BBB Under Scrutiny

Link: http://www.bbbroundup.com

Excerpts From the Accreditation Standards Page of the Los Angeles Better Business Bureau

Maintain at least a B rating with this Bureau and, if headquartered elsewhere than this Bureau’s service area, at least a B rating by that Bureau.

OR READ ANOTHER WAY, BBB MEMBERSHIP GUARANTEES AT LEAST A B RATING.

Respond to all complaints presented by the Bureau promptly and in accordance with the Bureau's complaint resolution procedures and cooperate with Bureau efforts to eliminate the underlying causes of patterns of customer complaints.

THERE IS NO DISCLOSURE OF WHAT THESE COMPLAINT RESOLUTION PROCEDURES ARE-WHICH LEAVES A LOT OF WRIGGLE ROOM IN HOW COMPLAINTS GET HANDLED. NOTICE TOO, THAT COMPLAINTS MUST BE HANDLED ACCORDING TO BBB PROCEDURES, NOT THE BUSINESS' PROCEDURES.

Taken together, these two conditions of BBB Accreditation show the lack of transparency the BBB employs about most things. They also call into question the disingenuous BBB media speak about the letter grade benefits of BBB Accreditation that have been published. In these statements, the BBB says that BBB Accreditation accounts for only a half-grade improvement. Now we find that BBB Accreditation means the Letter Grade curve starts at a "B" and goes up from there. At least that's the way the Los Angeles Better Business Bureau does things.