trustpoint.digitalscorecard.com

TrustPoint Methodology

A Verified Independent System

A TrustPoint is a verified insight derived from structured research across a company's existing customer base, reflecting repeatable customer patterns rather than individual opinions or marketing claims.

TrustPoint is issued and governed by Digital Scorecard (digitalscorecard.com). It is not a review platform, a testimonial service, or a marketing tool. It is a research standard — a formally structured, independently administered, and publicly verifiable record of customer outcomes.

What TrustPoint Is Not

TrustPoint findings are frequently mischaracterised. The following are explicitly excluded from the TrustPoint standard:

 

  • A testimonial or client case study
  • A customer satisfaction score or NPS result
  • A review or rating from a consumer platform
  • A marketing claim or brand-authored statement
  • Anecdotal evidence from unverified sources
  • A self-reported survey administered by the business itself

 

The critical distinction is independence of administration. A TrustPoint finding is only valid when the research is designed, administered, and verified by Digital Scorecard, not by the business whose customers are being surveyed.

The Highlights

As with any methodology there are many considerations which are outlined here. We work to minimise the complexity and focus on what matters most.

In the top of our mind when designing the TrustPoint are two things:

  1. Trustworthy so your TrustPoint is of value
  2. Validity of the answers so it is of value to your clients

 

With these in mind we will cover the principles in the methodology as follows:

  • Sampling
  • Analysis
  • The Differential Comparison Index (DCI)
  • Validity of the results

Once off

Some things you just need to be setup once and they then run. In some cases you need help setting them up or a full turnkey service. You can decide on each how best to work. It can range from a smaller task to a full positioning and turnkey website build.

€ 1,000 - 10,000 fixed
  • Positioning to stand out

    The most important thing for a business today. Includes script for AI listings and TrustPoint

  • Email marketing setup

    Can work with many systems, specialists in MailerLite and Omnisend

  • Marketing automation setup

    Can work with many systems, specialists in MailerLite and Omnisend

  • Lead generation mechanism
  • Website build

    Shopify or WordPress/WooCommerce

  • E-commerce build
  • Customer Survey

    includes TrustPoint

Contact for more details

Ongoing

WWe can act as your marketing department and manage the activities needed. We can help or fully manage on a day-to-day basis. You get senior marketing expertise without the overhead of hiring in-house. We agree in advance the package best suited for you.

€ 1,000 - 5,000 per month
  • Content production
  • Email marketing
  • Newsletter production

    Simpler version

  • Lead Generation
  • Google Advertising
  • Social media management
  • Getting Reviews
  • Webpage updates
  • Product updates
  • Flexibility based on your needs
  • Actions as agreed
  • List agreed in advance

Sampling

In order for the conclusions to be of value the most important item is who we ask ie the sample of your customers.

The backbone of a TrustPoint is the sample we ask to review and rate your business. We need to verify that the sample is correct and representative.

Why any result is to be believed starts with the sample. basically who is asked. A bad sample or a wrong sample will change the value of any research as all research is based on the sample chosen.

Therefore in order for your TrustPoint to be of value we pay a lot of attention into the sampling. The points below cover the most common sampling questions.

 

TrustPoint is not just a survey or a review, it is so much more than a that.

Verified Sample

We ensure to include verified sample. If it is customers, then we make sure it is verified customers.

Sample Size

We ensure that the sample is big enough to matter. Ideally this means at least 100 responses, see statistical robust comment. B2B are often lower sample size.

Statistically Robust

When doing the analysis we always look to statistics and see if the findings are significant. The larger the sample the more findings are possible.

Credible

You can not buy, pay for or influence the results so they are credible to then use. The data is all we go by.

Sampling Bias

Most times we verify directly on clients email or CRM or e-com systems. That way we are sure the data is real and we avoid sampling bias.

Response Bias

We reduce this as much as possible by even sampling, design, questions, format. We also weight for returns and ongoing data to get a balanced picture.

Sampling Principles

For more details and the in-depth conversation get in touch. Dr Edward Nugent has been running research and analysis for many years. From longitudinal studies to large scale surveys to individual client data analysis.

The Seven Issuance Criteria

A TrustPoint is issued only when all seven mandatory conditions are satisfied. Partial satisfaction does not qualify.

Criterion 1 — Verified Sample

Data is collected strictly from verified customers. No panels, purchased respondents, or anonymous sources are used. Verification is conducted against client CRM or transactional systems.

