The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is one of the best resources for highlighting a company’s performance. The BBB was founded in 1912 and aims to help people find the most trustworthy companies to support. You should aim to get as many Better Business Bureau reviews as possible (BBB A+ is ideal) to get more leads and sales.
How The Better Business Bureau Works
Before we discuss how to get BBB accredited or even what your business ratings should look like, let’s first look at how the BBB works.
History and Evolution Of BBB
The Better Business Bureau started as the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB). It was a straightforward non-profit organization with one goal: improving trust in the business market. The organization saw the light in Boston to stop imposters and fraudsters from damaging the public’s perception of genuine advertisers.
Today, four non-profit entities represent the BBB nationally and internationally. In 2023, consumers completed more than 218 searches for BBB Business Profiles, which shows BBB’s impact on the overall market.
Overview of BBB’s Features and Services
The BBB has a set framework of standards for businesses to comply with. These standards focus on ethical behavior. Moreover, the BBB helps consumers find trustworthy companies and charities to support.
The BBB also enforces advertising standards and evaluates charity practices. This allows donors to know where their donations go.
The organization helps train businesses to build lasting relationships with customers and retain them over the long term. Furthermore, the BBB’s consumer services are available online and in person.
How Do You Get a BBB Rating?
So, what is a BBB rating, and how do you get one? The BBB rating meaning is based on information the BBB can obtain about your business. This information includes customer complaints. You could get a BBB A plus rating if you have an excellent reputation with consumers. However, you need 97 or more points to achieve this.
The lowest rate is F, and in some instances, BBB does not assign a rating. If there is no rating, there is not enough information about a business or the update is pending.
Other factors that will influence your rating include how long you have been operating and how transparent your business practices are. You will get points deducted or added for several actions, including failure or success in addressing complaints and failure or success in honoring mediation and arbitration.
Can You Pay For BBB Ratings?
If you are thinking of buying a rating and skipping the other steps, you cannot directly buy a good BBB rating. Instead, you can pay for accreditation with the BBB, which involves applying, meeting the standards, and paying a fee.
Does BBB Charge a Fee?
The BBB fee is for accreditation. It is payable annually and supports the BBB’s work in consumer protection. The specific amount you pay will depend on the size of your business.
Is It Worth Getting BBB Accreditation?
It is crucial to get a BBB accreditation if you want to grow your customer base. Consumers tend be more trusting of BBB-accredited businesses compared to non-accredited ones. This holds true even if the non-accredited business has an A+ rating.
How Can I Check a Company’s Reputation?
If you want to check the reputation of a business you want to work with, you can call the BBB or visit the bbb.org website. You must have the business name and location to do a reputation check. If you cannot find the business on the BBB website, they may have moved or changed names or simply not have a rating.
Is It Bad If a Business Is Not BBB Accredited?
It is not necessarily bad for a business if they are not BBB-accredited. It does not automatically mean that the business is not transparent with its business processes or ethics.
However, your business should get accredited with the BBB because it proves that you are committed to the customer experience and providing excellent customer service.
8 Benefits of Being on the Better Business Bureau
There are several benefits to being on the Better Business Bureau. These include the following:
Local Marketplace Trust
Being BBB-accredited means the local marketplace can see your company is legitimate and that it adheres to ethical practices. This helps build trust with local customers.
Greater Exposure
In addition to drawing local customers, you also increase your business exposure when you list your company on the BBB website. This gets your business in front of a wider audience fast.
Social Media Exposure
The BBB helps accredited businesses build a strong presence on social media. The organization runs campaigns on various platforms, giving businesses a chance to feature.
BBB Customer Review Generator
Another great benefit of being BBB-accredited is using the BBB Customer Review Generator. This tool allows you to request BBB customer reviews from your existing customers. These reviews become part of your BBB Business Profile, where potential customers can read them.
Greater Visibility
BBB accreditation may even give you a slight boost in search engine rankings, especially with local searches. This makes it easier for potential customers to find you online.
Enhanced Credibility
The BBB’s evaluation process sets out to validate your business from different angles. This is an independent verification process that instantly adds credibility to your business. And you will stand out from competitors who may not have a BBB accreditation.
Differentiation
Standing out in the crowd is what you need for success. A BBB accreditation is the differentiator. Your rating shows customers and prospects that you are committed to ethical business practices. This alone gives them an excellent reason to choose you over other businesses.
Be Featured on the BBB Business Profile Page
Your BBB profile doubles as a business listing. You can add your contact details, business information, and customer reviews. This is where people can find everything they need to know before contacting you.
Does BBB Charge a Fee?
The BBB only charges a fee if businesses want to become BBB-accredited. However, your business can only qualify for accreditation if it meets all the BBB standards.
The cost of the fee depends on the size of your business (number of employees). For instance, if you have between one and three employees, you will pay $510 annually. If you have up to 10 employees, your accreditation fee will be $660. If you run a large corporation with up to 200 employees, your fee will be $1,225.
While this may seem steep, the benefits and features are numerous. For example, you will have a searchable business listing on the BBB website.
You get your own link, which improves your company’s organic ranking. And you can improve your lead generation with your BBB profile.
The BBB even provides a platform where your business and an unhappy customer can resolve conflicts. You will also get a BBB seal for your website, which helps put consumers at ease when they buy from you for the first time.
How To Get More Reviews On Better Business Bureau
If you are wondering how to get a better Business Bureau rating, you should focus on getting more positive reviews on the platform. You can do this with the following strategies:
Build Trust
You can build trust with your consumers by applying for BBB accreditation if you have been in business for more than six months. You should maintain a B rating for your head office and branches, at the least. And you must complete the necessary competency and trade licensing agreements.
Advertise Honestly
Always be upfront and honest about your advertising. If the BBB recommends that you amend or substantiate an advertising campaign, do it. Also, use the BBB trademark and affiliation statements only as recommended and instructed by the BBB.
Tell the Truth
Be truthful about your products and services and include disclosures where needed. All written and verbal product and service representations but be clear and include all the required facts.
Be Transparent
Transparency is non-negotiable. You must explain the nature of your business, be transparent about who owns the business, and provide all material facts.
Furthermore, you must provide a direct communication line to your business. You must explain and enforce the return or refund policy. And, be upfront about the total cost of all transactions, including shipping and tax.
Transparency also relates to receipting and informing customers about shipping delays and stock shortages.
Honor Promises
It is critical to honor all promises made to customers. This includes sticking to all contracts, representations, and commitments.
Be Responsive
If the BBB forwards you a customer dispute, you must address it immediately. Your response to an unhappy customer must be professional and address all issues raised. If you have evidence to support your company’s position, you should include it in the response.
You should also participate in mediation or other forms of dispute resolution if the BBB requests it. And keep cooperating with the BBB to iron out underlying problems that cause customer complaints.
Safeguard Privacy
You must protect customer data against breaches, fraud, and disclosure. This means you should only collect personal information if you need to. You must also inform customers how you use their information and who receives it. Moreover, let your customers know how you protect their data, especially bank account numbers and credit card details.
Embody Integrity
Embody integrity in all your customer dealings. Approach all transactions and communication with integrity and the intention of fulfilling customer expectations.
Increase your Customer Reviews With Podium
If reviews are what you need to improve your BBB rating, you can easily get more using the Podium solution. You can double your monthly reviews in less than two months using textable review invites, AI technology, and automation. And you can do all this on the Podium platform.
With more reviews, you will draw more foot traffic and rank higher on Google. This is perfect for improving your rating. You can also connect all your review sites, including BBB, to Podium so you can keep track of all your feedback.
Find out how Podium can improve your business reputation by requesting a demo here.
