Better Business Bureau

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jeff43222

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Location
Minneapolis, Minnesota
I just got a call from the Better Business Bureau. Seems they want to invite me to join. The call started out OK, but then the guy got a little presumptive and wanted to know if I wanted to pay with a check or credit card. Seems that membership costs several hundred dollars per year, and they can't guarantee that they can hold the invitation open for me.

As a result, I'm leaning against joining. Anyone else have any experience pro/con with being a member?
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

Forget about joining. I got the same phone call and all they do after you join (thats right, I joined and totally wasted my money - they did not do much for me), is hound you for more money. Then the phone calls come to ask you for friends phone numbers who may also be interested.
Tell them in a firm way NOOOOOOO!!! ;)
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

I remember the first call I received from the BBB. It went something like this:

"Hello Mr. Holland, this is John G. with the BBB. We feel you have a great local business and an oustanding reputation. We would hate to see that go away, if you know what I mean. Just send us a check worth 40% of your monthly take and we will make sure you are the only contractor in town that gets work. How can you lose? Of course you don't have to participate, but it would be a real shame if we, ah.. I mean, other people started spreading bad things about your company. So what do you say?"

By the way, this is the same guy who tried to sell me "extra" insurance. Here's a picture I took of him.

gotti2.jpg
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

IF... your motivation to join the BBB is to possibly win more work, save your money.

IF... your motivation to join the BBB is to "keep up appearances" AND the $350 bucks is just a minor expense for your business, go for it but don't expect any benefit.

By the way, most BBB chapters now charge extra if you want to use their logo on your advertisements and website. GRRRRR.
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

I got the same call and didn't join. Also get a letter occasionaly about being in Who's Who. I think anybody with cash can get in!
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

Good to know my gut feelings are dead right.

I certainly don't need to spend any more money to drum up business. I have plenty to keep me busy (I've been turning down jobs lately).

As for keeping up appearances, just for fun I checked the main yellow pages where I live/work. There are 6.5 pages of ads & listings for electrical contractors, and a grand total of ONE had a BBB logo. Coincidentally, it was a contractor that a customer once told me they used previously and didn't like.

Another thing that struck me was that the salesguy told me that they get about 800 calls per year in the state inquiring about ECs and that ECs are in the top 20 in terms of inquiries. I happen to know that there are about 3000 ECs in the state, so I'd say the odds are pretty good that in any given year, no one will call the BBB asking about me.

I can think of plenty of other uses for my several hundred dollars.
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

That must be their standard line- :D :D
I also passed. What's hilarious is when, on the very rare occasion, I get an irate customer who threatens to call the BBB. "Ok, call them if you feel you must. But I must tell you, I am not a member." That usually gets them to talk about their problem which we can then resolve.
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

The first time I had a sincerely bad experience with a business, and decided I would call the Bringa Bucket Bureau, I was amazed at what a silly scam it was.

They are powerless against those who don't join, and aren't much more forceful with those that do. :D
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

speaking as a consumer, I consider membership in the BBB to be worthless to me. it might be worth something to a business large enough to absorb the cost in the hopes that it might fool a few people into thinking the business was somehow "better".

your best advertising is satisfied customers. most people long ago figured out that the worst contractors are usually members of lots of organizations. its part of the way they do business and says absolutely nothing about the way they operate their business.

i would pass.
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

So it's unanimous then. I don't often see a lot of unanimity on this board, so that gives all of your opinions that much more weight.

I get a fair chunk of my business from (presumably) satisfied customers, and business has been pretty good. I can't imagine how being in the BBB would make things any better.
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

Jeff, are you in MA? I got a call today. Maybe they are going through the phonebook. I will not be joining and based on the horrific telephone presentation I won't be returning the call.
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

Nope -- I'm in MN, where we like winter and the other month. I was in MA, once. Seemed like a nice place.

Yeah, the whole spiel the guy gave me really turned me off, but when he went with the Presumptive Close technique ("Will you be paying with a check or a credit card?") and the Urgent Action technique ("I can't guarantee this invitation will be available for long."), I knew I was dealing with a yutz.

Somehow my lack of BBB membership hasn't kept me from having more than enough work.

--------------------
Jeff, Minnesota...I am a contractor, and so is Scott. :D

[ September 14, 2005, 08:32 PM: Message edited by: jeff43222 ]
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

The only, and i mean only benefit from joining the BBB is public perception. I joined for that reason only. I probably won't rejoin.
Shelco
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

I filed a complaint one time when I was taken for a few thousand at an auto body shop. The entire BBB process was a complete joke. They notified him of the complaint and he filled out a form telling his side of the story. That was it. :D
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

My CallerID says they have called a couple of times in the last few days, but they didn't leave a message. They must be desperate if they think they are going to get any money out of me.
 
Re: Better Business Bureau

I got my call this week too. I see no benefit because I only deal with a select segment of purchasers. Besides, it is way too many dollars for benefit. I'm also begining to think D&B are just like BBB. I swear they are the same person that calls.
 
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