Submitted by Nathaniel Smith
Welcome to the first post of the Louisville BBB Blog! Ah, smell that new blog smell!
In the time I have worked here at the
Louisville BBB, I have talked with a lot of people. A lot of people. Friends,
family, business owners, the lady who cuts my hair… that’s when I noticed something: there are a lot
of people who don’t
understand what we do here at the Better Business Bureau. So in light of that I
present:
Five common misconceptions about the Better Business Bureau
5) The BBB is a consumer protection agency, part of the government, for-profit
This is a good place to start because all three of
those are wrong. The Better Business Bureau is a not-for-profit organization
that was established by business owners to support ethics in business. All of
the BBB’s funding comes from accredited business, who pledge to maintain fair
and ethical business practices. While we are not a consumer protection agency,
what we do benefits consumers. By taking consumer complaints seriously and
working to help resolve them, we help maintain a healthy market place. Every
business that becomes accredited with the BBB and every consumer who
reports unethical business practices help
us police the marketplace, which keeps our economy going.
4) Businesses accredited by the BBB can or should do as they please
Unless “do as you please” means to operate in a fair
and honest manner and addressing customer issues as they arise, yeah sure,
proceed. Otherwise, businesses accredited by the BBB cannot or should not do as
they please. When companies steamroll their consumers when they have legitimate
complaints, they create distrust in the marketplace. While our funding does
come from accredited businesses, it is in everyone’s best interest for us to
make sure accredited businesses do abide by the Standards of Trust. If we let
accredited businesses violate the BBB Standards, then we both lose public
trust. BBB Accredited Businesses that
violates the Standards of Trust will be revoked of their accreditation. Be sure
to contact the BBB to report unethical business practices when they occur.
3) A call from the BBB = a complaint
*sigh*…
Yes, we do make calls, send emails, mail out letters… release carrier pigeons?
(no, not really) But, the point is, we make every effort to contact companies
if they have a complaint and try to help them resolve it. However, we also
reach out to businesses to add or update their business information, and to see
if they are a good candidate for BBB Accreditation. So many times, the call isn’t
bad. It could actually be good. Having an up-to-date business record can help
your business! So, don’t be afraid of a call from the BBB.
2) The only reason to become a BBB accredited Accredited Business is for the benefits
There are several major companies in the Louisville
area that are accredited with the BBB. Some of them include Yum! Brands, Stock
Yards Bank, Sam Swope Auto Group, and Humana. We have many large companies (and
some small companies) that become accredited for reasons other than the
benefits. BBB accreditation is a way to do your part as a business owner to
give back to your community by ensuring a safe, healthy, and fair market place.
It helps protect the consumers in your area against scams and fraud.
Additionally, it helps us be there to support small businesses, which are the
backbone of our country.
1) People only turn to the BBB to handle complaints
There is more to the BBB than complaints. First, not
everyone that turns to the BBB is doing so to complain. BBB receives calls from
consumers every day asking about questionable calls or mailings they have
received. BBB educates the public on scams, and has saved consumers TONS of
money. Another huge chunk of what we do is serve as a resource for people to
find information on companies before they do business with them. Sometimes they
call about a particular business that a friend referred them to.
Other times, they turn to us because they know what
they need, but don’t have a company in mind. In that case, we provide a list of
companies that do what they’re looking for (a Type of Business list) and they
can see which company they want to hire.
Hey! Business owners out there! Remember when I talked
about calls from the BBB to update your Business Review or to talk about
accreditation? There are people out there looking for companies like yours!
Some people prefer to only hire BBB Accredited Businesses. By not having, at
the very least, an up-to-date business record, you’re missing out on customers.
Join us
Whether you’re a consumer or a business owner, you can
be an ally of the BBB in the fight against unethical business. You can help in
the struggle against scams, shams, and fraud. Each business that becomes
accredited helps us carry on our mission. Each consumer alerts us to problems
to solve. Together, we can make sure our local economy is healthy and strong.
Won’t you join us?
If you want to read more into the topic of misconceptions
about the BBB or to learn more about our complaint process, check out this BBB
Blog. You can learn more about the Better Business Bureau or find the kind
of business you want to hire at bbb.org. If
you have any questions you’d like answered, please feel free to ask them in the
comments.
