About Raleigh's Best Online

Purpose and Mission

The purpose and mission of Raleigh’s Best online is to provide an unbiased, independent and not-for-profit source for vetting, rating and promoting honest, stable and outstanding private, locally-owned businesses.

History

The Raleigh’s Best organization was formed in 2007 by a group of advertising, marketing and public relations professionals seeking an honest way to recognize Raleigh-based businesses for excellence that was free from the taint of “pay for play” that had become the norm for so many of the so called “best awards”.  Under this system, which still operates brazenly, businesses and organizations pay for a “review process” and purchase advertising to basically buy their reward.

The Raleigh’s best group wanted a better way, one that would truly reward business and customer service excellence while remaining free from manipulation and financial gain.  That vision became Raleigh’s Best Online.  Our recognition awards began as a publication in 2007 and evolved into the on-line system you know today in 2009.

We try to keep the costs of running the organization low for the sake of both simplicity and integrity. Raleigh's Best Online is funded entirely through the donations of time, services and money made by it's member agencies and professionals.

Process

In recognizing locally-owned businesses, Raleigh's Best Online seeks those organizations that provide an exceptional product, an extraordinary atmosphere, and customer service that goes far beyond what is required or even expected.

While our goals are not nearly so lofty, we modeled our nomination and review process on on the award with ultimate integrity - the Nobel Prize.

To be considered for recognition, a business must first be nominated for review.  A business may not nominate itself, but may be nominated (preferably anonymously) by another person, organization or business. Nominations are then reviewed by the appropriate Raleigh's Best Online committee (there is a separate committee for each major area we evaluate) and those considered promising are further investigated using many public and private sources. If the business has met  the necessary criterion to this point, committee members will separately make at two anonymous site visits to the business to see the organization in operation first-hand. If an expense must be incurred during the evaluation process, A report is made to the entire Raleigh's Best Online organization and a vote taken to determine if the business meets the high standards to warrant the Raleigh's Best designation. Only on passing a final vote is the business notified of their nomination and award. The process is confidential even until the end. A more detailed description of the process may be viewed here.

When a business is notified that they have earned the right to be called Raleigh's Best, they receive a display plaque, a listing on our website, and the right to use the Raleigh's Best Online designation and artwork in their promotional and marketing materials. This is all provided to the recipient free of charge. Of course (just as with the Nobel prize) a recipient has the right to refuse recognition if so desired.