The Better Business Bureau has introduced a downloadable application aimed at helping consumers find reputable companies quickly and easily.

The free application works with search engines so that the organization's BBB logo appears beside accredited businesses that come up on the results list.

The application was developed to meet the need of consumers seeking information about specific businesses.

"What we found is that consumers are needing to have more information when they're shopping online and their first resource is often search engines," BBB spokesperson Mark Fernandes told CBC News from Vancouver. "What we decided is to come up with an application that makes it really easy and visual for people to find a business."

The application can be used to find businesses across North America. "What happens is when a consumer shops for something like a roofer in Vancouver, anytime there's a search that comes up with a BBB-accredited business, they'll see a little BBB-accredited business logo beside that listing on their search results," Fernandes said.

The Better Business Bureau calls itself "an ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other." It provides information to consumers about the integrity of a business based on previous dealings and complaints. It also offers accreditation to businesses.

Julien Simon says he can see how the new application would benefit his business. Simon is the vice-president of "Virtually Canadian," a BBB-accredited company.

"Let's say we show up with a couple of different competitors right there, and we are accredited and it shows with the logo and the other companies are not, then maybe people will call us first," he said.