Business

How to Check a Company on BBB: A Quick Guide

People today want to know they can trust companies. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) helps with this. It lets you look up over 5.4 million businesses in the U.S. and Canada for free. You can find BBB ratings, see reviews, and read complaints1. This guide will show you how to use BBB to check if a business is reliable.

Key Takeaways

  • BBB hosts 5.4 million business profiles, ensuring extensive coverage1.
  • BBB ratings are calculated based on 13 factors, ranging from A+ to F1.
  • Most charity financial statements accurately report expenses2.
  • BBB offers free consumer complaints and reviews services1.
  • BBB has been operational since 1912, offering over a century of experience3.

Understanding the Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) started in 1912. It’s a nonprofit that strives to build trust in the marketplace. It keeps records for over 5.3 million companies and checks ads to make sure they’re honest3.

From the start, BBB has worked to protect consumers and make businesses more reliable. It offers free, trustworthy info about businesses in the U.S. and Canada on BBB.org. Nearly 400,000 businesses have become BBB Accredited, which means they follow BBB’s trust standards4.

Every year, BBB solves disputes about services or products. It also warns people about scams without talking about private lawsuits against companies3. BBB gives tips and advice to help both consumers and businesses make smart choices.

The BBB has been a symbol of integrity for more than 100 years. It helps millions of people find trustworthy businesses and charities. By valuing transparency and accountability, the BBB keeps the marketplace safe and trusted3.

Why Check a Company on BBB?

It’s key to check a company on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) before buying. This helps you learn about the company’s record, customer issues, and its status. Since 1912, the BBB has helped people decide where to spend their money5

The BBB rates companies from “A+” to “F” looking at many things. Factors like unresolved complaints and legal actions matter5. Checking these ratings on the BBB can guide your money to trustworthy companies. A high BBB rating shows a business is reliable and clear in its operations. Also, when a company earns BBB Accreditation, like Amazon and Etsy, it promises to meet high standards of trust and customer happiness6.

Reading customer reviews on the BBB website offers insights into how businesses run. It shows how companies handle complaints. This safeguards consumers, making sure companies are fair and respond well to issues. The BBB lists over five million companies, providing plenty of data for research5.

Using the BBB helps you make smart buying choices. From the BBB’s trust seal to detailed company profiles, all info aids in a secure and pleasing shopping journey.

Steps to Search for a Company on BBB

Finding info about businesses on the BBB is easy. Just follow a few simple steps. This way, you’ll get reliable information.

Navigating to the BBB Website

First, get on the BBB’s official website. The main tool to find a business is the search feature on the homepage. Are you searching for a particular business or browsing? Start here.

Using the Search Bar

On the BBB website, there’s a “Find a Business” search bar. It helps you find companies by name, category, or place. To learn about a company’s BBB ratings or see if it’s accredited, just type in the name. You can also use keywords, phone numbers, or email addresses in the search.

Plus, you can search by location to refine your results. This helps you find top-rated businesses nearby.

The search results show BBB ratings, from A+ to F. Factors like complaint history and business practices are considered7. BBB complaints are usually sorted out in about 30 days8. Using the BBB search, you can discover not just specific businesses, but broader categories too. This broadens your view of the marketplace.

Interpreting BBB Ratings

Figuring out the BBB’s rating system gives crucial insights about businesses. It grades from A+ to F, based on how well a company might interact with its customers.

What Do BBB Ratings Mean?

BBB grades show if a company is reliable and behaves well. Since 2008, they’ve moved from a simple good or bad scale. It offers a detailed view9. They weigh factors like customer complaints and how businesses deal with them9. For instance, if a company, like ooma, doesn’t solve problems, it gets a low F rating10.

Factors Influencing BBB Ratings

BBB scores depend on complaints, how businesses respond, and their overall behavior. Addressing complaints fast can boost a rating10. Like MagicJack went from F to A in a month by handling complaints well, showing effort matters10.

Almost 400,000 businesses in North America are BBB accredited, showing the rating’s importance9. Being transparent, fixing complaints, and honest ads help keep ratings high9. For consumers and companies alike, knowing how these ratings work can help make better choices.

How to Check a Company on BBB

To start checking a company on BBB, visit BBB.org’s search page. Type the company’s name and its location into the search bar. You’ll then see its profile with important info like BBB ratings, customer feedback, and complaints.

Look to see if the company is accredited by BBB next to its rating. This accreditation shows a business meets BBB’s Trust Standards and paid a fee. The ratings go from A+ to F and look at things like complaint history and fairness3.

It’s also crucial to check out customer reviews on the profile. These genuine reviews can tell you how well the company operates. They help you make a wise choice.

