Question 1

My profile was previously activated but is now "Closed" or "On hold" even though my subscription has not expired. Why?

Accepted Answer

We regularly scrutinize profiles, and depending on the results of our routine checks and input from users of the platform, your profile may be flagged for a re-verification. It will remain in the inactive state until the verification process is completed by the team. Please write to us with any proof/documents which could help us verify and re-activate your profile faster.

Question 2

Why does my closed profile still show up on a search engine?

Accepted Answer

Once a profile is closed we mark the transaction has closed and remove it from search engine indexing. But Google and other search engines may still retain it and show the results for a while which isn't in our control.

Question 3

What if I pay the finder's fee and then the buyer/investor backs out?

Accepted Answer

SMERGERS Finder's fee would be applicable as soon as a definitive agreement is reached between the parties or on receipt of the first tranche of payment, whichever is earlier. In cases where the buyer breaches the definitive agreement, the parties involved will have to settle it through legal recourse.

Question 4

I have problems with the party I closed a deal with. What can I do?

Accepted Answer

SMERGERS is an online marketplace that connects businesses, investors, franchises and advisors. While we carry out basic checks on profiles that go live on the platform, the final responsibility of conducting thorough due diligence prior to deal closure lies with the users. You may also refer to the best practices.

If there is any transaction related concern at any stage, then both parties need to resolve it along with their concerned team and, if necessary, seek legal recourse. SMERGERS would be unable to mediate such disputes between parties as it is beyond the scope of our services. However, we encourage the aggrieved party to report the issue by sharing complete details and documentation so that our team can go through it, investigate the matter, and take appropriate steps on the platform as deemed necessary.

Question 5

How to change my personal profile picture?

Accepted Answer

The profile picture is picked up automatically from your social login. To edit it please login to your Dashboard and click the Edit icon at the bottom right of your photo as shown below and select an alternate picture.

Question 6

How can I connect social media accounts to my SMERGERS account?

Accepted Answer

You can connect LinkedIn, Facebook and Google accounts to your SMERGERS account by logging on to your dashboard and clicking on the links shown below. Logging into SMERGERS using your social account automatically captures this information if they are registered under the same email address. Kindly note that these social media links are not displayed on your public profile but would rather reflect in blue as verified once connected.

Social Media Accounts

Question 7

How to archive introductions I'm no longer interested in?

Accepted Answer

All introductions that you no longer wish to pursue or have been concluded can be archived by clicking on the "Archive" button on the bottom left of the introduction card as shown below. All archived introductions can still be accessed by clicking on the "Archived" tab on top of the introductions page.

Question 8

How to resubscribe to emails from SMERGERS?

Accepted Answer

If you accidentally unsubscribed to all emails from SMERGERS, you can resubscribe by logging in to your dashboard. Click on "Edit" next to "Email Preferences" on your profile card. Under the “Important Communication” you could choose the “Subscribed” option as shown below and save the changes.

If you are unable to log in to your account, you can click on this link: Not receiving emails from SMERGERS and follow the instructions provided to re-activate your email address.

Additionally, if you wish not to receive any marketing emails from SMERGERS (and wish to receive only important communication regarding your profile and queries) you can select "No Email" option for New Opportunity Notifications and Business Proposals.

Email Preferences - Edit Email Preferences - 2nd Page

Question 9

How to update company name, tax number and other details in the invoice?

Accepted Answer

Changing a specific invoice is possible only if you have not already saved it and only in the same month the payment was made.

To edit your invoice, log in to your dashboard and click on the top right picture of yours and select "Invoices". Find the invoice which you would like to update and click on "Print Invoice" next to it as shown below. This should open up a page with default billing details from your account. You can edit and save this information, provided it was not saved earlier and the payment was made in the same month. If the invoice is already finalized then it will directly download the invoice without allowing you to edit the same.

To update your default billing details visit your dashboard and click on "Update Details" below your profile card and enter the details as shown below. These values will be used as default details for your future invoices.

Please note that GST number can be updated only on Indian payments and not on Export invoices. If you wish to display a VAT/Tax number on your Export invoice, you can add the same next to your company name, for example, "TransTech Restaurants LLC (VAT: 987654321)"

Question 10

How do I close my profile?

Accepted Answer

Login to your dashboard and click on the "Close" button on the profile which you would like to close. Refer to the image below:

Kindly note, closing a profile does not mean that we will be deleting your information permanently from our database. We retain confidential information from closed accounts to derive industry knowledge, comply with law, prevent fraud, collect any fees owed, resolve disputes and take other actions otherwise permitted by law.

Question 11

What formalities need to be completed post successful deal closure?

Accepted Answer

Once a deal is successfully closed, as per T&C, both the investor/acquire/advisor and the business should promptly disclose in absolute good faith the correct transaction value and transaction closure date to SMERGERS by sending an email to info@smergers.com within 2 business days of transaction closure.

The business/franchisor is also liable to pay the finder’s fee, except in the case of advisor listed profiles as per the contractual agreement. In case of non-compliance, the onus falls on both investor and business to clear the finder’s fee along with penalty interest of 4% per month. Failure to do so would attract legal action from SMERGERS.

Question 12

I already have a profile on SMERGERS and have a few questions. Can someone call me or can you provide your contact number?

Accepted Answer

We request you to send us your question through the 'Contact Us' page (https://www.smergers.com/contact-us/) so the appropriate team can revert to you with proper resolution or contact you over the phone to clarify your doubts. It would be difficult for us to assign the right person without knowing your queries. If you have subscribed to the professional plan or account manager plan you would have received an email with your account manager's phone number for ad hoc phone support.

You could also check out our FAQs here

Question 13

How can I apply for small business loan?

Accepted Answer

In order to apply for a small business loan, you will need to ensure that the following requirements are satisfied.

1. Documents - Please ensure that all the documents required for a business loan are intact, it could be in the form of trade and commercial licenses, articles of incorporation, balance sheet, Income tax returns, identity proofs etc.. Different banks will have different requirements, it is best to check with the local organization before you start the process.

2. Build your credit scores - You personal credit score and that of your business will be of utmost importance. It is very important to ensure that they are healthy. One could maintain a good credit score by making timely payments to any money that has been borrowed from different organizations.

3. Collateral - In most of the cases, a collateral is required to get loan from banks. If you are planning to use a collateral, please ensure that you have all the required documentation intact.

4. A good business plan - Having a clear idea of what you are going to do with the money will make it very easy for the lender to asses your case.

5. Management Team - Lenders will feel comfortable to lend when they understand who they are giving their money to. A good amount of information about the management team may help them make their decision.

It is worth exploring your options by talking to several banks, some of them may have a relaxed criteria for lending, at the same time some of them (with a collaboration from the local government) may have special offers to promote small businesses. To connect with several banks you can register your business details and loan requirements by clicking here.