe to our mailing list. Uncheck this box to be unsubscribed.

Q. Can I support Lifeline in other ways?
A. Yes! This site provides funding that Lifeline uses to fund our services, but there are many ways of helping Lifeline. Volunteer as a counsellor, donate clothing and books, help with fundraising, become a corporate sponsor - there are many ways of helping, whatever your skills, ability, & interests.

Q. I no longer wish to be involved with Friends of Lifeline. How do I delete my profile?
A. Whether you are a customer or business - send an email to webmaster@lifeline-h2h.org.au with your membership name and email address. We will deactivate your account. You don't need to give a reason, but we'd appreciate it if you can tell us anything which would help us to improve our service. Ratings that you have given won't be removed.

For service providers...

Q. Must businesses make a donation?
A. Donations to Lifeline are your choice, but this site is for Lifeline Harbour-to-Hawkesbury supporters. To thank businesses who have offered to donate to Lifeline in an ongoing manner, we list them here where Friends of Lifeline can find them.

Q. Why do you have a minimum donation of $25?
A. Although Lifeline is grateful for all support, our administration costs have led us to request minimum donations of $25.

We want to make this service work for everyone – if you think there’s a method for supporting Lifeline that would work better for you (and us) please let us know so we can work with you!

Q. Can I change what I've agreed to donate?
A. Yes. You can change what you offer Lifeline to anything above the minimum $25. We appreciate that the range of jobs & categories affects how much a customer is worth to you. You can also remove yourself from the site.

To change your offer, log in as your business, click on "Manage your categories", delete the current category with your offer and add the category with your updated offer.

Q. I have received a reminder from Lifeline for a job that I never did. What should I do?
A. The customer who assigned the job has provided you with a rating and says that you completed the job. If you did not do this job, send an email to webmaster@lifeline-h2h.org.au with your request and any background information - please include your membership name, email address, and the details of the customer who rated you. We will replace the job information with a note that the details have been removed.

Although Lifeline takes no responsibility for disputes between customers and businesses, we do want to represent both fairly. We will not get involved, but if you have a suggestion for better representing these disagreements on the site please email us. Ultimately Lifeline reserves the right to remove either the customer, the business, or both from the site at our discretion.

Q. Can I dispute a rating that I have received?
Yes, you can dispute a rating with your customer. If the customer agrees to alter their feedback and rating send an email to webmaster@lifeline-h2h.org.au with both of your membership names and email addresses, and ask them to do the same. We will update your rating, but you must first get permission from your customer.

Lifeline takes no responsibility for disputes between customers and businesses.

Q. Can I add ratings from my previous customers in to the web site?
A. Yes, you can invite previous customers to join, so they can assign jobs and then add their ratings.

If you have offered to donate for each customer you receive from Friends of Lifeline, please change your offer to a 6-monthly donation before they rate you, and return it afterwards. This will avoid you being sent a donation reminder for each of those previous jobs.

Q. Is it worth donating more?
A. When a potential customer browses service providers, they can choose the business they want based on both

• the ratings the provider has been given by customers, and
• how much the provider has supported Lifeline (including donations received and promised).