When I give a seminar, I always mention that I am a Member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB). My standard comment on the BBB is that "Yes, you pay to be a Member, but they stand for ethical business practices, and that's who I like to align myself with".
Everyone has heard of the BBB, but I thought I would dedicate this column to the history of their Organization and how they can help you when selling.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB), founded in 1912, is a corporation consisting of several private business franchises of local BBB organizations based in the United States and Canada, which work together through the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB). The BBB goal is to foster a fair and effective marketplace, so that buyers and sellers can trust each other ("Start With Trust"). Many BBB services can be accessed online through their website.
BBBs gather and report information on business reliability, alert the public to frauds against consumers and businesses, provide information on ethical business practices, and act as mutually trusted intermediaries between consumers and businesses to resolve disputes. News media frequently turn to the CBBB and local BBBs as expert sources of news about scams and consumer issues.
BBB core services include:
- Business Reliability Reports
- Fraud Prevention
- Complaints and Dispute Resolution
- Truth-in-Advertising
- Consumer and Business Education
- Wise Giving Charity Reports
- Charity Accountability and Effectiveness Education
Statistically, in 2009, they handled:
62,165,457 Inquiries about businesses
948,305 Complaints about businesses
700,194 Settlements between businesses and consumers
248,111 Complaints unable to settle
They are also a great source of information for Consumers. This link http://minnesota.bbb.org/Consumer-Programs-Services/ brings you to their Programs and Services. As an example, they can help you with Auto Warranty issues.
In their Resource Library, http://minnesota.bbb.org/Consumer-Resources/ you can find books to purchase on "How To Buy A Home" as well as other topics.
Since I work with people who are often looking for places to donate items, I recommend using this BBB link, http://minnesota.bbb.org/Charity-Resources/ . It's a great place to find a reputable Charity.
There's a lot more to this Organization that you can read about on http://minnesota.bbb.org/ . When your selling and having to move quickly to get things done around your home, the BBB can be a great resource for your needs.
