Frequently Asked Questions

- What makes BECS different from other bartering groups?

Normally, bartering happens between two people, whether for services or goods. At BECS, by using the hour as a unit of exchange and allowing hours to be banked on the website, bartering becomes multilateral. Furthermore, because BECS refuses to be just a virtual group, we encourage members to meet in person to build relationships and foster exchanges. BECS also values its independence and, as such, runs on the collaboration of its members, without being beholden to funders or employees. And to break away from monetary dependence in exchanges, we chose virtual accounts denominated in traded hours rather than printing so-called community currency. Members' collaborative work on organizational committees is credited in hours to their virtual accounts.

- How long has BECS been around?

Our community group was incorporated in August 1996 and has operated continuously ever since.

- I don't have much experience with the internet. Will I be able to manage?

Our site, which has been continuously improved since 2021, was designed to be relatively simple and intuitive to navigate. In addition, several pop-up messages will guide you as you save your information.

- Why do I need to attend a welcome meeting?

As stated in the policies in effect, the welcome meeting is mandatory and is intended to verify that a prospective member's motivation is compatible with the group's values. The meeting also confirms the applicant's identity to help prevent any attempt at fraud.

- Why is there an annual membership fee?

BECS receives no grants or subsidies. It is the members, by paying an annual fee of $20, who cover all the costs necessary for the organization to operate. Each year, the financial statements and budget forecasts are presented at the general meeting. New members must pay their annual fee at the welcome meeting, but afterward, on the anniversary of their membership, they can renew directly on our website.

- How do I fill out my profile?

Filling out your profile on our website before the welcome meeting allows the welcome coordinator to review the information you've provided and better guide the conversation. The membership application is completed in three steps.

Step one:

Your personal information

All requested information will remain confidential unless you indicate otherwise. In your profile, only you have access to the full set of your personal information. Only your name, your hour balance, your email address, and the neighbourhood or municipality you live in will appear on your member card, which other members can view.

Your availability

This indicator lets you mark yourself as unavailable, if needed, for a limited time. It's your responsibility to keep it up to date.

Subscribing to the Jongl'heure

The Jongl'heure is an internal newsletter, published monthly for members, to share news, testimonials and other information of common interest. Since it's sent by email, the law requires us to ask for your consent. We hope you'll agree to receive it in your inbox.

Who referred you?

By telling us who referred you or how you heard about BECS, you help us better target our recruitment efforts. In addition, if a member recruited you, they will be invited to accompany you as you settle into our group, in exchange for a gift of 5 BECS hours.

Statistical fields

The information requested is confidential and is not processed on an individual basis. For promotional purposes, this information is aggregated to build a demographic picture of our membership as a whole.

About me

This space lets you introduce yourself to the community. Talk about yourself, your interests, your life experience, your expectations of the group, etc.

Attach your photo

While not mandatory, we strongly encourage you to include a photo with your profile. Since it won't be visible to visitors — only to other members — it helps bring your profile to life and helps identify you at meetings and exchanges. Your photo should be 300 pixels wide and 400 pixels tall.

Step two:

Register a service

It's fairly simple to list one or more services you plan to offer other members. First, choose a service category from the drop-down list. Give your service a title and, in the next field, take the time to clearly explain what it involves. Add keywords that will help with search visibility, then indicate whether you hold a diploma related to this service.
If you can't find a category that fits the service you'd like to offer, you can temporarily list it under the General/Miscellaneous category. If needed, BECS may eventually add a new category or help you choose among existing ones.
Finally, the same service may sometimes fit under two or three categories, especially for Training/Courses, Personal Assistance, or Consulting. For example, a photography course could be listed under both Training/Courses and Photography/Audiovisual.

Step three:

Request a meeting

In the left-hand menu, you'll find the tab that lets you choose the location that works best for you for the welcome meeting. Our coordinator will contact you and suggest an appointment based on the availability you've entered.

- How can I find out if the services I'm interested in exist within BECS?

Even as a visitor, you can use the main search engine, the service category icons on the homepage, or browse the site by category and by neighbourhood. As a member, the search results will be the same, but the members offering the services will be identified.

- How can I find a service near me?

Searching by Montreal neighbourhood or by grouping of municipalities (e.g., South Shore) lets you find active members living in that area. If no member lives in a given neighbourhood, it won't be displayed. You can broaden your search by choosing the "All (neighbourhoods)" option.

- How do I request a service if I just joined?

Every new member is credited with five (5) hours to get started with exchanges.

- I just provided a service — how do I record the transaction?

Under the Members tab, go to My Transactions. Click Add a Transaction and a screen will appear. All fields are required, including your rating of the exchange, which remains confidential between you and the other member. It's important to enter the exact service category, including one-off ones like Exchange of Goods or Service Rendered to BECS. Once your transaction is saved (click the green Add button at the bottom left of the screen), an email will automatically be sent to the member who received the service. The transaction will then be reviewed and approved or declined, and you'll receive a confirmation email.

- I provided a 15-minute service — why can't I record a quarter hour for this transaction?

Due to current constraints, the site does not allow entering transactions in quarter-hour or other fractional-hour increments, except for half-hours, which must be entered using a decimal. For example: 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, etc.

- What do the colours in my transaction list mean?

It's a reference code. Blue for a pending transaction; green for an approved transaction; red for a declined transaction. You can also click the eye icon to the right of the transaction to view the details.

- I'm going abroad for two months — how do I indicate that I'm temporarily unavailable?

Update your profile, set the Available indicator to No, then save. When you return, don't forget to update it again.

- Is it possible that images and tabs aren't positioned the same way if I access the site from my laptop instead of my desktop computer?

The site was designed to adapt to different devices. It has been tested across various devices (desktop, laptop, tablet, cell phone), operating systems (Windows and Mac) and browsers (Google, Microsoft Edge/Explorer, Firefox), though some configurations may have been missed. If you're having trouble, try resizing your screen, for example to 80%. If that doesn't work, take a moment to let us know about the issue by describing your device, operating system and browser at info@becs.ca.

- What should I do if a BECS member calls me to receive a service?

Check whether the requested details of the service work for you (nature, time, duration). If so, negotiate a prior agreement with the requester; if not, clearly explain the situation to them. The values of respect that BECS promotes require that if a member leaves you a message requesting a service, you return the call promptly even if reaching an agreement isn't possible.

- Who has access to my transaction records?

Only you have access to your transaction record. However, the number of hours you've accumulated since joining is visible to other members. It's not possible to view another member's record without knowing their password, which remains confidential.

- What should I do if my services aren't in much demand?

If the services you offer aren't being requested much and you'd like to top up your account, leave a message at info@becs.ca. When community activities are organized (e.g., follow-up calls, meeting greeters), we'll contact you. These activities are of course compensated in BECS hours.