Better Business Bureau

[Ciaci]

Hi...anyone a member of the BBB? Do you feel that membership and its benefits are worth the investment? Basic membership for NH is $250...to include online membership, add $150.

I use the BBB quite often when researching a company.

Any thoughts?

 

[Paper Roses]

Hey Hound, how's it going? t046 Roll over girl, so I can scratch your tummy....

J/K

I was a member of BBB last year. Interesting how it seems to be cheaper there than here, to renew it was going to cost me $444, possibly they set up that price for easy typing. I don't recall having the option of internet/no internet.

From what I remember, the gist of what they offer is free mediation to members if there is a claim. If someone is checking your business with the BBB, they'd get about the same response..."no claims, in good standing." If you were a member of BBB: "no claims, member is in good standing."

I decided to spend the money on other stuff, try to build the business. Durn shame that I was still a member when the phone book proof went to print, and the BBB logo is still on my ad. I was undecided at that point. Can't change it now.

I can't say that it helped at all. I can say that the Chamber of Commerce has helped. BNI has helped, Toastmasters has helped. ABMP is a neccessary evil. For insurance, they are not totally evil!

Lemmee know what you decide.

 

[Ryskag]

Hey Hound, how's it going? t046 Roll over girl, so I can scratch your tummy....

Tis going fabulwoof! How's this?...instead of me rolling over, lol!

Lemmee know what you decide.

Sure will...thanks for the info.

 

[Shaggy]

Now that's a cute pup, I don't care who you are, that's cute right there!

 

[Pompal 09.]

Only two people have voted, and I'm one of them...now that's just SAD! :

 

[dafiglebob]

Okay, I voted other.

I had no idea you join the BBB. I have never called the BBB. And I don't even really know how to get in touch with the BBB.

I do not live in a town that big. If someone has any questions about me they will not have to contact the BBB, they will just have to ask the nearest person, "What's the scoop" and really, it seems everyone knows the scoop on all the professionals in town.

(I don't have that interesting of a scoop)

 

[fatsausage]

I've never really used the BBB for anything before. I do find it interesting to learn people do.

 

[Pavlovs Dogma]

I've never really used the BBB for anything before. I do find it interesting to learn people do.

I did notice that when I was a member that there were several "checks" done...supposedly on my business. And when they try to get a business to renew, they will say: "there were 28 requests for information on your business alone." Well, by my going there looking around accounted for several of them.

Kind of misleading.

 

[NeareWawecott]

Thanks you guys...the poll was lonely. Thanks, too, for the honest feedback...tis very much appreciated.

I had no idea you join the BBB.

Yes, well, apparantly you get to join by invitation only (that's their story, and their stickin' to it!). Companies that I've researched in the past (like a Title company for example) are still listed but many are not members. :?

(I don't have that interesting of a scoop)

t005

 

[MzConception]

Yeah, well...that invitation only thing is kind of BS too. I met some people from the BBB at a small business resource fair (remember that, Denise?) and talked to them a while, and the next week they called to invite me. I might have expressed interest in joining.

They were kinda pushy to get the money right away, how was I to know it really was BBB, anyway? jeez.

 

[Faith]

BBB is not in australia!!!
Tim

 

[Ryan I]

For those interested in more info, here's a couple links to the Better Business Bureau:
http://www.bbb.org
http://www.bbbnh.org (New Hampshire)

My BBB story: In my example above, regarding a Title company I had done business with, there had been a complaint already filed...now there is mine added to it. My attempt at keeping prospective customers aware of this Title company's sub-standard and unprofessional business dealings. It was beyond my power to research this company prior, and this is a well established local company (I'll leave it at that).

Since I have used the BBB many times to research companies - to see if there have been any unresolved complaints about their business practices - I recently contacted them online to inquire about membership and asked that they send me more info. In the info packet I received, they mention the following: that the BBB is a non-profit organization that receives no government funding, that the NH BBB receives 400 calls per day and thousands of web hits per week (most are inquiries), their ability to do what they do is based soley on membership dues, and companies interested in joining are requested to fill out an application, as well as a background info check form before membership is granted.

What I already knew: that the purpose of the BBB is to follow-up on and attempt to resolve complaints that consumers have with companies - sort of like mediation, I guess. The BBB recommends that you deal with the company directly yourself prior to bringing them into the picture. Consumers can file complaints about a company that is/is not a member. Complaints filed against a company may not be true either, so the BBB investigates this as well. The intention of all of this is to hold businesses to a higher standard of practice.

