As consumers we are always pushed to know who we're dealing with when looking for a service to be provided. We ask friends for referrals, look around for consumer reports, and have been taught to look to the Better Business Bureau for answers, but there is something about the BBB that member companies don't want you to know.
The BBB is a paid membership organization, but you don't have to pay to get listed, just to cover your tracks. If a consumer files a complaint against your business with the BBB it is opened for investigation. The company then has an opportunity to work through the BBB to resolve the issue. All complaints and resolutions are listed with the BBB. It's like a little investigation.
This is great right? Someone looking out for the consumer to make sure they get the service they deserve for their hard earned dollars. I have noticed in browsing through some companies that I know do business poorly, and there is not a single complaint. Does this mean I'm wrong and they are on the up and up? Have they mended their poor business practices and been on the straight and narrow? What about other companies that have complaints and resolutions, are they sub par in their practices?
I dug around to try and find the answers, and it may or may not come as a surprise, money talks when it comes to complaints. Non-paying companies complaints and resolutions get listed for the public to see. They are tied to the company name and show both the err of the company and the steps they took to make it right by the consumer, but paid members have no complaints right?
Wrong! As a paid member of the BBB a company will go through the same steps to resolve an issue, but once it is resolved the complaint and resolution just disappear. I found that a little disturbing. If someone were to research a company, they would look spotless because they paid dues, but a company that knows they may have made a mistake, took the steps to resolve it, and did not pay to have it go away looks less appealing to the public eye.
Maybe we should all write to the BBB to not have any deletions. Just because a company pays dues does not mean their 10 complaints a week should be hidden.
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1 comment:
I found your blog rather interesting and useful. If you have some experience in writing complaints, this does not mean you can write a Business Complaint. In this case it is important to be quite short, firm and clear. No emotions and rude expression of dissatisfaction. All these and other tips on writing a business complaint I find on the Internet. Recently, I have got to www.pissedconsumer.com. A very great source of information on this topic.
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