Any benefits in being part of the BBB

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Haynie

Member
Joined
May 20, 2011
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3,515
Location
Page Arizona
I have run our business for the past 5 years and never considered being part of the Better Business Bureau. After the sales man contacted me yesterday I was surprised by the cost and wondered if it was worth it.

By the way, this guy was insanely pushy, got offended when I told him I had to deal with a customer on two different occasions, and could not figure out why I would not just hand over the credit card number. When I told him I had to think about it, and do some research into the benefits of being part of the BBB he sounded offended.

Needless to say the salesman left me with a negative feeling toward the BBB. Has anyone, who is part of the BBB, seen any benefit from paying their dues? Has anyone looked for a business through the BBB or dealt with them as the customer of a member business? What are your overall thoughts towards the BBB?
 
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At one time it was worth it. Now it is just about get money from a business. They always now use a hard sales to get there orders. I think if you were in the service industry it might be beneficial to be a part of there network. But now with facebook, linkedin I think more people are going there now.
 
Haynie,
I had a very similar experience with the BBB. The first contact was via phone. The gentleman was incredibly pushy, and completely non commital when I inquired as to the costs. He said he had to "look at my building". I told him not to bother, but then the next day he showed up in person. After conversion with him I asked him to leave. They have showed up many times over the years since. I am often times not in the show room when people come in. They announce themselves to an employee by asking for me and inferring that there is some sort of complaint about the business. Then when I show up they say something to the effect that he didn't mean to infer there was a complaint while acting like it is funny. I have never joined nor do I intend to.

In reality the organization is really a political organization. The monies they collect are to mostly fund their payroll, but also to fund lobbyists in Washington DC. There are many organizations like the BBB, (independant Federation of Businessmen, even the Chamber of Commerce) but none carry the reputation to be able to help the public against irreputable businessman. This of course is a misnomer too, the only way they have of enforcing anything is to list you as having complaints on their site.

Do lobbyist organizations help the small businessman, I would say some what, but it is difficult to quantify how much. Without pushing this to a "Political" discussion, is your 600.00 going to help the future of small business or would it be better served to buy tools...personally I like tools!
 
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The Chamber of Commerce does very good for the community. They do not push you for dues but once you belong their are a lot of benefits. Again this is a community organization. As far as the National Organization I would agree with Mike being political organization.
 
AS I asked the "sales lady".....Who may join? Anyone. Well, I know of three business that belong and I wouldn't do any business with them. Personally, I don't want to be associated with people I can't do business with or don't trust.

The ANYONE answer, left me with a bad taste and I decided to not join.
 
Seems to be an antiquated organization more worried now about money. Still thinking, but thanks for the info so far.
 
Haynie said:
I have run our business for the past 5 years and never considered being part of the Better Business Bureau. After the sales man contacted me yesterday I was surprised by the cost and wondered if it was worth it.

By the way, this guy was insanely pushy, got offended when I told him I had to deal with a customer on two different occasions, and could not figure out why I would not just hand over the credit card number. When I told him I had to think about it, and do some research into the benefits of being part of the BBB he sounded offended.

Needless to say the salesman left me with a negative feeling toward the BBB. Has anyone, who is part of the BBB, seen any benefit from paying their dues? Has anyone looked for a business through the BBB or dealt with them as the customer of a member business? What are your overall thoughts towards the BBB?
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I have often contacted BBB to see if complaints have been registered against a business that I am contemplating doing business with. Particularily local contractors and automobile dealers. I have avoided doing business with those who have several complaints that they don't seem to resolve.
 
The BBB's in the area's where I've been accept complaints against businesses in their area, not just against their members. A complaint against a member they will try to help resolve..a complaint against non-members is just recorded. If you look for info on a business they will give it to you showing how many complaints and what they were for.
 
I was a member of the BBB for several years.

Then I decided it was pretty much worthless to me and getting more expensive each year so I dropped my membership.

Didn't notice any difference before, during, or after my membership.

Other businesses may be different, this was just my experience. Nothing to complain about or criticize, just no value in it for my business.
 
I've noticed that several "business organizations", such as BBB and D&B, etc are beginning to push for membership with ads to the effect that if you don't have one of their memberships, other businesses won't want to do business with you.... I run a small hobby business... no store front, just a work shop and a tented booth at craft shows... I see no benefit to the expense for me or my little business.
 
After doing some research I really don't see much purpose and need the 400+ for other things I know will help the business.

