They never call. They don't care about your needs. They are unreliable.

These are the warning signs of any bad relationship, including the one a single person may have with their dating service.

There are plenty of good introduction services with solid reputations and successful track records. But, unfortunately, there are also services that are as fleeting as a summer fling. Picking the wrong one could waste your time and money.

Finding a dating service that is right for you - and steering clear of those with less-than-stellar business practices - is all a matter of doing a little bit of homework. With a few phone calls and some carefully placed questions you should be able separate the dream date services from the duds.

Have a heart-to-heart to avoid a broken heart
The first question you should ask of a dating service is how long it has been in business and, just as important, how long it has been based in your region. A new kid on the block may practice all the best business practices, but, unfortunately, its track record cannot be adequately measured and its membership may be less than adequate.

Because membership fees are hardly cheap, you may want to call the Better Business Bureau to inquire if there are any complaints filed against a service you are considering and if these problems were resolved in a satisfactory manner.

You may even want to take the added step of contacting the state Attorney General's office to check up on the company. This office, however, can only release the number of complaints issued against a service. Details are not made public so there is, unfortunately, no way of gauging if the alleged infractions are serious or just the result of aggressive clients with relatively minor beefs.

Membership has its privileges
The most important asset of any dating service is its members. Inquire about them before you sign on the dotted line. How many members are there? Where are they from? What is their demographic profile?

Also ask about how aggressive the service recruits new members. Are they pulling out all stops to assemble the best membership base possible? If it relies on small newspaper ads or occasional mailings, the service may not be attracting the quality and volume of members you should require.

Match game
Find out how a service matches members and make sure this method is compatible with what you are looking for.

How well do you come off on camera? If not great, don't choose a service that relies heavily on video. Would you prefer that a person, a computer or a combination of both sort through profiles for matches? Does the service's profiling system cover all the personality traits that are important to you (religion, smoking, drinking, love of the outdoors, interest in the arts, etc.)?

The final review
Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure to carefully review your chosen introduction service's contract.

You should be aware that there are two basic types of contracts most introduction services use. A "time-based" contract won't specify a promised number of introductions, a "referral-based contract will. You will have to see if either plan guarantees results (and you need to be clear on how "results" is defined).

Once you settle on a service, keep an open mind. If you don't find true love right off the bat, hang in there. They are matchmakers, not miracle workers, and it may take some time for Mr. or Ms. Right to make their appearance. But being patient doesn't mean you have to be silent. If everything isn't satisfactory, speak up and let the service know. A top-notch service will value your input and work hard to resolve any problems you may have.