The main issue now is how this relates to our profession and my human/animal practice in general. Excellence in client care and satisfaction is my priority. The BBB affiliation shows consumers that because a company is a BBB member, they should feel a certain level of confidence in doing business with that company. *BUT...from the responses to my poll, as well as the honest feedback, I'm really undecided now about joining.

P.S. Thanks again for the feedback, more thougts are welcome!

 

[Pompal 09.]

Lemmee know what you decide.

Well...think I'm gonna hold off on joining for right now. This just isn't the priority that I thought it to be. And, there are so many other business-related areas vying for my finances. :|

 

[justme123]

The BBB is mostly a waste of time.

The biggest benefit is in being able to display their certificate that you are a member. It makes people "feel" safe.

The fact that they call themselves a "Bureau" is misleading. Many people think it's some sort of official governmental entity, but it's just a corporation.

 

[Sikorsky S76]

Better Business Bureau

I just got a call to become accredited with the BBB in MA. they want 575$!! for the year. and after explaining all the benefits (which includes a 1 page 'website') she wanted to know right away which credit card I would be using! funny. anyway, I said I'd have to think about it and call back in a couple of days. Then I came here and found this thread.

any updates? has anyone "joined" the BBB? I personally have never used them. I always think of the BBB as a way to threaten a company you have a disagreement with, (LOL - "I'll report you to the BBB!") not a place to look for a massage therapist.

 

[eric b.]

Better Business Bureau

Ellie, I haven't ever even considered joining the BBB. We are already up to our eyeballs in "membership fees" with two Chambers of Commerce and our Netweavers group, plus our ABMP and other business insurance. I do not think it would be a good means of advertising. We are discussing getting prepaid legal for our business soon (we have some issues with our landlord we'd REALLY like some help with before it comes time to renew our lease). I can't see anything the BBB could possibly do for us, personally, that can't be accomplished by one or more of our other "membership" situations.

Does anyone else get a little creeped out by the idea of paying for someone to help you maintain a good reputation? I dunno.... I expect to pay the Chamber of Commerce (the ones we have here are fabulous and well worth the money), but it kinds seems like I'm paying for someone to out in a good word for me, as far as what I understand the BBB to do, KWIM? I mean, if someone was really NOT a good business to do business with, they certainly wouldn't pay the BBB to tell folks that, now, would they? OTOH, there are thousands and probably hundreds of thousands of very solid, well-run businesses that do not pay the BBB to "tell the world" how good they are.

 

[Serghey]

Better Business Bureau

I don't know many people that consult the BBB before choosing to do business with a company. That said, some people do check with them, so there may be a measure of value in BBB membership with those potential clients. However, (to my knowledge) BBB does not proactively market their members, so until a person contacts them with an inquiry, your membership fees are dead money.

We have also received several invitation phone calls, and I believe the requested fees were somewhat over $400. There are probably some regional price variations, but I don't really know if that alone accounts for the disparity in fees reported in this thread. We rejected the membership invitation based on the fact that it would require us to do at least 7 massages that were booked as a result of our BBB membership - just to break even. This seemed completely unlikely, so it made no sense for us to invest that kind of money in a BBB membership.

 

[BOOM shaka Lakaa]

Better Business Bureau

I just had a wanna be client threaten to report me to the BBB for enforcing my no show policy. I am not a member, so I don't even know what good it would do

 

[Twilight Brigade]

Better Business Bureau

I thought about joining the BBB for our online business, but really it was too expensive and I saw no value in it. As for MTs and for what we do, I don't think it is necessary.

Now a mover, contractor etc. I think you'd get more value out of a membership. People are more likely to research the BBB for those kind of services. I know I do, but the BBB is the last place I'd look to find info on a therapist or doctor for that matter.

Just my :2cents:

 

[bbkb]

Better Business Bureau

I thought about joining the BBB for our online business, but really it was too expensive and I saw no value in it. As for MTs and for what we do, I don't think it is necessary.

Now a mover, contractor etc. I think you'd get more value out of a membership. People are more likely to research the BBB for those kind of services. I know I do, but the BBB is the last place I'd look to find info on a therapist or doctor for that matter.

Just my :2cents:

I agree and this is the main reason I ended up not joining.

We had a problem many moons ago with a Title company. When I researched them via BBB, they had a number of unresolved complaints against them. I researched AFTER we had the problem. Honestly, I haven't researched anybody else since then.

It's a useful tool to register and track a complaint. Is there another company where consumers can report complaints against a company with questionable business practices?

JLWmassage - I don't think a company needs to be a member to have complaints registered against them.