The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a nonprofit group that was established in 1912 with the goal of assisting customers in deciding which companies and organizations to trust with their hard-earned money. The Better Business Bureau, or BBB, is a nonprofit organization that rates companies, charities, and non-profits using its Accredited Businesses system.
The BBB uses the Council of the Better Business Bureaus’ dispute resolution procedures to store data on businesses. Local BBBs oversee policies intended to allow customers to register complaints about accredited and unaccredited companies.
The BBB may have shown up while you were researching for services or business ratings. And if you’ve ever had dubious business practices, you may have thought, “I’m reporting you to the Better Business Bureau!” Read on to find out more about the BBB if you’re a company owner or consumer and want to know how powerful they are.
What is BBB?
The BBB’s status as a government body is the biggest myth we’ve come across. The Better Business Bureau is a nonprofit organization; it has no judicial or enforcement authority. It is NOT a government body.
The BBB wants to encourage openness between companies and customers. The BBB provides tools and information to customers so they may choose a company to work for or buy goods or services from with confidence. Additionally, it acts as a mediator in conflicts between companies and customers.
What Functions the Better Business Bureau?
The BBB serves as a consumer watchdog and assists in exposing unethical company practices so that customers are aware before making a purchase. The Better Business Bureau allows users to register complaints about companies and nonprofits, unlike review-based platforms. The BBB contacts the company to try to settle a dispute when a client registers a complaint. They have a range of resources at their disposal, such as skilled mediators, to assist in reaching a compromise.
Finding a satisfying solution to the issue might keep the situation out of court, which can be highly advantageous for both businesses and consumers. Additionally, it’s an opportunity for the company to explain what happened to a third party and improve its rating. The website also provides the following for users or clients:
A fraud watchdog. Do you frequently receive offers that appear unreasonably generous? To determine whether what you’re experiencing is a recognized fraud, check the BBB’s fraud Tracker. If you’ve been a victim of fraud, you may also report it to prevent others from falling victim to it.
Advice on navigating customer service. The novelty of screaming “representative!” into a phone bot quickly wears off. The BBB offers tips so you may receive the assistance you want without having to raise your blood pressure.
a list of approved companies. Before choosing the business or charity you wish to deal with, you may perform a search on the BBB website for recognized companies. Also possible are quotations.
The Better Business Bureau may be beneficial to your company. In order to resolve a dispute with a consumer, company owners can contact the BBB for assistance. Involving a third party, such as the BBB, frequently makes it possible for the parties to a disagreement or dispute to reach a resolution more quickly and amicably than if they had tried to do it on their own.
6 Arguments in Favor of Making a BBB Complaint
We go over a few justifications for complaining to the Better Business Bureau below. Knowing that it is a simple and free process is a major motivator for most individuals.
Totally free
You are not charged by the BBB to submit a complaint. Instead of receiving money from consumer complaints, they receive it from businesses paying membership dues to become BBB-accredited.
It’s Simple
Making a complaint to the BBB is a comparatively simple process. The online form will probably take you 20 minutes to complete and submit. Find out here how to lodge a BBB complaint.
Reviews and Complaints Accountability for Business
Businesses are aware that consumers have trust when purchasing products thanks to the Better Business Bureau. Most companies will attempt to address any complaints or negative evaluations they get since maintaining a positive reputation on the BBB website is crucial for company success.
A BBB Accredited company may also have its accreditation removed and the complaint added to its BBB profile if it decides not to respond to a BBB complaint. The complaint will only be added to the company’s BBB profile if it is not accredited by the BBB.
High Complaint Resolution Rate at the BBB
According to a BBB investigation conducted in 2020, 81% or 942,031 of the 1,166,991 complaints were resolved. Even while they don’t always succeed, there is still a very high chance that they can. The BBB complaint procedure may not always be effective for you, but submitting a complaint there won’t prevent you from subsequently suing a corporation in small claims court.
Pretty Good Time for Resolving Complaints
Within two business days, the Better Business Bureau will transmit your complaint to the company. The company will have 14 days to reply, and complaints are normally resolved 30 days after filing. Since the procedure is quick and companies usually reply to BBB complaints within the first 14 days, you won’t have wasted much time if the disagreement isn’t settled in your favor.
