The new BBB, buy your rating?

[AZ-Tax]

My BBB report states I have been in business since 1985. I have 0 complaints and I have an "A" rating. I just read an article on Goldline and upon looking at their BBB report, they have 45 complaints with an "A+" rating but Goldline is an "accredited" business. Woow, I am so impresed, NOT!.

In the late 80's when I first became a member of the BBB, the BBB stood for business ethics but today, it seems to stand for money. I was only a member 1 yr in the late 80's and never became a member again. I am listed on the BBB website due to me being registered with the BBB for which most busiensses dont know you dont have to pay a penny to be registered with your local BBB.

http://www.la.bbb.org/Business-Report/Goldline-International-Inc-35002328

[JohnH]

I've always considered BBB to be a waste of money, so I never joined and have generally advised my cilents to save their money as well. Same for D&B, with a very few exceptions.

[veritas]

Send my money to the

NRA.


That may be changing though.

[S T]

Bbb

Agree, found them not to promote "my business or my husband's business" so much in past years. All they want is $$ from us as business owners, and not fair representation, but if you are registered, you could be open to every complaint that ever was filed with them.

Seems to be more of a consumer group, not a Government Group, funded primarily by dues paid by local business owners.

One of the questions on the bbb.org was :"If your funding comes from businesses, how can you be fiar to the consumer?" The answer was " The purpose of the BBB system is not to act as an advocate for businesses or consumers, but to act as a mutally trusted intermediary to resolve disputes, to facilitate communication, and to provide Reliability Reports on companies"

My experience, in the past (husband's service business), if I am a member of BBB, and a consumer complaint is received, until I acknowledge and am full agreement in solving the complaint, there is a "black mark" on the company. They don't resolve disuputes, except in favor of the "consumer", they do not even listen or review the "business owner's side".

What the BBB claims and how they actually operate are different, unless it is different from each county and State facility. my experience in the past has been they are not favorable at all to the "business owner" that paid the fee to support their "business" that is there to be "a mutally trusted Intermediary to resolves disputes, etc."

Agree with John H on D & B as well, just another fee, for what?

If checking out a business, I might look at these two agencies, to see what is reported, but then would go to the Licensing Bureau's to check that, (County, State or Federal) and then other sources of referrals and document information.

Sandy

[AZ-Tax]

Registered or not, BBB could still open a file on you...

. All they want is $$ from us as business owners, and not fair representation, but if you are registered, you could be open to every complaint that ever was filed with them.

I dont if know if this is the case at every BBB office but if you are not registered and some one files a complaint aganist you, the BBB will open a file and create a report on you without your approval which has always made me wonder how they can do that but I have seen it happen a couple times over the years.

[S T]

Might Be

I dont if know if this is the case at every BBB office but if you are not registered and some one files a complaint aganist you, the BBB will open a file and create a report on you without your approval which has always made me wonder how they can do that but I have seen it happen a couple times over the years

And yes, they probably can open a file, and say that the "business" is not registered with BBB. And the BBB does not need your approval to open any file or case, I would presume.

But then why do they need our $$, obviously, they are not actiing as an "advocate for businesses" but maybe to "extract" $$$ from business owners (which are the dollars they depend on), and still not be impartial in their "procedures" after a consumer complaint.

I think that it is important for consumers to be protected and receive information on businesses, but I always believed that the BBB offered the Businesses that support them and keep them in business something in return. I certainly haven't seen it.

I refuse to be part of the BBB system.

Sandy

[DTS]

Nra

NRA.


That may be changing though.

I am a supporter, but will be rethinking this, as well, after the report I heard the other day.

[Black Bart]

Don't know about BBB, but

I've always considered BBB to be a waste of money, so I never joined and have generally advised my cilents to save their money as well. Same for D&B, with a very few exceptions.

unless they've changed lately, I absolutely agree about Dun & Bradstreet. Years ago I worked at a company D&B phoned several times (don't know why) and, although I don't remember the specifics, they asked several questions about our financial health, status, etc. and we were free to simply affirm that our company was in excellent shape, etc. We could have told them anything positive (basically recommending ourselves) -- they were writing it all down just as we said.

[Nashville]

Consumer Movements

The discussion about BBB and their administration of "complaints" gives rise to a no-win scenario for people like us. If we subscribe, the best we get is a rating of "no complaints" versus one "gotcha" and it sticks with us for years. Certainly none of these people are equipped to be in our office truly evaluating the quality of what we do.

In similar fashion, we now have "Angie's List" "Craig's List" which are open to complaints. These are data-base driven and under no circumstances do they even pretend to evaluate the "complaints." Measure this under modern standards of database websites such as "Monster.com" and we come away with total ineffectiveness.

A similar situation exists with "Speedtrap.com" where the founding purpose was to identify small towns and big-town neighborhoods where speedtraps are set up. Down here we call them "Yankee traps." Turns out that anyone from anyplace who EVER got a speeding ticket (legitimate or otherwise) can post their complaint on the website. Effect of this is you can't tell the good guys from the bad guys anymore - site is worthless.

[AJsTax]

I am a supporter, but will be rethinking this, as well, after the report I heard the other day.

Dont believe everything you hear until the chaff settles. Most of that was misinterpretation.

[thomtax]

In similar fashion, we now have "Angie's List" "Craig's List" which are open to complaints. These are data-base driven and under no circumstances do they even pretend to evaluate the "complaints." Measure this under modern standards of database websites such as "Monster.com" and we come away with total ineffectiveness.

I'm sure that many of you have seen the ad on hiring painters to paint a room red. I believe that it is Angie's list. In this ad they talk about the problems the painters had. Then they say "Although they finished on time and on budget, they are far from true professionals."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if someone does the job they are hired for, on time, on budget, and you are satisfied with the job and paid them, doesn't this put them in the category of professional? What more do you want? Unless, of course, Angie's list wants a fee. Are they saying their people never run into problems?

And then they even insult the hiring party, by saying you may want to chose another color than red.

To me the ad is insulting.

LT

[erchess]

Chamber of Commerce

Nobody has mentioned the Chamber. Does it help us to join them?

[JohnH]

I've never joined, although I've heard people say it's a good place to network. I've never had a client actually SAY they got business there and have never known an accountant to say (s)he did, but I guess it can happen. My thinking is that Toastmasters would be just as good a place to network, and at a fraction of the price.