When you start your small business you can choose whether or not you would like to apply with the Better Business Bureau for their accreditation. It is not forced upon any business to join. However, many people are wary of a company that is not endorsed by them.Many people may be wondering what the difference is between being accredited by the BBB and being members. The only difference is the name change. This was done on October 1, 2007. Getting accredited by the Better Business Bureau means that you will follow the guidelines that they have set forth in order to be a customer committed business. You must have been in operation for at least 12 months before you can apply to be accredited and you must have completed all licenses that are needed by your business.
The keystone of their accreditation is trust. Whether it is trust that you build with your customers or trust that you build from other actions. The code that they set forth has eight basic guidelines that all businesses that wish to receive accreditation must follow.
- The first is to build trust within the community for the business. If your rating on the BBB is below a B average your accreditation will be cancelled. Requests from the BBB to see how your business is operating must be surrendered when asked for as well to maintain enrollment.
- The second is the business must advertise honestly. They are not allowed to mislead the customer by advertising prices or services that they are unable to provide.
- The third is to tell the truth about their offerings. The business must be prepared to show material about their services in clear, accurate, and complete writing.
- The fourth is to be transparent in all of their dealings with the public.
They cannot present one face to the public but in actuality behave in a way contrary to that. - The fifth is to honor all promises that are made on behalf of the company. This includes to correct mistakes that have been made against the customer.
- The sixth is to be responsive to the marketplace in which they are selling their goods. If a complaint is made against the business, they must put forth an honest effort to correct it. If an agreement is reached between the two parties, they must honor the agreement.
- The seventh is the business’ responsibility to safeguard all information that is given to them by their client. The business must respect their client’s wishes in regards to what information they want shared and how.
- The eighth is that they must maintain the integrity of their business. They should not engage in any activity that will adversely affect the public image of their company or of the BBB.
This accreditation is centered around helping people establish and maintain trust in businesses that are offering their goods and services. People are more likely to use a business that is accredited because they know that the business is going to treat them in a certain manner.
In order for you to maintain accreditation in the BBB, these standards are to constantly be met. A membership due is also required of all businesses that are wanting to be accredited.
If you are accredited by the BBB and have a domain name for your business, you are able to connect directly to the BBB Online. People will then be able to see that you are indeed a reputable business. If you have an online business, this is the best way to attract people to your trustworthiness. The graphic that you put on your page will link back to your business’s profile with them so that people are able to see what has been said about your products or services.
If someone believes that they were treated unfairly by someone who is accredited by the BBB they are allowed to file a complaint with their local BBB or the CBBB (Council of Better Business Bureaus). The BBB states that they are neutral parties in the disagreement and that they are only working towards creating an ethical environment between businesses and consumers. They cannot force a business to change because of a complaint that was lodged against them.
The filing of a complaint does go on the record of the business however so that others are able to see the complaint that was lodged. There is also mediation and arbitration that they are willing to do so that an agreement can be reached. Their main focus in creating this accreditation between businesses is that the customer will be able to avoid hazardous situations and will be able to regain trust in businesses .
So while it is not forced upon you to join the BBB it is in the spirit of providing the most reassurance for your customer that you join. A business that is accredited will no doubt be more attractive to a potential client than one that is not.