Criterion 2 — Appropriate Sample Size

The sample must be large enough to identify repeatable patterns across the customer base. Insufficient sample size results in non-issuance. Minimum thresholds are assessed on a case-by-case basis relative to business type and customer base size.

Criterion 3 — Statistical Robustness

Results must meet significance thresholds. The standard threshold is 95% statistical significance. The 90% threshold may be applied in specific B2B contexts and is explicitly disclosed when used.

Criterion 4 — Bias Mitigation

The research design must include mechanisms to reduce sampling and response bias. This includes use of client CRM systems for sampling, balanced question design, and data weighting where appropriate.

Criterion 5 — Pattern Consistency

Findings must be consistent across respondents and segments. A single strong response or a finding isolated to one customer segment does not qualify as a TrustPoint. The pattern must be repeatable.

Criterion 6 — Separation of Observation

Customer-reported observations are documented separately from interpretation or positioning conclusions. What customers said is kept distinct from what it means commercially. This preserves the evidentiary integrity of the finding.

Criterion 7 — Explicit Constraints

Every TrustPoint report must state its boundaries, including segment differences, time-based limitations, conditions under which findings may not apply, and any non-universal outcomes. A TrustPoint that does not acknowledge its own constraints is not issued.

Evidence Type Independence Methodology Verifiability AI Readability
Clinical trials Full Highest Full High
Peer-reviewed academic research Full Rigorous Full High
TrustPoint Named external administrator Structured, statistically validated Full — public report URL + schema.org Dataset High
Consumer review platforms (e.g. Trustpilot) Platform-level None (unstructured) Partial Moderate
On-site testimonials None None None Low
Marketing claims None None None Low

Machine Readability & AI Buyer Accessibility

TrustPoint reports are published with schema.org Dataset structured data embedded in the page source. This is not a cosmetic feature — it is a fundamental part of the standard.

 

What schema.org Dataset markup provides:

Typed, structured identification of the data as a Dataset (not a marketing page or testimonial)

Named external creator organisation (Digital Scorecard)

Documented measurement technique (independent verified customer survey via Typeform)

Sample size and publication date

Public report URL as an independent reference point

 

This means AI research tools — including Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT with web access, and enterprise procurement AI systems — can read and interpret TrustPoint data as structured, typed, independently verified evidence rather than as unstructured marketing text.

 

A marketing claim that says "96% of customers sleep better" is text. A TrustPoint result embedded as a schema.org Dataset with a named external creator, documented methodology, verified sample size, and public URL is a machine-readable data record with provenance. These are categorically different signals to AI systems performing vendor due diligence.

 

This positions TrustPoint specifically for the AI-buyer era — a period in which procurement decisions and high-consideration consumer purchases are increasingly mediated by AI research tools that process structured data, not just search results.

Go All In

A dedicated project to boost your business.

We have a service where we work with you so you know how to stand out, have a website that attracts clients, is AI ready, have email as a sales channel, have engagement mechanisms in place and has follow-up systems to help your clients get more clients. This is a full package and is ideal for business starting out or those that want to reboot. 

It is typically done over 8 weeks but sometimes it can be shorter but often longer. It is done as a fixed price project and we are dedicated to your business.

Know what is the best way for you to stand out to your ideal clients. It is not always obvious and we work with you, your data and what your clients are saying to find the ideal way for you to stand out to your clients. Find the edge takes time but always appears when we work with clients, even in competitive businesses. 

As we enter the AI era this is more important as context on how you stand out to clients is going to influence if you are recommended by chatGPT or not. 

It is great to know how you will stand out but it is of little value until that message is on your website. We do this by either editing your current one or building a new one. We can do both and depending on what you r current site looks like will dictate which is the best option. Sometimes having a new one built with the ideal client in mind is the best option. 

We also find it is often hard for clients to keep their message aligned with how to attract their clients. As we are removed from your day-to-day we tend to have a clear view of how you can have a message that speaks to your clients.

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

Consistent follow-up

Book a Meeting

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

  • Follow-up We setup an email sequence that speaks to the needs of your ideal client.
  • Communication We set the tone and style for your email marketing. You can then use this in follow-up, sequences, newsletters or campaigns,
  • Newsletter We setup your newsletter so it is easier to then add new ones each week or month.

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

Getting Engagement

Click to get in touch

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

  • Mechanism to get leads We work with you and test different ways to get leads for your business. This will mean adding options to your website or social media posts so as to engage your ideal target audience.
  • Tagging When we attract leads for your business we set it up so they are tagged and added to your email system. Follow-up is vital for turning leads into clients.
  • Follow-up We setup a follow-up system so you get input from leads to improve your sales pipeline. This is a vital part of making your sales pipeline even better on an ongoing basis.

