Common Misconceptions about the BBB

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.