How do bbb complaints work

And just because a business is responding to you through the BBB doesn't necessarily mean that you'll get anywhere. Satisfactory membership in the BBB generally involves the paying of a membership fee and responding to consumer complaints in a timely manner. There are no stipulations that a business do anything to resolve a complaint or address the complaint a particular way.

Some consumers report that responses from companies through the BBB are often short and do nothing to address their issues. Of course, every situation is different. Some consumers have successfully arbitrated through the BBB and others have seen satisfactory complaint resolution. But these may be cases where the company was already willing to work with the consumer to make things right. While a consumer sits around hoping for a response from a company, a response that might never come, that consumer could have already contacted the North Carolina Attorney General's Office or begun legal proceedings.

These ratings are based on a variety of factors, with some components being weighed more than others. Each business is awarded or deducted points for its performance in 13 distinct areas, with a total possible score of The most heavily weighted factors include the number of unresolved complaints and unanswered complaints for the business, the type of business, failure to honor mediation or arbitration, and the presence of any government actions against the company.

The numerical score is, in turn, converted to a letter grade. BBB recommends that consumers consider a business's BBB rating in addition to all other available information about the business. While these ratings are intended to help users make better consumer choices, the BBB does not actually recommend specific businesses. Another important role of the Better Business Bureau is to act as a facilitator for disputes between consumers and a given business.

Alternatively, they can write to their local BBB chapter with the relevant details of the case. Accredited businesses must respond to complaints in a satisfactory manner in order to maintain their designation.

For nonaccredited entities, responding to complaints is voluntary. However, doing so helps improve their BBB rating, which can be a powerful incentive in its own right.

Once a consumer files a complaint, the business is expected to respond within 14 days. If the initial request does not prompt a response, the bureau sends a second notice to the company. The BBB informs consumers when the business responds to the complaint, or if it does not receive a response.

Depending on the circumstances, the BBB may recommend mediation or arbitration to resolve the dispute. Upon closing the complaint, the bureau marks it with one of five designations: Resolved, Answered, Unresolved, Unanswered, or Unpursuable in cases where the BBB cannot locate the business.

In theory, such membership fees should not affect the rating that it gives to a particular company. One prominent example was HCR Manorcare, a company that operates hundreds of long-term care facilities across the United States. The CNN report claimed that consumer lawsuits are not even a factor when grading companies.

For its part, the watchdog group acknowledges that nonmember businesses are not as closely scrutinized as those that pay for accreditation. These days, consumers have a wide range of options for researching companies, from Yelp to Google Reviews to Angie's List owned by IAC, Investopedia's corporate parent.

Can you remove your business from BBB? How do I remove bad reviews from BBB? Does the BBB have any authority? What happens if a business ignores a BBB complaint? Does the BBB investigate? What to do if a business rips you off? Can the BBB get me a refund? Can a company legally refuse a refund? Can a company refuse to refund you? Does contacting the BBB do anything?

How much does BBB cost? How long does a company have to resolve a complaint? How can the BBB help consumers? Mediators strive to help both parties reach an agreeable legally binding solution, whereas an arbitrator will make that decision similar to a judge in a court of law. While the BBB is not government sanctioned, nor has any state, federal or local government affiliation, it is a resource that consumers regularly use to make purchase and service provider decisions.

Because the BBB archives information about businesses, unanswered complaints are considered unflattering by consumers. Therefore, it is advisable that companies deal with complaints to keep their business records clear and so that it doesn't dissuade future potential customers.

Susan S. Davis is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the L. Press Club.