BBB Under Scrutiny

Link: http://www.bbbroundup.com

Better Business Bureaus around the country were burning the midnight oil and up at the crack of dawn. Their purpose was not to rigorously defend the American public from malicious businesses but to cover up their own tracks. While they seemed fascinated with this site (some forty BBB visits in the last 24 hours), that does not appear to be the reason for the activity. Instead, the LA Times no longer sports an F grade, it now has an A and has mysteriously shed five unanswered complaints. Somehow Disneyland also transformed from a F grade to an A grade overnight, while simultaneously gaining one additional complaint.

Rather than correct the problem, this instant transformation of these two company's grades only underscores how laughable the new BBB grading system is. After all, the LA BBB has been grading companies for four years, so why did it suddenly dawn on them that they had misgraded two companies? More importantly, why stop there? I guarantee you there are many more inappropriate grades out there because the Better Business Bureau does not take the time to do their due diligence.

More importantly, both the LA Times and Disneyland are big companies, they can take the hit of a F grade. For the small business, an unwarranted F grade can mean the difference between staying in business or going down the tubes. Since, by their actions, the BBB has already acknowledged that they are capable of giving businesses unwarranted F grades, they need to bite the bullet and take down all grades for non-member businesses until they can get them right.

Right now, their actions have the odor of a grade fixing scandal. After all, if their grading algorithm is so wonderful how could it be so far off, and why were these changes done, not to the algorithm, but to individual businesses in a blatantly subjective manner? My advice to the BBB is that this grading system issue is not some pimple that can be covered up with some cosmetics, rather it is a cancer that is eating at the heart and soul of the Better Business Bureau.

p.s. Welcome back Miami BBB, glad to see you got your website working again.