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Sound Advice: August 7, 2024

Don’t Depend on the Better Business Bureau

The dependability of Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings can be questioned for several reasons:

1.     Subjectivity in Ratings: BBB ratings are not purely objective and can be influenced by various factors such as the volume of complaints received, the speed of complaint resolution, and whether the business responds to complaints. These factors may not always reflect the overall quality or reliability of a business.

2.     Not Based on Reviews or Complaints: That’s odd since comments, both positive and negative, from parties who had actually interacted should have been considered.  Perhaps a Ouija Board played a role in the grades assigned.

3.     Limited Criteria: The criteria used by the BBB to assign ratings may not cover all aspects of a business's operations or customer satisfaction. Some businesses may receive lower ratings due to factors that are not indicative of their overall performance.

4.     Pay-to-Play Allegations: There have been criticisms that BBB accreditation and higher ratings can sometimes be influenced by businesses paying membership fees or becoming accredited members. BBB accreditation costs $650 a year and gives the business owner the opportunity to present what appears to be a more impressive image, but in fact there is no difference.

5.     Varied Local Chapters: BBB ratings can vary between different local chapters, as each chapter operates independently. This inconsistency can lead to different ratings for the same business depending on its location.

6.     Alternative Sources of Information: In addition to BBB ratings, consumers can access reviews on other platforms such as Google, Yelp or industry-specific review sites. These sources may provide a broader range of opinions and experiences from customers.

7.     Not Mandatory or Comprehensive: Businesses are not required to be accredited by the BBB, and not all businesses choose to participate. This can limit the availability of BBB ratings for certain businesses.

Given these factors, although BBB ratings can provide some insight into a business's reputation and handling of consumer complaints, they should be considered alongside other sources of information to form a balanced assessment. Relying solely on BBB ratings may not provide a complete picture of a business's reliability or quality.

N. Russell Wayne

Weston, CT

Any questions: please contact me at nrwayne@soundasset.com

203-895-8877

www.soundasset.blogspot.com

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