Introduction
The Better Business Bureau, or the BBB, is a name that most of us are familiar with, especially when determining the solvency of a certain business. But what is the Better Business Bureau and why is this topic so important? In this article, you will get to learn more about the Better Business Bureau organization, focusing on its background, goals, functioning, and advantages for sellers and buyers.
Who or what is the Better Business Bureau?
The Better Business Bureau is an accredited non-profit entity that aims at promoting trust in the marketplace. It acts as a link between consumers and businesses, offering information, consumer ratings and business ratings, and a dispute resolution service. It is worth mentioning that the Better Business Bureau’s mission is to assist buyers and sellers by promoting ethical marketplace activities.
History of the Better Business Bureau
Pexel Credit : Mikael Blomkvist
The Better Business Bureau, which was established in 1912, was a result of the dissatisfaction that members of the public had with advertising gimmicks. When it was initially established, its main objective was to ensure that there was sensible advertising, and over time, it has adapted to guiding people on many of the issues that prevail in the market today. Today, the Better Business Bureau is present in North America only and serves more than 100 separate local Better Business Bureau branches.
Better Business Bureau’s Mission and Vision
The core of the Better Business Bureau is a mission which is to facilitate consumers’ trust in the marketplace. The Better Business Bureau wants to establish a community of businesses that are trustworthy, establish guidelines for the marketplace, promote and provide support for proven practices, and recognize the Marketplace Trust Leaders. What they fancy is a world where selling and buying are done with confidence.
How the Better Business Bureau Works
The Better Business Bureau operates based on the model where it offers accreditation to those companies/organizations which have complied with its trust standards. It also gathers and distributes business feedbacks, accepts customers’ feedbacks and complaints, and brings solutions for it. The Better Business Bureau employs a rating mechanism through which it awards businesses depending on the reliability and the performance.
Better Business Bureau Accreditation
Better Business Bureau accreditation is one of the most valuable and sought-after affiliations that prove that the business successfully passed the Better Business Bureau’s requirements for trustworthiness and compliance with ethical norms. Such businesses accept to follow such standards and equally deal with consumer complaints appropriately, independently, and in a fair manner.
Benefits of Better Business Bureau Accreditation
Hence, it is apparent that accreditation with the Better Business Bureau has a lot of advantages. Actually, it contributes to brand visibility and hence improves the image of the business, and it makes consumers trust products more than before. Customers can make more inquiries and possibly make purchases. The accredited businesses receive permission to place the Better Business Bureau seal with the corresponding logo, which is considered a sign of credibility.
Better Business Bureau accreditation is among the most important certifications that a business can have, and hence, acquiring this accreditation is among the best things that you can do for your company.
How to Get Better Business Bureau Accredited
To get into Better Business Bureau accreditation, there are various processes that need to be taken. First, a business submits an application with the Better Business Bureau and has to commit to following the organization’s code of ethics. The Better Business Bureau then assesses the business on advertising and selling strategies besides assessing the manner in which they handle clients. In case the business complies with the requirements, it is accredited and can use the Better Business Bureau emblem.
Better Business Bureau Ratings Explained
Better Business Bureau ratings take into consideration the number of complaints lodged against a business, the sector of the business, the number of years that the business has been operating, and whether the business has had some form of transparency in their business. The ratings are grouped from A+ down to F, with A+ being the highest of all the ratings given.
Customer Reviews and Complaints
The Better Business Bureau enables the consumer to provide the reports on the firms and businesses they deal with, which may include both positive comments on the firms’ performance and service delivery and complaints against the firms and businesses. Policies involve authenticity of all the reviews, while the complaint is escalated to the business. According to the Better Business Bureau, firms are to accept all complaints and provide suitable quick reactions to enhance the possibility of a mutual solution.
Disputing Using the Better Business Bureau
Some of the major services that may be provided by the Better Business Bureau include dispute resolution. The Better Business Bureau also provides the functions of a mediator by encouraging the consumer and businessman to find the common solution to the problem. The outcome of this procedure is the name to satisfaction of the parties without legal repercussions.
Better Business Bureau’s Task In The Protection Of The Consumers
Sherlock correctly affirms that the Better Business Bureau is very essential in giving customers protection by offering them relevant information concerning the various businesses and by fighting for good business standards. It assists the consumers when they are making purchases and they are shielded from cons and fraudulent organizations.
Future Issues Importance of Trust in Business, Better Business Bureau
In any successful business relationship, there is always trust, and the Better Business Bureau plays a very crucial role in creating and sustaining that trust. The Better Business Bureau makes sure that companies behave creditably and, therefore, contributes to making the market trustworthy to consumers.
Case Studies: Success Stories
Many business owners have testified to the fact that Better Business Bureau accreditation proved to be quite useful for their companies. For instance, a small pipe fixing company realized that it got many phone calls and sales from customers who had the accreditation of the Better Business Bureau. A nearby bakery benefited from positive comments and customers’ issues, which were addressed, enhancing a business’s reputation and getting more returning customers.
Common Misconceptions
However, there are some misconceptions relating to the Better Business Bureau. Below are the misconceptions that are usually held by those who have little knowledge of the Better Business Bureau. To many consumers out there, they tend to associate the Better Business Bureau with a government organization while, in the real sense, it is not. Some people believe that companies pay for good ratings while others know that the Better Business Bureau’s ratings are various and are not affected by fees.
Criticisms of the Better Business Bureau
Like in every other organization, the Better Business Bureau is not free from controversy. However, some critics point to the impartiality of the Better Business Bureau rating services and the companies’ doubts in the organization’s activity. Still, the Better Business Bureau strives for improvement and regularly tries to eliminate these problems to enhance efficiency.
OBTAINING CONSUMER BENEFIT HOW TO USE Better Business Bureau AS A CONSUMER
It was learned that consumers could get the list of accredited business firms in the Better Business Bureau, read details on firms and even report any concern. The official website of the Better Business Bureau provides the organization’s business ratings, accreditation details, and more information about the complaints registered. Consumers can also try and resolve the issue with the businesses by seeking the services of the Better Business Bureau’s dispute resolution mechanism.
Conclusion
It goes without a doubt that the Better Business Bureau is essential in various aspects to both the business entities and the clientele. Marketplace trust, business practice enhancement, and consumer protection against fraud as well as unethical practices are advantages of adhering to GAAP. Regardless of whether you are an organization that wants to build up its image or an individual who wants to get accurate information, there is the Better Business Bureau out there.
FAQs
What is the Better Business Bureau?
The Better Business Bureau is an individual not-for-profit that undertakes activities such as offering accreditation, evaluation, and committing business disputes.
The following is the procedure an enterprise has to undertake to get accredited by the Better Business Bureau?
To become a Better Business Bureau accredited business, the business needs to file for accreditation and also commit to the Better Business Bureau code of ethics before the business goes through a business review assessment.
What is in it for Better Business Bureau to accredit your business?
The Better Business Bureau credibility definitely boosts the company’s image, trustworthiness of the business and may translate to more queries and business.
The following is a list of questions regarding the Better Business Bureau; How does the Better Business Bureau address customer complaints?
Some of the roles of the Better Business Bureau are to transfer the received complaints to the business for reply and to press on speedy and equitable resolution to most of the complaints by providing the services of a dispute resolution system.
Whether the Better Business Bureau is an agency of the government?
No, the Better Business Bureau is not a government agency it is a private non-profit organization.