AI is changing how people buy. People are now asking AI for advice as they browse and soon we will have Agents making purchase decisions. It is important to be AI ready. One part is to stand out to clients and the other is to have script on your website that speaks to AI. We provide both in this project. 

In addition we also provide verified links on any client survey we provide. This means that also claims of customer satisfaction that you have will be credible and believed. We issue a TrustPoint as a mark and link to AI so it is not only you telling them how good you are. This is done once you confirm you want a TrustPoint during the project. Some hold until they get the results before deciding and that is fine. No one has been disappointed by our TrustPoint results but we understand the need for this check prior to publication. 

AI is changing the world and we need to make sure to help you stand out. This is our primary objective as it will ensure your future success.

Popular services

The above gives you an idea for what we can offer. It can be provided on an ongoing basis or we also do project-based work with a clear start and end.

Getting Results

Your Business design and gameplan to get leads, customers and sales.

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

From €5,000 / 55,000 SEK

Book a Meeting

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

  • Attract your Ideal Customer We look at your ideal customer profile (ICP), analyse your customer data and ideally survey your clients. We get to see what they value most and how you can stand out to them. The goal is to see how you can stand out to them and attract your ideal customers.
  • Customer Data We look at your current customer data and analyse it to find your gateway products to attract your ideal clients. We identify patterns and translate this into actions for your got to market plan. Ideally we survey your clients. This provides valuable data and usually also results in sales during the process.
  • Implementation Knowing how to stand out is one thing, making sure that you do is another. We set the action plan in motion so you can see how to implement, what to change on your website and main messaging. These are the two areas that usually have the greatest impact.

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

Book a Meeting

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

  • MarTech Tools We can look at your current digital tools in sales and marketing and suggestion options that can help improve your business and save time.
  • Agents The new helpers in a business. We can help you to navigate building your own Agents for content, research and automation.

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

From 65,000 SEK

Book a Meeting

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

  • Ideal customer profile & buying journey We look at your ideal customers (ICP) and see what they have in common. The goal is to document how we segment and find twins for your ICP and set a process for how we meet the customer's buying journey internally.
  • Ideal customer profile & buying journey We look at your ideal customers (ICP) and see what they have in common. The goal is to document how we segment and find twins for your ICP and set a process for how we meet the customer's buying journey internally.
  • Ideal customer profile & buying journey We look at your ideal customers (ICP) and see what they have in common. The goal is to document how we segment and find twins for your ICP and set a process for how we meet the customer's buying journey internally.

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

Consistent follow-up

Book a Meeting

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

  • Follow-up We setup an email sequence that speaks to the needs of your ideal client.
  • Communication We set the tone and style for your email marketing. You can then use this in follow-up, sequences, newsletters or campaigns,
  • Newsletter We setup your newsletter so it is easier to then add new ones each week or month.

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

Getting Engagement

Click to get in touch

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

  • Mechanism to get leads We work with you and test different ways to get leads for your business. This will mean adding options to your website or social media posts so as to engage your ideal target audience.
  • Tagging When we attract leads for your business we set it up so they are tagged and added to your email system. Follow-up is vital for turning leads into clients.
  • Follow-up We setup a follow-up system so you get input from leads to improve your sales pipeline. This is a vital part of making your sales pipeline even better on an ongoing basis.

Performance and Digital tools

Reach the right audience across all channels, automate what goes and measure what drives growth in your digital marketing efforts.

Current customers always provide the best insights for how we can get more. We undertake a lot of customer analysis and we always do this work with the intention of finding actionable conclusions, not just nice to know conclusions.

In some cases you have all the data you need and we help analyse it and in other cases we also collect more data. One major benefit if we collect customer data is that we can then issue a TrustPoint which validates your findings, adding credibility to your business.

Successfully scale your business with advertising

Advertising is one of the hardest things to get working profitably in a business. We can help review your current setup and provide recommendations. If needed we can help setup advertising with our expert. 

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

Book a Meeting

How we create a smarketing playbook for your organization

  • MarTech Tools We can look at your current digital tools in sales and marketing and suggestion options that can help improve your business and save time.
  • Agents The new helpers in a business. We can help you to navigate building your own Agents for content, research and automation.
Click on the Edit Content button to edit/add the content.

Each case has its own perspective.

