Helping you behind the scenes for 90 years

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/01/2020 (2269 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We expect a certain standard of living in many areas of our lives.

We know that the food we eat is likely not going to poison us, thanks to many standards set out by Health Canada and food regulators. We know the cars we drive are unlikely to malfunction and harm us, due to Transport Canada rules and safety checks. In many aspects of the world we live in, there are behind-the-scenes actors like these, working to serve our best interests.

In the marketplace, one of those key actors is the Better Business Bureau serving Manitoba and northwest Ontario (BBB). And it has been for 90 years. The non-profit corporation has been working feverishly to protect consumers and companies, promoting ethics and honesty as people do business with each other.

The BBB accomplishes this in many ways. One is by acting as a failsafe. If you fall victim to an illegitimate deal or shady business practice, and feel like you’re getting nowhere with your concerns to the company, you can call on the BBB to help resolve the dispute. The BBB will investigate your complaint, consider the facts, and assist in reconciliation. It can also take action against companies who fail to comply with certain standards.

The BBB doubles as a watchdog. It monitors companies’ advertising and business practices to ensure they’re operating ethically. By doing this, the BBB helps consumers avoid getting misled or scammed while providing well-run businesses validation for meeting those ethical standards. Consumers know they can trust companies with the BBB seal, because they must abide by ethical rules in order to obtain and maintain that seal of approval.

The BBB is a counsellor. It gives consumers advice before they make a purchase by posting reliable reviews and ratings for companies. It also teaches businesses about advertising standards to help them operate ethically. It also investigates and posts information about scams in your area, to help you recognize them before falling victim to them.

The BBB is also your personal detective. It launches investigations into business operations in certain sectors to ensure consumers aren’t being taken advantage of, and it works to help honestly run businesses in the same sector maintain reputability despite fraudulent competitors.

The BBB does all this work and more with the goal of building a trustworthy marketplace and a better society. For more information on the BBB and its services, visit bbb.org/Manitoba.