BBB question

[speedog]

As someone who lurked for a number of months as a non-forum member and then joined up, I have noticed a lot of posters talking about reporting companies to or checking up on companies with Calgary's BBB (Better Business Bureau) and I have to question whether or not this is really gaining anyone anything other than some satisfaction that one has reported or checked something.

The reason I state this is because my wife and I became business owners just under 2 years ago and never even once considered joining up to the BBB. And after doing some searches on the Calgary BBB web site, I can safely says that probably 80% of the competitors in our industry are also not even listed on the Calgary BBB web site. Now I do realize what the BBB's mandate is, but how much clout can the BBB have if 80% of an industry isn't even listed/joined up to them.

For myself, as a business owner, I view being a BBB member as just another form of advertising and because of that, I have to justify the cost of that advertising against any possible new sales that said advertising might generate. Advertising we have found out to be a mostly negative return investment - great service, happy employees, very competitive pricing have proven to generate the lowest cost advertising that has given us our best returns.... Word of mouth.

Forums such as this are another form of "word of mouth" advertising - I will go here first to try to discover details on a business or product before relying on what the BBB has posted.


Of note, only one of the twenty or so suppliers I order from are listed on the Calgary BBB web site - the one that's listed, great to deal with. The other 19 (or whatever) - 90% plus of them are just as great to deal with. Relying on just the BBB's info would've been a very poor choice IMHO. Further to my point, I read an old thread about unsatisfactory window tinting from "The Car Salon" - a check on Calgary BBB shows 2 reports. In that same thread, a thumbs up was given to another business (Tinting Illusions) of which there is nothing that comes up at Calgary BBB. Of note, neither company is a BBB member, but it just further validates that being a BBB member or relying upon their info or reporting something to them may not prove to be as valuable as some may think.

[Cos]

funny you should mention this. I was thinking about this the other day when I saw a BBB sticker on a window, I was surprised that it even exists anymore.

I can google a company name and within 5 minutes can tell if I want to buy there or not. For instance I bought a programmer from my truck and after 2 days of google and forum reading the only issues I have heard about are user related, and usually the company fixes it for free.

I think the BBB will eventually become a thing of the past unfortunately.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by speedog
I view being a BBB member as just another form of advertising

for old people.

The BBB has no teeth anymore. I thought they might, but after I filed a complaint against a business, WITH JUST CAUSE, they shuffed me off.

[spikerS]

I personally find it reassuring to see someone is a BBB member, just for the fact that if a problem does arise, I can contact a 3rd party mediator to find resolution, even if they may not side with me.

I also make it a habit to search a company when making larger purchases, but for nickle and dime shit, I don't even bother.

[CUG]

BBB... I don't think it's a governing entity, so I don't know that they have any weight in resolving issues.

I also don't know that the stipulations for joining are anything more than paying a fee.. unlike ISO or whatever that monitors your operations and production to ascertain your company meets their standards.

It's too bad, the BBB is a great idea, but in the end I think resolution can only really come from the people involved or the courts..

[TomcoPDR]

Just another tax grab full of "good 'ol boyz club" mentiality

OP, imo, you're better off just taking care of YOUR customers as best you can, and let them spread the word or what not...

[Masked Bandit]

As others have said, the biggest issue with the BBB is that they don't have any teeth. It was different 10 or 15 years ago when there wasn't quite as much information on the internet but it's been years since I've consulted the BBB for anything.

[mr2mike]

I had my motor forged and rebuilt in the US. The company was being really elusive to my calls and not giving me correct information when I asked for it. It took well over the posted time limit to even hear he was sending the motor back. I decided to file a claim with the BBB from the state he was in. They went after him and required him to fill out paperwork. He wasn't happy but I think it sort of got the ball rolling.

The BBB is more for newer companies. If you're getting word of mouth references by people. It's obviously going to do a lot more than just a BBB symbol at the bottom of your ad.

[Sugarphreak]

....

[eljefe]

The BBB is very much an obsolete impotent organization. Very minimal usefulness in the present, and less so as time goes on. It was once a well respected organization that was quite useful and was really the only research resource available to consumers. The BBB has about as much usefulness today as a record player- just something nostalgic but with limited usefulness.