Before You Choose a Local Business in Mobile or Baldwin County, Ask These 7 Questions

1. How Long Have You Been in Business?

Longevity doesn't happen by accident.

A business that has served its community for decades has had to earn the trust of its customers again and again. That kind of staying power can tell you a lot about integrity, quality craftsmanship and the relationships a business builds with its customers.

Take two of our Meet da’ Boss partners:

Mobile Marble Company has been transforming Gulf Coast bathrooms for 53 years. That's more than five decades of craftsmanship, innovation and customer relationships—and a whole lot of bathrooms that have stood the test of time. This family owned and operated business stays on the leading edge of bathroom renovation techniques.

Ronnie Lee's Automotive has spent nearly 30 years specializing in the repair and care of fine European automobiles. In an industry where expertise matters and trust is essential, that kind of longevity says something. Andrew Lee has hired an outstanding team of master mechanics insuring this legacy business will continue to thrive.

Neither business built its reputation overnight. They built it one customer, one project and one relationship at a time.

So before you choose a local business, ask: How long have you been doing this—and what has kept your customers coming back?

That's a question worth asking.

2. Who Will Be Doing the Work?

When you choose a local business, it's worth knowing who you're actually going to be working with.

Will the owner be involved? Will you have a dedicated point of contact? Or will you be passed from person to person once you've signed on?

For Meet da’ Boss partner Jessica Zoltek of Zoltek Healthcare Services, the answer is personal: Jessica is the Boss—and she's the one doing the work.

During Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 through December 7, Jessica spends her days meeting directly with clients, reviewing their coverage and helping them understand changes that could affect their Medicare supplemental insurance.

There's no mystery about who is behind the business. The person you meet is the person invested in your experience.

That kind of hands-on involvement can make a difference, especially when you're dealing with something as important and personal as your healthcare coverage.

Before you choose a local business, ask: Who will actually be taking care of me?

Sometimes, the best answer is simply: The Boss.

3. What Do Customers Say About This Business?

Before you choose a local business, listen to the people who have already done business with them.

Read reviews on Google, Facebook and other social platforms. Don't just look at the star rating. Look for patterns in how customers describe the business.

Do they mention good communication? Quality work? Responsiveness? Professionalism? Do customers talk about coming back year after year?

And don't be afraid to look at the dates. A handful of great reviews from last month is nice. A consistent history of happy customers over many years tells a different story.

Take a look at Lindsey & Waldo CPA and their customer reviews. One Google reviewer, Mohamed Abdelrehim, shared that he has been using the firm for 15 years.

That's the kind of customer relationship worth paying attention to.

When people continue choosing the same business year after year, it tells you something about the experience they're receiving—and the relationship the business has built with its customers.

So before you choose a local business, don't just ask the business what they can do for you.

Ask their customers.

4. Are You Properly Licensed & Insured?

This may not be the most exciting question to ask a business owner—but it could be one of the most important.

Licensing helps confirm that a business has met the requirements for the work or services it provides. Insurance can help protect the business, its employees, its customers and its property when the unexpected happens.

And here's the thing: having insurance isn't the same as having the right insurance.

That's something Lisa Harkey and the team at AlaCoast Insurance Company understand well. As a local insurance professionals, Lisa and her team work with businesses to help them identify their risks and make sure they have coverage that fits what they actually do.

A contractor, restaurant, professional office, retailer and home-based business don't face the same risks—and they shouldn't necessarily have the same insurance strategy.

For a business owner, the right coverage isn't simply another expense. It's part of protecting everything you've worked to build.

And for the customer hiring that business, knowing that the company is properly licensed and insured provides another important piece of information when making your decision.

So before you choose a local business, ask:

Are you properly licensed—and do you carry the insurance coverage appropriate for your business?

It's a simple question that can reveal a lot about how seriously a business takes its customers, its responsibilities and its future.

5. What Happens When Something Goes Wrong?

Let's be honest: things go wrong.

An employee issue. A customer complaint. A payroll problem. A compliance question. A difficult conversation that nobody wants to have.

The real question isn't whether a challenge will come up. It's whether you have a plan for handling it when it does.

That's an area where Stacy Cooper, founder of LNJ Employer Services, helps her clients stay ahead of the curve.

Stacy works with businesses on the human side of running a company—from HR and payroll to policies, procedures and compliance. Her goal isn't simply to help a business react when a problem lands on its desk. It's to help business owners develop the knowledge, systems and strategies they need to handle challenges appropriately.

Because when you're dealing with employees, customers and regulations, “We'll figure it out when it happens” isn't much of a strategy.

A thoughtful plan can help a business respond consistently, protect its employees and customers, stay compliant and avoid turning a manageable issue into a much bigger one.

Before you choose a local business, ask:

What happens when something goes wrong—and do you have a plan for it?

The best business partners aren't just there when everything is going right. They're prepared to help you navigate what happens next.

6. Can I Talk to a Real Person?

In a world of automated phone systems, chatbots and messages that disappear into a digital black hole, being able to talk to a real person has become a business advantage.

And when you're dealing with something important—like the security of your home, business, employees or an event—you want more than an automated response. You want communication.

That's something Jimmy and Alisha Bailey of Bailey 360 Security have built into their business from the beginning.

Jimmy believes strongly in good communication, and that philosophy extends to the people representing Bailey 360 in the field. He personally trains his security officers and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a calm, professional demeanor when interacting with clients and the public.

That's important because security isn't always about what happens when things go wrong. It's also about how people communicate, respond and conduct themselves when situations become stressful.

For Jimmy and Alisha, the relationship doesn't stop when the contract is signed. Communication is part of the service.

So before you choose a local business, ask:

Can I talk to a real person when I need one? And will that person actually listen?

Because sometimes, the most valuable service a business can provide is knowing that someone is there when you need them.

7. Why Should I Choose You?

This might be the most important question of all.

In a crowded marketplace, it's easy for businesses to sound alike. Everyone says they care about their customers. Everyone says they provide great service. So ask a business owner:

What makes you different?

Meet da’ Boss partner Redbar Espresso & Marketplace has a pretty good answer.

In the competitive world of coffee shops and restaurants, Dr. Mike Bucknell and his wife Jennifer have built Redbar around doing things their own way. They roast their own coffee, source food from local farmers whenever possible and continually look for ways to improve the experience for their customers.

And they're not sitting still.

This week, a new outdoor pergola is going up over the patio—just in time for customers to take advantage of those cooler Gulf Coast fall temperatures.

It's a small example of a bigger philosophy: pay attention to what your customers want, then do something about it.

That's what makes this question so valuable. Don't just ask a business what they sell. Ask them why you should choose them over the alternatives.

The answer should go beyond price.

It should tell you something about their values, their standards, their creativity and the way they think about the people they serve.

Before you choose a local business, ask:

Why should I choose you?

Then listen carefully to the answer. You might just discover what makes that business worth knowing.

~ Charlsie Pecoraro