Are you a BBB member? Why or why not?

WillS

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WE are no longer paying for the BBB. I forgot to remove their logo from our site when we cancelled the membership and got a letter right away. Yet, I see a ton of our competitors with the logo on their site, and no accreditation. BBB tends to say they send tons of referrals to accredited companies, only BBB companies are trusted, etc. Never felt like we got business from them, and have not been asked by any customer if we are apart of the BBB.

Why are you paying for the BBB? Why not?
 
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Jimmy L

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I cringe when I see the local news giving reports on findings of the BBB. As if they were a government org. They are a paid service and not in any way connected to the government. Old school yelp. One time I got a letter in the mail from them that looked exactly like a IRS form. What a crock! They call every year with their bait about hearing some concern about my business. Just to sign me up. hahaha!
 

Mark Saiger

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We were with them for awhile...not anymore.

I have heard that there now could be some SEO benefits from it....but still....I don't feel like it really helped me up here.
 

Ron Werner

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No. I used to be however and spent a lot promoting it. But 2010 was a hard year and I didn't have the $450 for dues, so I cancelled it. I didn't get their logo off my site fast enough for them so on my BBB Company Info page they put up a notice saying that "I did not meet the criteria to be accredited" That pissed me off because that implies I was not ethical enough to pass their standards when the ONLY reason was I couldn't pay their money and I hadn't taken their logo off my site, though I had been a member for several years at that point.

They call me, rather they USED to call me-they haven't last year, to get me to resign up. I realized that they are only a marketing busn selling fake accredidation basically, they have no teeth other than public opinion. They created a brand which they sold to the public.
 

TomKing

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WE are no longer paying for the BBB. I forgot to remove their logo from our site when we cancelled the membership and got a letter right away. Yet, I see a ton of our competitors with the logo on their site, and no accreditation. BBB tends to say they send tons of referrals to accredited companies, only BBB companies are trusted, etc. Never felt like we got business from them, and have not been asked by any customer if we are apart of the BBB.

Why are you paying for the BBB? Why not?
I agree with you totally.

We paid for the first few years and then let it go.

Online reviews have taken their place.

We never got good customers from them. If we got someone they where looking for an issue before we even started.

They might be great in some parts of the country but not here.

They are a non-profit that needs companies to pay memberships to support themselves.
 

ruff

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Never worked here either.
I guess if one feels that it lands them credibility it may be worth it. Never seen any evidence that it does.
 

joey895

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I agree with most everything said in this post. However, my brother started a pressure washing business and before talking to me about it he signed up with the BBB at $30 per month. His first month he landed one job that paid $1500 and that job turned into a $1000 carpet cleaning job for me. So I decided I had nothing to lose by signing up for the $30 per month with no contract. I've been with them for 8 months now and have gotten a total of 4 more jobs which doesn't sound so hot but those jobs have totaled $1600. It's not going to make me rich but I'll trade $240 for $1600 all day long. Of course these are confirmed jobs where the person specifically stated the chose me because of my BBB rating, there could be others where it was an influence.

If you Google carpet cleaning or carpet cleaners and my city the BBB website comes up on the first page. I think that's why they are able to generate some jobs.
 

ruff

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Try & track results.
If it generates more than it costs and considering adding more "credibility"- worth it.
Just don't sign too long of a contract.
 

WillS

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They told me 42$ a month with a 12 month agreement. Bastards.

They were very eager to call me several times to get a debit card to put on file if we were approved. We were with them for a long time, but dropped it when everyone was putting the BBB logo on their site but weren't accredited. SO I figured, whats the point besides for the back link from the BBB site.

I also paid for their BBB magazine for 2 months, didn't drive any business.

We did pay the membership for the Chamber of Commerce and the LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Both have sent way more business to us then the BBB.
 
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WillS

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First time one of your comments has actually made me laugh - out - loud. :yawn::yawn:

One of our customers was the President of the GLCCNV and asked us to sign up. We did - we are the only carpet cleaner apart of their chamber. You'd be surprised how much business is recommended from them. Support the gay chamber and you get the whole community $$$.

They probably don't have those types of Chambers in the Fly Over States.

flyover.gif
 
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WillS

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Will
My wife went to a chamber mixer recently


Looks like we'll be joining.


Our business to business group is about worthless.

How much is there fee down there to join? The mixers are crap for the LV Chamber here. Free drinks and food, but most people there aren't interested in networking w carpet cleaners. They are usually casino people and other randoms just there to show off their new suits. Stopped going to those.
 

joey895

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They told me 42$ a month with a 12 month agreement. Bastards.

They were very eager to call me several times to get a debit card to put on file if we were approved. We were with them for a long time, but dropped it when everyone was putting the BBB logo on their site but weren't accredited. SO I figured, whats the point besides for the back link from the BBB site.

I also paid for their BBB magazine for 2 months, didn't drive any business.

We did pay the membership for the Chamber of Commerce and the LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Both have sent way more business to us then the BBB.

I don't understand the separate chamber of commerce? Does it only allow LGBT to be members? If straight people can be members then what's the point? If only LGBT can be members then call only straight people join the regular chamber?

Funny to me all the work done on the civil Rights movement to desegregate and now those very same people are deliberately segregating themselves.

As far as the pricing difference of the bbb. I don't know too much about their business but I know ours is called the BBB of northwest Florida so I would assume there would be regional differences. It would make sense it bigger cities it might cost more.
 
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WillS

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Will
I don't understand the separate chamber of commerce? Does it only allow LGBT to be members? If straight people can be members then what's the point? If only LGBT can be members then call only straight people join the regular chamber?

Funny to me all the work done on the civil Rights movement to desegregate and now those very same people are deliberately segregating themselves.

As far as the pricing difference of the bbb. I don't know too much about their business but I know ours is called the BBB of northwest Florida so I would assume there would be regional differences. It would make sense it bigger cities it might cost more.

It's all just a money maker. Anyone can be apart of it, some of the casinos are, etc. I think it just shows you support the community which gets them to support your business back.
 

ruff

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I was told that when Kansans look down on Nebraskans pigs will fly.

Let me look out the window.

I'd be damned if it ain't Marty



upload_2017-6-22_8-18-48.jpeg
 
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