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Better Business Bureau Informative - What to do - How to deal
How to deal
I just wanted to write a quick note to answer a few questions about the BBB. Part of my job is answering BBB complaints against my company and I have learned a few things.
First: When sending a complaint to the BBB, it is a good idea to make sure that you are filing with the right state. If you file your complaint in your state of residence vs. the state the company is headquartered in, it will take longer for you to get a response. Why? Lets say you live in TX and the company is in MO. TX has to forward the complaint to MO, usually in a paper letter, via USPS, this takes about 5 days. Then the MO BBB forwards it to the company, also 5 days. Company responds to MO BBB. They have 30 days to do this. I usually answer ours in 3-5 days. For the sake of this example, let’s say they take 15 days. MO BBB sends it back to TX, USPS, and another 5 days. That is a total of 45 days. Not including the length of time it takes TX to send the info to you. If you have to respond, you could double this time frame. If you had filed with MO in the first place, generally companies can respond electronically, and that info will be emailed to you, so you’re looking at about 5 days total.
Second: The BBB is simply put, a third party to help you with communicating with a company. They have no power to MAKE a company respond or act on your complaint. The company is given 30 days to respond. If they do not, it goes on their record that way. Of course, other consumers can see this info and make judgments on the company, but that isn’t going to help YOU.
Third: Because of reason number 2, the best way to get results is through either your states attorney general or consumer protection agency. These bodies actually have the power to MAKE a company act.
Hope it helps!
First: When sending a complaint to the BBB, it is a good idea to make sure that you are filing with the right state. If you file your complaint in your state of residence vs. the state the company is headquartered in, it will take longer for you to get a response. Why? Lets say you live in TX and the company is in MO. TX has to forward the complaint to MO, usually in a paper letter, via USPS, this takes about 5 days. Then the MO BBB forwards it to the company, also 5 days. Company responds to MO BBB. They have 30 days to do this. I usually answer ours in 3-5 days. For the sake of this example, let’s say they take 15 days. MO BBB sends it back to TX, USPS, and another 5 days. That is a total of 45 days. Not including the length of time it takes TX to send the info to you. If you have to respond, you could double this time frame. If you had filed with MO in the first place, generally companies can respond electronically, and that info will be emailed to you, so you’re looking at about 5 days total.
Second: The BBB is simply put, a third party to help you with communicating with a company. They have no power to MAKE a company respond or act on your complaint. The company is given 30 days to respond. If they do not, it goes on their record that way. Of course, other consumers can see this info and make judgments on the company, but that isn’t going to help YOU.
Third: Because of reason number 2, the best way to get results is through either your states attorney general or consumer protection agency. These bodies actually have the power to MAKE a company act.
Hope it helps!
Comments:
Posted by Slimjim on 2008-03-13:
You're correct, it is vital to complain to the area BBB where the company is located, not the complainant. In the case of an Attorney General complaint, I think doing both may be most effective. This way both offices can decipher if any laws a broken in each of their respective states.
Posted by MSCANTBEWRONG on 2008-03-13:
Thanks Insider. Good information. (VH)
Posted by Principissa on 2008-03-13:
I agree Slim. I have never had to complain to either, but this is very helpful to know. Thank you for posting this. :)
Posted by DebtorBasher on 2008-03-13:
Good Post...thanks!
Posted by superbowl on 2008-03-13:
Thanks for the insight. I don't care for the BBB to much. They called us once and said we had a complaint. We knew it was a scam because they send letters and never call. It was a guy that claimed if we joined the BBB we could then see and answer the complaint. This was a few years ago and the BBB got busted for pulling it on thousands of business's.
We have never had a BBB complaint but filed one on them with the FTC along with hundreds of others. We never herd from them again and the BBB was fined for shady biz practices.
We have never had a BBB complaint but filed one on them with the FTC along with hundreds of others. We never herd from them again and the BBB was fined for shady biz practices.
Posted by thensider on 2008-03-14:
Well, thats horrible! I dont think my company is a "member", but I still have online access to our complaints, that i check every 2 days, so they get answered quickly!
Posted by Rosse on 2008-03-21:
So far I gave the BBB two complaints on two seperate incidents. And in both the answer was... we do not deal with complaints about professional (dentist) and the other was we do not deal with complaints about customer service. I am confused. I was told one time that... if any problems with anything contact your local BBB.
Posted by forcomplaintsonly on 2008-03-21:
The reason the BBB doesn't want to take on doctors, is they knwo they can not win, the doctor's seem to have unlimited resources to fight things like this.
Posted by jer2 on 2008-04-11:
Good info. I found out the BBB doesn't help at all. My BBB in Denver doesn't even give it any effort. If you file a complaint and the company you complain about answers then the case gets a administrative close. It does not matter what the complaint is about or what the company says in the answer. All the company needs to do is answer and the case is closed. My feeling is this is because the BBB is more interested in selling memberships to companies then consumer protection. If they truly were there to help consumers they would not be selling memberships to companies. Its a conflict of interest.
That is my experience with the Denver BBB.
That is my experience with the Denver BBB.
Posted by Not happy1 on 2008-04-21:
I currently have complaint with a BBB. I asked them at what point do you contact necessary authorities of a company scamming people, etc. I was told they do not contact any authorities even if they are aware of this.
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