You might notice details about how the company handles complaints too. BBB aims to fix complaints in about 30 days. Resolved issues show the company cares about pleasing customers7. Check if complaints are common and solved well to understand the company’s reputation better6.

Using BBB.org helps you fully understand a company’s role in the marketplace. It alerts you to possible problems. This helps make the marketplace safer and more trustworthy.

Using Customer Reviews on BBB

BBB customer experiences are very useful when looking into a company. These reviews come from real experiences, giving a true view of a company’s trustworthiness. BBB reviews must be at least 10 words long to be useful11. This helps ensure that the feedback is both meaningful and helpful11.

The Better Business Bureau uses a special system to weed out fake reviews. This keeps the feedback honest and reliable11.

Reading Customer Reviews

Reviews on BBB are seen as more trustworthy than other places. This is because BBB checks if reviews are from real transactions. Reviewers must provide a phone number and email11.

BBB also makes sure to remove any off-topic information or personal attacks. This careful approach makes BBB a trusted place for company feedback11.

Writing Your Own Reviews

If you want to leave a review on BBB, remember they have strict rules for authenticity. Fake reviews can lead to a company not being rated or losing its accreditation11. Offering rewards for reviews is also not allowed11.

By following these rules, you help maintain a fair and reliable review system. This allows everyone to make choices based on truthful feedback from BBB11.

What to Do if You Find a Complaint

If you find a complaint on the BBB website, check the details. This lets you see what problems have been reported and how they were handled. Knowing this can help you decide about the business.

Reviewing Complaint Details

The BBB gets almost one million complaints each year12. These complaints are available on their website for three years12. They show what problems happen often in the marketplace12. You can also look at social media and licensing bureaus for more feedback12. When looking at complaints, notice if the same issues come up often. One bad review doesn’t mean the whole company is bad. But it’s important to see how they handle complaints12.

Filing a Complaint with BBB

If you’re unhappy with a company, the BBB complaint process is simple. First, try to solve the problem with the company. If that doesn’t work, you can complain to the BBB online or by letter8. The BBB will send your complaint to the company within two days8. Companies should reply within 14 days8. Usually, complaints close in 30 days. If a company doesn’t answer, it could hurt their BBB rating8. The BBBA aims to settle disputes fairly, keeping the marketplace trustworthy.

Checking for BBB Accreditation

It’s important to verify if a business is BBB Accredited. This shows they’re trusted. The BBB Seal on a business’s website proves they follow strict rules for good business behavior. To get this seal, companies must quickly fix any complaints through BBB, usually within 30 days7. Also, businesses pay a fee for BBB accreditation, and the cost depends on how big the company is3.

To find out if a business is BBB Accredited, just do these easy steps:

  1. Visit the BBB website and search for the company. BBB has info on over 5.3 million companies3.
  2. Check for the BBB Seal of Accreditation on their profile. This means they meet BBB’s tough standards, by fixing complaints, being clear in their practices, and keeping their promises7.
  3. Look at the company’s BBB rating, which goes from A+ to F based on many things, like the kind of business and how long they’ve been around13. Older solved complaints affect the rating less than new ones13.

Know that a company with the BBB Seal and a good rating is committed to honest and reliable business practices.

Utilizing Additional BBB Resources

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers more than just business ratings and reviews. These tools promote fairness in the marketplace. They also empower customers. Two key resources are the BBB Scam Tracker and BBB AdTruth.

BBB Scam Tracker

The BBB Scam Tracker is especially crucial. It lets you report scams and see scam reports in your location. This tool helps keep shoppers safe by sharing information. It links with law enforcement to protect us, offering a vital service for over 100 years3.

BBB AdTruth

BBB AdTruth focuses on misleading ads. Found a deceptive ad? Report it here. This keeps advertising honest in the marketplace. It lets customers help maintain business integrity. BBB AdTruth enhances trustworthiness in advertising3. It’s part of BBB’s mission to ensure a honest market since 191214.

BBB also has Business Profiles for over 5.3 million companies. This makes it a huge resource for checking company credibility3. Knowing and using these BBB tools helps you make smarter decisions when shopping.

Benefits of Using BBB for Business Verification

Using the BBB for business verification has many advantages. It helps both buyers and sellers.

Build Trust in Your Sharing Moments

Trust matters a lot when people decide what to buy. In 2020, 82% felt trust was key in their shopping choices15. The BBB is known for checking if businesses are fair and honest. This makes your company stand out16.

Companies with BBB’s approval are more trusted by customers. This leads to loyal customers who come back more often.

Get Trustworthy Info

The BBB gives useful facts to help you shop smarter. In 2022, its website got 6.7 million visits a month15. It’s a go-to place for many consumers.

The BBB also teaches about staying safe from scams. They offer tools like the Scam Tracker17. Plus, they have webinars and news updates to keep you in the know.