I have read a few "comments" on other sites about the BBB ranking their businesses poorly after they decided not to join. We are not in their system now so I wonder if we will magically show up with a ranking.
 
Haynie said:
After doing some research I really don't see much purpose and need the 400+ for other things I know will help the business.

I have read a few "comments" on other sites about the BBB ranking their businesses poorly after they decided not to join. We are not in their system now so I wonder if we will magically show up with a ranking.
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BBB might have a ranking for your business whether or not you are a member.
They have criteria for ranking businesses (A thru F with A the best) and it used to include points for being a member but they changed that when the CT attorney general objected and it is no longer part of their criteria.

D & B is a rating you want if you are a corporation or partnership rather than an individual, particularily if you're looking to establish lines of credit or other deferred payment methods for handling inventory.

If you pay for your inventory at the time of purchase like most of the vendors here do, D & B is nothing because no one we're dealing with checks your rating.
 
TellicoTurning said:
I've noticed that several "business organizations", such as BBB and D&B, etc are beginning to push for membership with ads to the effect that if you don't have one of their memberships, other businesses won't want to do business with you.... I run a small hobby business... no store front, just a work shop and a tented booth at craft shows... I see no benefit to the expense for me or my little business.
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There is none for businesses like ours. D & B is for folks who do a lot of business to business buying/selling. BBB has little if any direct benefit to members. The benefit is to consumers, but without members they can't provide the service.
 
Looking at the BBB from a consumer point of view, I don't like them one bit. I had trouble with a gym and contacted the BBB and told them the problem I was having. They sent me a several page form to fill out, which I did, and returned It to them. They sent me a reply saying that I had a claim but they couldn't do anything for me so I had to take them to a small claims court. I talked to a friend that owned his own buss. about the problem and he said that the businesses supported the BBB so the BBB didn't want to hurt their relationship. I called another agency and the problem was taken care of very fast. Thats my opion on the BBB from the otherside of the fence. By the way the problem with the gym had nothing to do with the shape I'm in Ha Ha.
 
Kenny Durrant said:
Looking at the BBB from a consumer point of view, I don't like them one bit. I had trouble with a gym and contacted the BBB and told them the problem I was having. They sent me a several page form to fill out, which I did, and returned It to them. They sent me a reply saying that I had a claim but they couldn't do anything for me so I had to take them to a small claims court. I talked to a friend that owned his own buss. about the problem and he said that the businesses supported the BBB so the BBB didn't want to hurt their relationship. I called another agency and the problem was taken care of very fast. Thats my opion on the BBB from the otherside of the fence. By the way the problem with the gym had nothing to do with the shape I'm in Ha Ha.
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hey...round is a shape!
 
BBB did nothing but accept our money. It was a reflection on them the first time. It will be a bad reflection on me if I ever join again. HWH
 
Kenny Durrant said:
Looking at the BBB from a consumer point of view, I don't like them one bit. I had trouble with a gym and contacted the BBB and told them the problem I was having. They sent me a several page form to fill out, which I did, and returned It to them. They sent me a reply saying that I had a claim but they couldn't do anything for me so I had to take them to a small claims court. I talked to a friend that owned his own buss. about the problem and he said that the businesses supported the BBB so the BBB didn't want to hurt their relationship. I called another agency and the problem was taken care of very fast. Thats my opion on the BBB from the otherside of the fence. By the way the problem with the gym had nothing to do with the shape I'm in Ha Ha.
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BBB has no authority to "do" anything - if they approach a business with a complaint they offer arbitration assistance if the business refuses all they can do is list that a complaint was made and publish your side of the story. If the other agency you went to was a government agency i.e. the state attorney general's office or the licensing authority in your city/county, they would have athority to do something. Even your credit card company can do something if you enter a charge back.
 
Having been in business for many years, I was never involved with the BBB for our shop. But as Smitty stated, I could call them an get a report on someone doing business in our area, to see if they had any bad reports against them, and what the were. Now you have to take that report with a grain of salt also. Believe it or not, there are people out there that you will never be able to please, or they just want some kind of discount on their bill. There are others that may be in the same business and want to have their friends or reletives file a complaint against you so you look bad. If you want to check out a contractor for a job, ask your friends who they used, and if they were happy with the results. Chech with the BBB to see if any complaints were filed against him or her. Ask for references and call the people he or she refers you to. Back to the original question, I would put my money into tools or supplies for my shop. At least I know it is working for me !!
 
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