By filing a complaint, you gain nothing and lose nothing.
You can’t count on your disagreement being handled just because you’ve filed a complaint with the BBB. However, other than a little period of time lost, there is no danger associated with submitting a complaint to the BBB.
Filing is a simple, accessible, and cost-free alternative to submitting a small claims case or a consumer complaint to a regulatory body. The BBB reserves the right to hold a company accountable even if it doesn’t make amends so that justice can be done.
Not All Types of Complaints Are Handled by the BBB
The Better Business Bureau does not accept all cases, therefore some people aren’t able to submit a complaint with them. Typically, the BBB won’t take the following sorts of complaints:
- Disputes involving a certain person.
- Conflicts between employers and employees, such as disagreements around underpaid or delayed salaries.
- Discrimination-related disagreements.
- Disputes that have been brought before the court.
- Disagreements with the government.
You might potentially be wasting your time and effort by submitting a complaint because there is no assurance that your claim will be satisfied. However, submitting just takes a few minutes, and complaints are often resolved in a matter of 30 business days. The time and effort you put in are little considering that filing is a free service and how effective it is.
How to settle a BBB grievance
- Utilize Better Business Bureau’s Complaint Hub to access complaints about your business.
- Create a response for your customer in which you recognize their issues, present the facts as you see them, and detail what you can and cannot do to address them.
- Utilize the BBB’s online form to submit your reaction.
- BBB and the client will examine and approve your response or consider an appeal.
- If the appeal is successful, you must write a follow-up explaining any unanswered questions from the consumer and send it back to the BBB for approval.
Even while getting a BBB complaint might be intimidating, it can provide your company a chance to develop. When you address a customer’s complaint as quickly and effectively as you can, you demonstrate to consumers that you value their opinions and are committed to creating a service that is really customer-driven. The opinions of customers may also serve as direct lessons for product enhancement and a starting point for fresh audience research.
How to Begin the BBB Application Process for Accreditation
You can submit an application online or by contacting your neighborhood BBB office. Visit the BBB website and input your area to locate it. Afterward, go to the local office’s website and adhere to the application guidelines. You may need to submit your application by phone, email, or online form. You will have to give details about your company, like its name, address, and number of workers.
Get a BBB evaluation: To assess if your company is reliable, local BBB office will thoroughly examine your public records and other sources. Being recognized by the BBB demonstrates that your business abides by its Eight Standards for Trust. To be eligible for certification, your business must:
- Own a successful track record.
- advertise truthfully.
- Be sincere.
- Be open-minded.
- Keep your word.
- Respond to grievances and concerns by resolving disagreements in the marketplace.
- Ensure the privacy of your consumers.
- Manifest integrity.
You will be questioned by a local BBB representative over the phone or in person as part of the evaluation process.
Pay the accreditation fees: After your application is accepted, you must pay the accreditation fees. The BBB’s operational costs are covered by the yearly fee of certification. High Better Business Bureau ratings are not a guarantee. The BBB was originally criticized for being “pay for play,” but it has since revised its procedures and grading system to ensure impartiality and stop customers from being misled. The cost differs across regional BBB chapters. The sum is determined in part by the number of employees at your company.
FAQ
How Can I Check the Better Business Bureau Rating of a Company?
They make it simple; just visit their website and enter the business name. You may view the BBB rating and a list of any complaints made against the business, both settled and unresolved. Additionally, there are reviews displayed, but these don’t correspond to the rating the BBB provides the company.
The BBB: Is It Worth It to File a Complaint?
Absolutely. The Better Business Bureau makes every effort to find a win-win solution for you and the company, as opposed to submitting a negative review and praying the company reads it. This implies that you might be able to obtain compensation without going through a small claims court.
How Do Businesses Address BBB Complaints?
If a business is recognized by the BBB, it must adhere to its rules in order to remain on the list. The BBB can only assign them a bad rating if they are not accredited. Working with or responding to the Better Business Bureau is not mandatory of businesses.
How can I become a Better Business Bureau member?
Online registration with the BBB is really simple. To submit an application to be accredited or listed, go to their website and click the link for business resources.
