The Internet has made customer care more important than ever.
Angie is a consumer organization that collects customer satisfaction ratings on local service companies in more than 250 categories, everything from plumbing to pet sitting to piano tuning. Formed in 1995, they are organized in 13 cities nationwide and steadily expanding. The List serves some 75,000 consumers who pay about $45 a year to belong. When members access the list via phone or the Internet (www.angieslist.com), they are typically given the names of three to five companies in their requested category.
Angie is one of a bunch of consumer referral businesses that have popped up over the years. (Founder Angie Hicks takes issue with the "referral" label, saying her business is a rating service; she's technically correct, but it's largely a matter of semantics.)