Nothing is perfect

From a research perspective nothing is perfect. We remove as many bias as possible, we ensure verifications but there are always challenges. We remove as many as possible and weight for many issues before we issue a TrustPoint.

TrustPoint Badge

A TrustPoint badge is only issued after the analysis has been done and verified. Findings are clear and we also use other research data to validate our findings and will flag any anomalies should we find any.

Timing

We usually complete the work within 4 weeks. It is important that it is not dragged out over time so as to get a picture in time and issue the TrustPoint. There is an option to add a TrustPoint Tracker which is one that is done over time and uses its own methodology. A tracker is a good way to monitor sentiment of clients and especially powerful for those running subscription businesses or have clients that buy regularly.

Other Data

Besides the data we collect from clients we also look for other data such as returns, complaints and also inbound client comments. This is to get a balanced day-to-day view of the business. The TrustPoint should align with the day-to-day picture we are seeing.

Client Communication

When we do a TrustPoint review we do so from the customers email or perspective. In other words requests are sent via a clients usual channels so we do not bias a response and have it in the usual day-to-day business.

The TrustPoint Analysis

Our analysis is based on a robust methodology based on statistically methods.

In past analysis in some sectors we have found that we mirror the results of a clinical trails. While we do not do this as clinical trials we do insist on having strict rules on how we work so as to get the best results for clients.

We generally advise working to the 95th percentile of significance but sometimes we use the 90th and when we do, it is stated. Most of this is in the background and the TrustPoint illustrates the result rather than how we got there.

We consider response bias and insist on a pattern of how clients are asked and how it is setup to mitigate it, no never eliminate it.

TrustPoints

Any business regardless of what they provide can have a TrustPoint. What you need to have in order to get a TrustPoint is a customer base that have used your product or service. 

Coffee Roaster

Which coffee do people prefer and why. Now we have proof for a coffee roster.

Which probiotic helps people best and how does it compare to others they tried? In this case the TrustPoint mirrored the clinical trials of the probiotic producer. 

Which bedding helps people to sleep better? We found out and it differentiates this bedding provider from others.

How do some shoes help the wearers to walk more and without pain. We confirmed this for MBT Shoes so they can demonstrate how they help their clients.

Almost all business to business (B2B) companies can have a TrustPoint. Sometimes due to the type we base it on how it is to work with the business rather than the product benefit.

We find that all types of company and products benefit from a TrustPoint. From coffee taste to health benefit from probiotic and everything in between.

Why it is trustworthy

Built on a Hierarchy of Trust

How we approach doing a TrustPoint is based on it being of value for a client while at the same time be independent and trustworthy. 

It feeds directly into how  Google and ChatGPT review and recommend a product or company. It is the 2nd highest level of value for ChatGPT and the highest level of value for Google, on par with a clinical trial. It is this structure of that makes your TrustPoint so valuable. 

The hierarchy of data points that they use to confirm the authority of your business in helping clients. This goes beyond what you say as it shows what you can prove based on your TrustPoint. We tend to use the 4 level system we like to separate clinical trials from verified studies:

  1. Randomised controlled trial (Clinical Trial)
  2. Large structured outcome survey, verified + unbiased (TrustPoint)
  3. Small survey or unverified reviews
  4. Anecdotes

 

Google and all AI Chat use a hierarchy to decide who to list for any query and what to believe. This is why we go to so much effort in the methodology and setup as this will dictate the value of your TrustPoint. 

TrustPoint confirms that you can say “95% of customers confirm it is better or much better than alternatives they had previously tried, independently verified.”

We use this hierarchy in building your trust with your new customers as well as with others such as Google, ChatGPT and others.

TrustPoint Builds Trust and sales

Understanding the Differential Comparison Index (DCI)

Your Differentiator

The Differential Comparison Index (DCI) is a benchmark used to measure how well a product performs compared to other alternatives customers have tried. It is calculated from verified customer responses that compare their experience with the product to similar products on the market.

DCI is scored on a scale of 0 to 100:

  • 60–100: Strong comparative performance — customers rate the product as better or much better than alternatives.
  • 40–59: Comparable performance — performs similarly to competing products.
  • 0–39: Underperformance — customers rate the product lower than alternatives.

A high DCI score indicates that the product not only satisfies customers but outperforms other options they have used. This provides an independent competitiveness measure beyond standard satisfaction ratings.

Establishing your Differential Comparison Index is a game changer for how you can market to your ideal clients. It is what will set you apart from your competitors in the mind of your target clients. It is based on what your current customers consider and value.

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