Is Better Business Bureau worth it?

[rsisson]

I get calls several times a year from my local Better Business Burea saying that someone had inquired about me, and that I really should join and become listed.

I have never used the BBB myself, and they few times I wanted to use it, the people I wanted to check up on wern't listed.

So my question to this forum, is "Is the BBB worth the $400/year membership?" Is it one of those "Required" memberships that you just do because you have to ?

Thanks

[Darren]

Bob,

I was told this several years ago and never investigated any further.

If your inspection agreement includes arbitration, this may not work for you. Around here, arbitration is free when you belong to the BBB. Now, if someone has a small claim against you and you point out the arbitration clause, they may feel the $500 it cost to file a claim is not worth it.

Now, you belong to the BBB, your client knows this and may force you to file a hearing (at no cost to your client).

Maybe someone else (who belongs to the BBB) can shed more light on this.

Darren

[dlee]

Originally posted by rsisson

I get calls several times a year from my local Better Business Burea saying that someone had inquired about me, and that I really should join and become listed.

I have never used the BBB myself, and they few times I wanted to use it, the people I wanted to check up on wern't listed.

So my question to this forum, is "Is the BBB worth the $400/year membership?" Is it one of those "Required" memberships that you just do because you have to ?

Thanks

No. I get the same calls, and as far as I know that "Someone called us and asked about you" is simply a marketing line. I pushed the caller on that issue once, and his waffling told me that was just spin. I've resisted, and don't see any point to it.

-David Lee

[swarga]

I joined the BBB two years ago. I get about 4 inspections a year from them. (worth the fee) I have had a few people tell me that they used me because I was a member of the BBB. (They saw the logo)

There are networking opportunities available with the BBB.

Note: The BBB will not allow you to use the logo until you have been in business for more that a year or two. (I don't remember which)

I do have arbitration in my contract but it is not through the BBB. AZ ASHI is in the process of training a group of Home Inspectors as arbitrators so that we can use someone that is knowledgeable about the standards and home inspection. I will cost more than the BBB but allot less than the American Arbitration Assoc.

[Brian G]

The only dealings I've had with them was when a seller tried to file a complaint against me. She said I made false statements, blah, blah, blah, and cost her the sale of her house. She added that since my report was now part of the disclosure, I was stigmatizing the house with other prospective buyers. She wanted my license withdrawn. [:-gnasher]

They told her they didn't really handle that type of thing, but contacted me with a copy anyway. All they asked was for me to send them a copy of whatever answer I sent her.

I wrote back and politely offered to come back at no charge with my photo file of 38 pictures and review the report item by item for inaccuracy. [:-mischievous]

Never heard another word from either one. [^]

Brian G.

Taking Plenty of Digital Pictures [:-bonc01]

[Norm]

BBB here in S. Florida is kind of like the ACLU. Those folks are commonly referred to as the American Criminal Liberties Union. If a client calls the BBB and inquires as to your firm they are told "there have been "X" complaints all of which have been resolved. They don't tell the person who inquires in whose favor the complaints have been resolved. The average consumer reads through the "been resolved" language and assumes the "X" complaints were your fault. Eighteen years in this business and I won't have any part of those folk. I do get calls from the BBB =/- ten times a year soliciting my participation. I will forego the 2-4 inspections I may loose as a result of not being a member.

NORM SAGE

[allspec33351]

Originally posted by Norm

BBB here in S. Florida is kind of like the ACLU. Those folks are commonly referred to as the American Criminal Liberties Union.complaints were your fault. NORM SAGE

Norm

Those ACLU criminals are now supporting Rush Limbaugh. [:-dev3]Next thing you know they will support Bush! [:-cowboy] You gotta love this thing called freedom.[:-jump]

Captain out[:-banghead]

[WILLIE]

I always heard them refered to as "Anti-Christian Liberties Union".

[Brian G]

My favorite is "American Crackpot Lawyers Union"...I think it's really close to the mark. [:-yuck]

Brian G.

Americans Seeking Sanity Hearing Outlawing Legal Eagles

President & Founder [:-king]

[hausdok]

Hi Folks,

Just an admin note: I just realized that this post was in the Marketing Tips column below the main board, instead of on the main board, so I've moved it to Marketing Techniques on the main board. The Marketing Tips area below is the stuff that shows up on the main page and is where I feature articles about marketing a business from specialists in that area.

This is a good discussion. I used to be a member of the BBB but only remember one person every saying they'd checked me out. After several years of getting those little plaques from them that said there'd been no complaints against me, I asked myself, "What's the point?" and dropped it. It was more that that though. I'm 52 years old and have never called the BBB to check on a business or initiate a complaint. Frankly, I rely more on the folks I know or a business's past references to know whether they do a good job or not. And, if that business should turn out to be less than what I expected, I let that same sphere of influence know all about my experience.

In an era when insurance companies can suck $4,000 a year out of your pocket, regardless of claims history, I personally think there are better places to spend one's business dollars.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Richard Moore]

Mike...

I have to agree. I get the calls at least twice a year...still for my old business. The "Someone called us and asked about you" or statements like that seem like total tele-marketing BS. I think the intent and purpose of the BBB was once pure and worthwhile, but now I keep expecting them to tell me I've won a prize and I can collect it only if I give them my credit card numbers.

[DLRambo]

Last year I found out by accident that someone had filed a BBB complaint against us - I found this out about 6 months after the complaint was filed. The BBB apparently sent the complaint to an address we had not been at for over 3 years -why I have no idea. We had apparently been showing up for quite a while in the BBB files as UNSATISFACTORY, because of 1 unanswered complaint never received.

When I found out about it I called the BBB and got a copy of the complaint. About 4 months after I had done an inspection, a single woman (school teacher) had apparently called my office and complained that 3 months after she moved in, the bath exhaust fan in the guest bath quit working and she felt we should have been able to detect that SIGNIFICANT TYPE of CONCERN. Since I had not been able to predict that breakdown she graciously offered to let us refund her home inspection fee.

The office manager said thank you but no thank you. I never even heard about it - the gals in the office apparently thought she was nutsy. So she filed a BBB complaint.

Lord, I love our work - you meet so many interesting people.

Dan Bowers (Kansas City)