Badged FAQ

WHY BADGED?

Badged was created to help businesses keep up with the pace of technology change.  We all need to find trusted partners to support the new solutions our businesses depend on, and traditional referral networks just can’t keep up.

We found freelancer marketplaces don’t work for critical business-to-business (B2B) services and more complex engagements.  They market individuals instead of partners, with high fees and limited contracting options.  Many OEMs and ISVs provide partner locator tools, but their content is limited. They are focused on their own products. Badged is here to create and manage services relationships in the partner economy.

WHAT IS BADGED?

Badged is an online marketplace for technology services firms and independent consultants.  Badged helps any company find the best IT partners for their business, and helps IT partners find the subcontractors to expand and scale their practices.  That includes IT services companies, digital agencies, software development agencies, and other technology related services.

We are built specifically for IT services firms and independent professionals, with a SaaS platform for the needs of our industry.  We have a growing list of over 500 verifications and other services that make it easy and efficient to quickly vet partners develop trusted partnerships.

We are not a freelancer marketplace.  Instead, we connect businesses and prime contractors with trusted partners, including firms, agencies, and full-time consultants.

WHO CAN USE BADGED?

Any organization can use Badged to connect with a technology partner or subcontractor. Use Badged to quickly find, qualify, and connect with leading practices.

Badged listing is open to firms or individuals with a dedicated full-time practice in technology services related industries.  We create B2B connections, so we do not support part-time freelancers. Whether you are a solo consultant or a larger service provider, you will find Badged is a platform uniquely dedicated to promoting your business investments, practice differentiators, and customer successes while also making your client engagement easier and more efficient.

WHAT TYPES OF COMPANIES ARE IN BADGED?

Our beta partners include a growing variety of IT related firms and professionals.  Our beta is focused on companies serving our home state of Colorado, and will expand into other markets as we grow.

The practice browser makes it easy to find firms by their practice categories, and easy for firms to quickly add their practice areas to their listing.  Initial services categories include:

• Security – network security, application security, physical security
• Network – network connectivity, routing and switching, wireless networks and WiFi, WAN, LAN, SAN, data center fabric, optical networks
• Data Center Technologies – servers, storage, converged infrastructure and hyper-converged solutions
• Data & Analytics – database, noSQL, big data, analytics, and business intelligence
• Governance, Risk & Compliance – policy, audit and assessment, disaster planning and recovery,
• IoT & Operations Technology – industrial IoT, PLC, SCADA
• Project Management
• Voice, Video & Collaboration – enterprise voice, unified communication, VoIP, video conferencing, messaging, team collaboration
• Enterprise Applications – ERP, CRM, email, HR, accounting
• Web and Software Development – digital agencies, application design, programming, DevOps
• Digital Workplace – desktop, mobile, and end user applications
• Digital Marketing – web design, marketing content, SEO, social media, videography and photography
• Structured Cabling – CAT6 and CAT7 cabling, optical cabling, coax
• Engineering – data center electrical engineering, mechanical engineering
• Facilities – colocation facilities, data center HVAC, physical security

We also categorize by type of service, including:

• Professional Services – IT consulting, projects, assessments
• Managed Services – outsourced IT management, IT support
• Cloud Services – enterprise cloud computing services (IaaS), hosted applications  and SaaS, platform as a service (PaaS)
• Training Services – custom and certified IT training and IT education services
• Staffing Services – temporary and project IT staffing

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Badged has no transaction fees.  We don’t charge the buyer or the seller to engage on our platform, so why wouldn’t you start with Badged?

There is no charge to find and engage partners on Badged.

There is no charge to get listed as a Badged service provider, if you are a qualified firm. There are limits to the content and services in the free subscription.  Premium subscriptions will support larger organizations, additional content and services.

CAN BADGED HELP ME CREATE MY PROFILE AND MARKET MY BUSINESS?

Yes!  We are senior professionals in marketing, business development, and practice development from the IT and business services industries.  The Badged team includes experts in marketing strategy, marketing content, digital marketing, graphic design, search engine optimization (SEO), brand management, public relations, web design, email marketing, social media marketing, business videography and photography, and events.  We can guide you and help you develop your best presence Badged, and you can use the content in your other marketing channels.

Start by scheduling a free demo and consultation.  If you need more help, Badged offers premium subscriptions and cost-effective professional services to quickly develop the right message and content to promote your unique services business.

I DON’T HAVE A SERVICE CATALOG.  DO I NEED ONE?

You can list your firm in Badged without a service catalog.  A service catalog helps clients find the right partner offering the specific services they need.  It also demonstrates a partner’s specific focus on their listed service offerings.  Adding your service catalog in Badged also allows potential clients to complete a custom questionnaire when they contact a you.  The questionnaire gives providers the details they need to qualify opportunities and respond effectively.

If you are a services firm, we can help create your service catalog for publication within Badged and outside of Badged.   Badged was started by IT services and marketing executives.  We know how to optimize your services to attract the right customers and structure service offerings you can perform consistently and profitably.  Contact us for more information and a free consultation.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

We have a growing list of beta partners helping us build the Badged network and the platform.  If you have a great practice, you are welcome to join the community and start building your online reputation now.  Many of our earliest partners are serving our home state of Colorado, but firms anywhere are welcome.

Companies that hire IT firms are also welcome to join the beta program.  We have a growing list of firms across a wide scope of specialized IT practices.

Schedule a private demo of our beta platform to walk through the latest features.  If you prefer to explore on your own, it is simple and free for clients and qualified firms to join our beta at badged.io.  See our Getting Started section for pointers.

HOW DO YOU PROTECT MY CREDIT CARD INFORMATION?

A credit card is not required for our beta, but you can provide one for future premium services. We partner with a well known commercial payment gateway to protect your information.  Badged does not process credit card transactions on our systems, and we do not store your credit card information.