Berks Connect

How We Collect Business Information

Last Updated: December 14, 2025

Berks Connect is a comprehensive local business directory serving Berks County and the surrounding region. One of the most common questions we receive—especially from business owners who find themselves listed without having signed up—is: "How did you get my business information?"

This page explains how we collect, process, and present business information, and why your business may appear on our platform.

Our Mission

Our mission is simple: make it easy for residents to discover and support local businesses. Too many excellent local businesses—family-owned shops, home-based services, skilled tradespeople—are difficult to find online because they lack the marketing budgets of national chains or don't appear prominently in traditional search results.

We built Berks Connect to change that. By compiling comprehensive information about local businesses, we help connect residents with the businesses that make our community thrive.

How We Gather Information

Similar to how popular search engines crawl the internet to index websites and present information to users, Berks Connect aggregates publicly available business information from across the web. Our data collection methods include:

Public Web Sources

We gather business information from publicly accessible sources across the internet, including:

  • Business websites and online presences
  • Public business registrations and directories
  • Government records and filings
  • Industry associations and professional organizations
  • Social media profiles and business pages
  • Other publicly available online sources

Data Aggregation

We use sophisticated data aggregation tools and services to compile business information from multiple sources. This allows us to build a more complete picture of each business, including:

  • Business name and legal entity information
  • Physical address and service areas
  • Phone numbers and contact information
  • Website URLs
  • Hours of operation
  • Categories and types of services offered

Business Submissions

Business owners and their representatives can also submit information directly to us by:

How We Process and Present Information

We don't simply copy information from other sources and republish it. Instead, we process, transform, and enhance the raw data we collect:

Summarization and Transformation

One of our key differentiators is how we present information. We:

  • Summarize information from multiple sources into concise, helpful descriptions
  • Synthesize data points to provide a complete picture of each business
  • Transform raw data into user-friendly formats that help residents make decisions
  • Enhance listings with categorization, tags, and organization that makes discovery easier

We never simply copy content and present it as our own. All descriptions and summaries are original works created by our team and AI systems, based on publicly available information. This approach ensures that our content is helpful, accurate, and tailored to the needs of our users.

AI-Assisted Content Creation

We use artificial intelligence to help process and present business information. Our AI systems:

  • Generate helpful descriptions for businesses that haven't claimed their listing
  • Categorize businesses based on their services and offerings
  • Identify and flag potential inaccuracies for review
  • Help keep information organized and searchable

For more information about our use of AI, see our Editorial Policy.

Why Your Business Is Listed

If you're a business owner wondering why your business appears on Berks Connect without your having signed up, it's because:

  • Your business has a public presence. If your business has a website, appears in public directories, or is registered with government agencies, that information is publicly available.
  • We aim for comprehensive coverage. Our goal is to list every legitimate local business so residents can find them. This means we proactively gather information rather than waiting for businesses to sign up.
  • We're helping potential customers find you. Being listed on Berks Connect is an opportunity—not an obligation—for your business to be discovered by local residents looking for your products or services.

Your Rights as a Business Owner

We respect business owners' rights regarding their listings:

Claim Your Listing

You can claim your listing at no cost to:

  • Take control of your business profile
  • Update and correct information
  • Replace auto-generated content with your own descriptions
  • Add photos and enhance your listing
  • Access analytics and premium features

Request Corrections

If you notice inaccurate information about your business, you can contact us to request corrections, even if you don't want to claim your listing.

Request Removal

While we believe being listed benefits most businesses, we understand some may prefer not to be included. You can contact us to request removal of your listing. We will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis, though basic business information from public sources may continue to be accessible through other channels.

Data Accuracy

We strive for accuracy, but we acknowledge limitations:

  • Business information changes frequently (hours, phone numbers, services)
  • Public sources may contain outdated or incorrect information
  • There may be a delay between changes and our records being updated

The best way to ensure your listing is accurate is to claim it and manage it yourself. Business owners who claim their listings can update information in real-time.

Questions?

If you have questions about how we collect or use business information, please contact us:

Berks Connect
4712 Penn Ave, Unit 7090
Sinking Spring, PA 19608
Email: hello@berksconnect.com
Phone: +1-484-650-3808

    How We Collect Business Information - BerksConnect