Here are 9 ways you can check out the reputation and professionalism of an online adoption professional:
- Get to know the adoption sites online. Before working with anyone, verify their existence in a “brick and mortar” building.
- On visiting the website of a professional, see if they display memberships in organizations like the Better Business Bureau and their local Chamber of Commerce. That’s a first good sign.
- They should list a phone number and a physical address, not just a post office box. If they don’t, move on.
- Call! Ask questions. On any inkling of doubt, consider another professional.
- If you sense they’re trustworthy, ask for three to five references of clients who have successfully adopted through them. If they won’t provide this to you, consider it a red flag.
- Call the references. Ask questions. If you always get a voicemail, question this reference.
- Go online. Enter the precise firm name in a Google search and check the adoption websites to see if any bad reports come up.
- Visit several online adoption communities and post messages asking if anyone has worked with the firm and willing to share their experiences.
- Do the e-mail test: Send a simple adoption question and see if they respond in a timely, professional way. Look to see if their e-mail signature is consistent. If it all checks out, keep them on your list of candidates. Call the organization again. Ask them if they can send their contract to you to review. Some don’t until they agree to represent you. If they do, review it: Their contract should be extensive but clear and glowing with professionalism. At Lifetime, we don’t send out a contract until the applying family has been approved for our program. Be cautious of any organization that takes just anyone.
Would you like to learn more about Lifetime as an online adoption professional? Please fill out our free application to adopt as your first step. If you have questions, please call us at (727) 493-0933.
Written by Adoption Agency Florida