Common Misconceptions About BBB

Many people believe myths about the BBB and don’t fully grasp what it does. It’s often thought that the BBB only covers Accredited Businesses. But, they report on both accredited and non-accredited businesses. This gives a complete view of the market.

Some think BBB’s ratings are just about customer opinions. But these ratings look at overall marketplace conduct and how businesses run. To score high, a company must solve problems and follow ethical guidelines. For example, a business has to apply and be approved by BBB staff and the Board of Directors for accreditation18.

There’s more to the BBB than some realize, especially about solving complaints. Any customer can complain about any business, whether it’s accredited or not. What’s more, accredited businesses have to fix issues with their customers18. It has been reported that starting a complaint with the BBB is quick, taking less than 10 minutes. Often, these problems are fixed in a flash, sometimes within a week19.

Another misunderstanding is that BBB accreditation means the business passes a full criminal background check. But the BBB uses public info, statements, and references, not deep criminal checks18. This leads to confusion over the trustworthiness of BBB-approved businesses.

Last, the success of the BBB can depend on where you are. Still, reports show some problems are solved faster through the BBB than regular customer service. This shows the power and effectiveness of the BBB19.

Conclusion

Checking a business with the BBB is key to smart decision-making. For over a century, the Better Business Bureau has been a reliable friend for shoppers. It helps them see if companies are honest and uphold strong morals20. You can look at grades, ratings, and what customers say on BBB profiles20. This gives you a fuller picture of what a business is like20.

BBB doesn’t just scratch the surface. It uses feedback from actual customers and thorough evaluations20. While being BBB accredited shows a company’s promise to be fair, it doesn’t prevent bad reviews or low scores20. Checking a business with the BBB boosts your confidence in who you deal with. It shows how BBB helps you make careful choices21.

BBB offers tools like solving complaints and tracking scams, giving you more peace of mind21. Whether it’s solving problems or checking a company’s ethics, BBB is a strong helper. Using BBB’s advice helps you make better choices in your dealings. This way, you carry BBB’s trusted advice into every deal you make3.

Source Links

  1. Is Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accreditation Worth It? – https://www.servicetitan.com/blog/bbb-accreditation
  2. BBB Standards for Charity Accountability – https://give.org/charity-landing-page/bbb-standards-for-charity-accountability
  3. Frequently Asked Questions – https://www.bbb.org/all/faq
  4. About BBB – https://www.bbb.org/all/about-bbb
  5. Better Business Bureau: An Overview and How Its Ratings Work – https://www.investopedia.com/what-is-the-better-business-bureau-5024818
  6. BBB Tip: 6 things to look for when buying online – https://www.bbb.org/all/online-shopping/6-things-to-look-for-when-buying-online
  7. 4 Ways to Check a Business at the Better Business Bureau – wikiHow – https://www.wikihow.com/Check-a-Business-at-the-Better-Business-Bureau
  8. How BBB Complaints Are Handled | Better Business Bureau® – https://www.bbb.org/process-of-complaints-and-reviews/complaints
  9. Better Business Bureau – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Business_Bureau
  10. ooma on BBB — should it be a concern? -Ooma Forums – https://forums.ooma.com/viewtopic.php?t=1437
  11. Reviewing the Details of BBB Customer Reviews – https://www.bbb.org/new-mexico-southwest-colorado/bbb/article/read/reviewing-the-details-of-bbb-customer-reviews/73
  12. How to See If a Business Has Complaints – https://smallbusiness.chron.com/see-business-complaints-14129.html
  13. Overview of BBB Ratings | Better Business Bureau® – https://www.bbb.org/overview-of-bbb-ratings
  14. How to Add or Claim Your Better Business Bureau Listing – BrightLocal – https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/how-to-add-or-claim-your-better-business-bureau-listing/
  15. Why BBB Accreditation matters to your business – https://www.bbb.org/all/newbiz/why
  16. Celebrating Our Accreditation with the Better Business Bureau – https://www.mystackbox.com/celebrating-our-accreditation-with-the-better-business-bureau
  17. PDF – https://www.bbb.org/content/dam/1126-phoenix-(southwest)/abservices/benefitssheets/AB_BenefitsSheet.pdf
  18. Interview: What Is the BBB and How Does It Work? – Stauffer & Sons Construction – https://staufferandsons.com/interview-what-is-the-bbb-and-how-does-it-work/
  19. Use of the Better Business Bureau – https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=369072
  20. How to Optimize Your BBB Business Profile – Go Fish Digital – https://gofishdigital.com/blog/how-to-optimize-your-bbb-business-profile/
  21. What Happens to a Business When There’s a Complaint With the BBB? – https://smallbusiness.chron.com/happens-business-theres-complaint-bbb-26071.html

Leave a Comment