How to improve your standing with the Better Business Bureau

According to the Better Business Bureau there are only two standings. You can either have a satisfactory rating or an unsatisfactory rating. These ratings apply to every company whether they are a member of the Better Business Bureau or not. If the Better Business Bureau has generated a report on your company then you will receive a rating.

In order to have a satisfactory rating there are the guidelines your company must meet:

Guideline one:
You must have been in business for at least one year. Exceptions can be made if the company is a new branch of a current member of the Better Business Bureau or it is a member in another Better Business Bureau area.

Guideline two:
Must fill out and sign the Better Business Bureau Business Profile and Application for Membership. This provides the Better Business Bureau with general information on your company so the Bureau can develop a factual report on your company.

Guideline three:
Can not have an unsatisfactory report from the Better Business Bureau that services the area where the parent or main company is located.

Guideline four:
You should have a good reputation in your community. This would cover such things as not getting into frivolous lawsuits with your neighbors, not following zoning laws; basically you want other community members to say you are an asset to your community.

Guideline five:
You must agree to address any and all complaints that are forwarded to you by the Better Business Bureau. This means that you will make a good faith effort to solve your customers' complaints in accordance to the Better Business Bureaus guidelines, which include acting in a professional manner.

Guideline six:
If there seems to be a pattern of complaints, for example ten customers say that you do not complete the services that they have paid for, and then you must cooperate with the Better Business Bureau to help get rid of the underlying cause of those complaints.

Guideline seven:
You must arbitrate disputes using the Better Business Bureau's Binding Arbitration service or an alternative process that meets the Better Business Bureaus criteria and policy.

Guideline eight:
Your company's advertising must following the guidelines established by the Better Business Bureaus advertising standards. If the Better Business Bureau challenges any of your advertising you must agree to change or stop the advertising.

Guideline nine:
Your company can not use the trademarked name or logo of the Better Business Bureau for advertising purposes not authorized specifically by the Better Business Bureau.

Once you have a satisfactory record with the Better Business Bureau you can only move downwards and that is if you have numerous customer complaints that you do not fix or you do not follow the Better Business Bureaus guidelines. If you have an unsatisfactory record you can improve that record by following the Better Business Bureaus guidelines and by addressing all of your complaints. The Better Business Bureau creates a report every thirty-six months. So if you had a bad report this year you can work on fixing your complaints so that you can increase your standing the following year.

If you are a member of the Better Business Bureau you must pay your dues on a yearly basis in order to maintain your satisfactory report. If you fail to pay your dues on time or you do not meet the minimum requirements set forth by the Better Business Bureau you will receive an unsatisfactory report and you will be terminated as a member which results in the loss of benefits you receive from being a member.