BBB symbol means keeping higher standards

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This article was published 16/10/2017 (2978 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba businesses that display the Better Business Bureau (BBB) logo do so proudly — hanging it in windows, painting it on company vehicles, and printing it on their billboards.

Why?

Being a BBB-accredited business is no easy feat. It’s a commitment to operating ethically — but it’s more than that. The BBB’s code for accredited businesses goes far beyond the bare minimum.

It has guidelines surrounding transparency, communication, licensing, advertising, and integrity.
For example, a BBB-accredited business must clearly communicate to customers all policies, guarantees, and procedures that would impact their decisions to buy. That means disclosing all charges, taxes, or limitations in an understandable way.

Consumers who have ever been surprised by the “total” line on a bill understand just how important this type of transparency is.

Thirty-eight subsections of the BBB’s Code of Advertising outline all the ways in which accredited businesses must make honest claims, avoid deceiving and misleading customers, and avoid misrepresentation by omitting certain facts. The in-depth code even details the kind of data companies can use to make such claims as “energy saving,” or “safety enhanced.”

If disputes between the company and consumer arise, BBB-accredited businesses have an obligation to address these disagreements quickly, professionally, and in good faith.

If a complaint comes through the BBB’s customer complaint system, the BBB is committed, as a neutral third party, to working with businesses and consumers to facilitate voluntary conciliation.
Accredited businesses also must maintain at least a B-rating on the BBB’s rating scale, which creates its ratings on 13 elements, including responsiveness to customers.

While clear communication, honest advertising, and responsiveness represent the codes BBB-accredited businesses abide by, these qualities do not comprise the codes. There are many more rules that all work to turn good businesses into great ones  — companies consumers notice and feel good about going back to.

The BBB’s code of business practices raises the level of trust consumers can have in the marketplace, benefitting the wider community. Ethical business practices reduce the negative feelings of stress, frustration, and mistrust customers may have when they’re looking for services or products.

“The marketplace doesn’t have to be a scary place. When companies hold themselves to high ethical standards, like the ones set out by the BBB, the consumer and the company engage in a mutually beneficial relationship — a relationship marked by trust and understanding,” said Len Andrusiak, president and chief executive officer of the BBB serving Manitoba and Northwest Ontario.

For more information on the BBB, visit bbb.org/Manitoba.