Business Bureau
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Better Business Bureau is not affiliated with any governmental agency. Businesses that affiliate with BBB and adhere to its standards do so through industry self-regulation. To avoid bias, BBB's policy is to refrain from recommending or endorsing any specific business, product or service.[4]
The BBB rating system uses an A+ through F letter-grade scale. The grades represent BBB's degree of confidence that the business is operating in good faith and will resolve customer concerns filed with the BBB. BBB's ratings are explained on its Ratings Overview page. BBB employees evaluate a business's behavior when assigning a rating.[citation needed]
According to BBB, nearly 400,000 local businesses in North America were accredited as of July 2022.[5] BBB prospects successfully vetted businesses to become dues-paying 'accredited businesses' that pledge and continue to adhere to the BBB Code of Business Practices.[6] In return, BBB allows accredited businesses in good standing to use its trademarked logo in marketing materials.
In 1909, Samuel Candler Dobbs became president of the Associated Advertising Clubs of America, now the American Advertising Federation (AAF), and began to make speeches on the subject. In 1911, he was involved in the adoption of the "Ten Commandments of Advertising," one of the first codes of advertising developed by groups of advertising firms and individual businesses. Similar organizations in succeeding decades, such as the National Better Business Commission, Inc. of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World (1921), and the National Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. (1933), merged to become the Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., in 1946. In 1970, the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) was established by a merger of the Association of Better Business Bureaus and the National Better Business Bureau.[citation needed] The Council of BBBs included the Philanthropic Advisory Service (PAS), which advised donors about national charities. PAS later merged with the National Charities Information Bureau to form the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.
Each BBB is overseen by its own board of directors and chief executive officer. Each must meet international BBB standards, which are monitored by the IABBB. The IABBB is governed by leaders of local BBBs, as well as several independent subject matter experts such as academics and legal experts. BBBs are chiefly funded by local accredited businesses, which also make up BBB boards of directors. A study by a business school dean at Marquette University found that ninety percent of BBB board members are from business.[9]
If BBB receives a consumer dispute, BBB contacts the business in question and offers to mediate the dispute. A business does not need to be a member of BBB to use its mediation services. BBB accreditation, or membership, is completely optional for a business to accept and participate in through the payment of dues. Past complaints allege that BBB compiles ratings based upon their ability to collect money from businesses, and not entirely upon business performance.[13] However, since 2010, no relationship exists between a business's rating and its accreditation status.
Until 2008, BBB rated companies "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory." On January 1, 2009, BBB moved to a new system based on a school-style A+ to F rating system.[14] The 16 factors have been posted on each business profile since the program's inception[15] and the details on the points awarded as well.[15] Initially there was a 17th factor worth 4 points for businesses that were Accredited. That process was changed in November 2010 in response to criticism in the media and from the Connecticut attorney general who accused BBB of using "pay to play" tactics.[13] The Attorney General of Connecticut demanded that BBB stop using its weighted letter grade system, calling it "potentially harmful and misleading" to consumers.[16] In response, the Council of Better Business Bureaus changed the BBB ratings system to cease awarding points to businesses for being BBB members, and to institute closer monitoring of BBB sales practices.[17]
If a business chooses not to provide basic information, such as size and start date, BBB may assign a not-rated (NR) rating.[15][18] An "NR" rating due solely to a company not providing information would state: "BBB does not have sufficient background information on this business."[citation needed]
A business is eligible for BBB accreditation if it meets, in the opinion of BBB, "BBB Standards for Trust".[2] There are eight BBB Standards for Trust that BBB expects its accredited businesses to adhere to: build trust ("maintain a positive track record in the marketplace"), advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor promises, be responsive (address marketplace disputes), safeguard privacy (protect consumer data) and embody integrity.[19]
According to the statement, integration marks the way "for an improved customer experience for those who purchase goods and services across the border". Stephen A. Cox, President and CEO of CBBB, said: "The U.S. and Canada remain each other's largest trading partners. We are really one North American marketplace, and the BBB system now reflects that. Not only will it be easier for consumers to check out businesses in either country, it will be simpler for them to file a complaint or resolve a dispute." The move was supported by the Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus (CCBBB). "Given the advances in technology and the globalization of services, it no longer makes sense to maintain two separate systems," said M. Jean Lemyre, chair of the CCBBB. "The vast majority of consumers initially contact BBB through the Internet. Aligning BBB services into one integrated system will be more efficient for businesses in Canada, and will ensure that consumers continue to receive the high quality of services they've come to expect from BBB."[31][32][33][34]
Overall employment in business and financial occupations is projected to grow 7 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations; this increase is expected to result in about 715,100 new jobs over the decade. In addition to new jobs from growth, opportunities arise from the need to replace workers who leave their occupations permanently. About 980,200 openings each year, on average, are projected to come from growth and replacement needs.
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Just because a company has a record of BBB complaints, this doesn't necessarily mean it's bogus. It can be a red flag, however, that might prevent someone else from jumping in and getting scammed or having a bad experience. The key is to determine the nature of the complaint and the business' response.
To check the reputation of a business, visit bbb.org or contact the BBB by phone. All you'll need is the name of the business and the city, state or zip code where it is located. For a list of the various regional BBB headquarters serving the state of Georgia, click here.
1. A Better Business Bureau, an important if not the primary object of which is to promote not only an ethical, but also a profitable, business community, held not exempt from social security taxes as a corporation "organized and operated exclusively for scientific or educational purposes" within the meaning of 811(b)(8) of the Social Security Act. P. 326 U. S. 282.
The BBB was created in 1912 to help people looking for trustworthy businesses. Its formation was caused by a legal action against Coca Cola and other large companies about truth in advertising. Many smaller truth-in-business organizations were created in initial response to that long-ago lawsuit, but they all merged in 1946 to become what is now the BBB.
First and foremost, the BBB handles complaints from consumers about their experiences in the business marketplace. The organization researches the complaints and publishes their findings, as well as substantiated consumer reviews of businesses both positive and negative.
For more than 100 years, the BBB has worked to build trust between businesses and communities, Price explained. Over the last century the independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization has identified key items that businesses can work on to build customer trust. 041b061a72