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Are you expanding your business to a different state, or opening a new business in a state other than your own? Whatever your reason is for needing foreign qualification, there are plenty of companies that can assist you if you’d rather not go the DIY route.
To supplement to your own research, my team and I spent many hours examining the ins and outs of each popular foreign qualification service. Our goal is to present you with all the information you need to make a fully informed decision for your business.
This Harbor Compliance foreign qualification service review is structured to highlight their pros and cons, pricing and features, customer feedback, and other information to help you decide whether or not they’re the right choice for you.
Harbor Compliance Pros & Cons
Pros
Their claim to fame is their elite customer support. Each Harbor Compliance customer is assigned a Compliance Specialist who they can contact with any questions or concerns, rather than phoning into a call center.
Unlike most providers in this field, Harbor Compliance handles every possible step of the foreign qualification process. They even take care of state-specific requirements like publishing notice of your qualification in a newspaper, which is something nearly all of their competitors leave you to finish on your own.
Harbor Compliance includes registered agent service with your foreign qualification, a bonus that’s worth $99 as a stand-alone service.
Customer feedback is a major plus for Harbor Compliance, as nearly every customer review they have online is positive.
Cons
Their price point for foreign qualification is $299. While this is still significantly less expensive than hiring a lawyer, many of their competitors charge only $199 or less for this service.
Harbor Compliance Pricing & Features
Harbor Compliance charges a flat rate of $299 (plus state fee) to obtain a foreign qualification. Take a look at their brief summary of this service, then we’ll get into the details.
To obtain your foreign qualification, you’ll just need to supply Harbor Compliance with some basic information about your company, such as the physical address and nature of your business. Once you’ve given them all the necessary information, all you have to do is wait.
Again, Harbor Compliance is one of the few companies in this industry that handles every possible step of the foreign qualification process. No matter what extra requirements your state has, you won’t be left with any additional steps in order to acquire your Certificate of Authority.
Customer Reviews
Harbor Compliance has only been open for a few years, but they already have some great customer feedback online. While they only have several dozen reviews and some of their competitors have thousands, it’s impossible to complain about the content of these reviews.
Customer Reviews Section Last Updated 10-19-17
Conclusion: While it is true that some providers have greater quantities of customer feedback, it’s difficult to beat the quality of Harbor Compliance’s. Needless to say, they’re a well-loved company among their clients.
How Does Harbor Compliance Compare?
Harbor Compliance is one of the top foreign qualification services on the market, but there are other providers that could also do a great job obtaining your Certificate of Authority. With that in mind, let’s see how they stack up next to IncFile, my personal favorite provider.
Pricing: At $149 (plus state fee), IncFile’s price-point for foreign qualification is half as expensive as Harbor Compliance’s $299 base rate.
Features: The only significant difference here is the way these two companies handle state-by-state requirements. For example, some states require you to publish notification of your qualification in a newspaper, which Harbor Compliance will take care of but IncFile won’t.
Customer Support: If you choose to use Harbor Compliance, they’ll assign you a Compliance Specialist to be with you every step of the way. If you ever have questions or concerns, simply direct them to your specialist instead of phoning a massive call center and waiting on hold. IncFile’s customer support is good too, but doesn’t approach this level of personalization.
Experience: IncFile holds the advantage, as they’ve served over 150,000 customers since opening in 2004. As a relatively young company, Harbor Compliance has helped 10,000+ clients since 2012.
Here’s A Quick BreakDown
IncFile
Pricing Starts at
$149150,000+ customers served
Perfect for:
Anyone needing a foreign qualification service while sticking to a tight budget
Harbor Compliance
Pricing Starts at
$29910,000+ customers served
Perfect for:
Anyone needing a comprehensive foreign qualification service
Common Questions
Can I File My Own Foreign Qualification?
While it’s certainly possible to obtain your own foreign qualification, I wouldn’t recommended it. Not only is the DIY option time-consuming, but it can also be quite confusing since each state has slightly different regulations. If you want to get your Certificate of Authority on your own, make sure to follow the state-specific instructions closely.
What’s Their Refund Policy?
Straight from their own terms of service: “If you order services from us, you may not cancel.” Many of their competitors offer satisfaction guarantees and have lower price points, so ordering from Harbor Compliance does involve some ‘risk’.
Is My Information Secure?
Absolutely. Not only does Harbor Compliance protect their site with Norton Web Security to encrypt data transfers and protect from malware, they also verify merchant identity with Trustwave.
Does Harbor Compliance Offer Ongoing Support?
Yes. As we’ve discussed, their customer service is one of the main reasons Harbor Compliance is so successful. Their Compliance Specialists are knowledgeable, friendly, and ready to help you whenever you call, whether you made a purchase yesterday or several months ago.
Should You Use Harbor Compliance?
In my opinion, Harbor Compliance earns a rating of 4.5/5. They may not have the lowest prices, but their premium customer support and comprehensive foreign qualification service make them a worthwhile option.
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