I was cold called by the local BBB today. Supposedly someone was inquiring about our company but they could just be making that up to drum up business.
The membership if $405 for the first year, $365 after that per year for <11 employees.
Is membership worth it? For current members, how often do you find out that a potential client had checked you out beforehand?
Is there a better way to qualify our company for $400 a year?
Jon Blakemore
The end of this program will likely lead to higher energy bills and fewer business opportunities for the American people.
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Replies
"For current members, how often do you find out that a potential client had checked you out beforehand?"
as a customer I find the BBB nearly useless. They will tell me if there are any open complaints. not if there have been complaints or how they were resolved.
it is only a small part in determining if you want to do business with someone.
it maybe more of a good feel type thing for customers as I think a business is suppose to sign up to a code of ethics.
IIRC the BBB will give you a list of members in a business type. but been a while
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter
Bob,In reflecting about how I have used the BBB in the past I realize that I never have. The only time I think about them is when a complaint may be in order, never to qualify a business.
Jon Blakemore
HI Jon,
I too received the same call. I did in fact go ahead and join. Funny thing happened, I started getting free leads for the BBB via email. Something they never mentioned to me as part of being a member. I have sold a few of those and paid for the membership cost at least twice over. So is it a good deal? Not sure but it hasn't hurt!
Just my .02
Mike
We ask each of our stores to join. It's helpful for networking and leads, too. I'm thinking of one office in particular that's had three jobs come from BBB leads. We've had folks tell us that dealing with complaints when you are a member vs. a non-member is a whole different ball of wax, too.
Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. ~ Rumi
I think it's worthwhile if you're catering to a clientele who makes their business decisions based on the stickers on the entrance door. Beyond that, not much.
I became perpetually jaded with the BBB when, like you, I was cold called, on my cell phone, while working, and given that phony sales pitch (someones been asking about you - - baloney). You can't say you're an organization of professionals and endorse cold call telemarketing, much less the outright lie.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
my blood pressure rose when I read this
same thing happened to me as RW but he verbalizes his feelings betterthen again the email links look like they work
I don't do business w/ liars
Well said. My answer to cold callers has always been, "I won't do business with a company that uses telemarketing." As for the poor inside sales SOBs who call to "...see if you need anything today," I tell them their sales manager is a moron and they should seek another job.I once tried to make a complaint to the BBB about an unscrupulous local business. They said they don't take any action on complaints. Bottom line, it's another shakedown.
Interesting. We just plunked down $675 for a membership, primarily for online sales. Wondering what kind of effect it will have. Their website says.."73% of purchasers and 82% of non-purchasers cite reliability of business as a major concern when shopping online." I suppose that means the logo helps? Apparently 22,000 other online companies are members.
I file an complained against a company through the BBB about twenty years ago. Because the company was a member, they did nothing, in fact the company started harassing me over it. I found out later that the BBB protect its paying customers and the public is basically screwed. Without the paying customer its kills the hand that feeds them. I have no use for the BBB.
Glad to see you start this thread, Jon... I haven't received the "call", but I have wondered about the benefits of membership. Seems like it might benefit some business types more than others. And that is kinda creepy about the phony "inquiry about your company".
I get a call about once a year. Usually they leave a message. Somehow the script sounds foreboding. Ominus. First couple times I called back right away, all worried I had done something or not done something. And turns out that it is a sales call. Sleazy is my word for it
i joined in feb of this year.
price of membership: $300.00
number of leads received: 1
cost of pissing me off: priceless
Did they advertise that they would give you leads?The salesman that I talked to never said anything about them being a source of work.
Jon Blakemore
no. they said there would be a link to email me if someone wanted to get an estimate from me. but come on one stupid lead (which i never heard back from by the way) in three months!
Wow...as a homeowner, and someone not in the trades... calling the BBB to complain about a contractor would be last on my list of "I'll get that SOB" things-to-do. Being in advertising, I know that...in Ohio, at least...you can't put the BBB logo in any advertising that you do. Only THEY can list your business name on their once-a-year newspaper ad, or whatever it is they do.
So if you're paying just to use the power of the BBB logo, count mine as one HO's vote that it just doesn't matter the way it did many years ago.
Although I think the BBB is a great organization in many ways, that "we are following up on an inquiry" is a scam... had it run on me many many times by them in my former business (and when I pushed hard I got the distinct sense that it was just a telemarketing ploy). Having said that, although the dues are high, I think they are a good marketing tool (to be able to say you are a member) if you have the spare dough. I think they occasionally offer "trial" memberships at a reduced rate but otherwise I think the rates are strictly a function of company size.
I get that cold call at least one time a year
same thing, people have been asking and ..........
oh yeah really, who
well we cant tell you that
thats because it was baloney
years back I bet it ment something
but I do wonder, if a homeonwer had a problem with a contractor
what would the BBB do , take away the contractors standing with the BBB ?
or put them on a black list
can they do that leagally, if so that can get ugly, just imagine calling the BBB and complaing about a competitor just to get them on the bad list
from what I was told, you call up and complain, if they are not a part of the BBB, they say, too bad, cant help
Save your money Jon,
I was a member because they promised me lots of leads.......None
They say they can tell you if other companies you do business with are in good standings .....that only applies to other companies that are members.
They have really done nothing more than provide me with a wall plaque
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Tony Soprano wont say anything bad about your company for a "fee" also.
Save your money! In the state of Ct we have the department of consumer protection (a legitimate commission) that does way more for the general public than BBB could even dream of.
BBB is NOT a non-profit entity.
many years ago ... carpet cleaning company I worked for was a member.
Had a BS complaint from a customer ... took forever to get it resolved. The owner of the company ended him membership immediately there after.
Fast forward ... about 2 years ago ... I got a call from the BBB. One idiot I refused to work for ... no money had exchanged, so I told him find someone else ...
well, he called the BBB to complain about me. First he emailed ... then snail mailed ... then called. Different story each time ... the lady was calling to get my side of the story. Just laid it out for her ... she said ... no problem. His complain isn't legit and won't see the light of day.
U should be able to search your company name thru their site ... member or not.
Mine comes up as company established in XYZ ... no complains listed ...
or words to that effect.
If U run a tight ship ... they can research all they want ... and the BBB will still have nothing bad to say about U. Not sure if I put myself on their list, or they found me somehow.
I'd say ... make sure you're on the web list ... and skip the membership.
Jeff