My how the year is flying by!  We have already reached November and are now in that great time of year in Southeast Texas – cooler weather and gearing up for the Thanksgiving holiday.  We hope that you, your family, and your business associates have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great start to the holiday season.

The BBB in Southeast Texas is known for many things.  Many consumers come to us to find Accredited Businesses, to find information regarding scams, or to seek assistance in resolving a dispute with a business in our service area.

As an Accredited Business, you know us for many other reasons.  I would like to highlight just a few of those this month.

BBB Works to Make Businesses Better

There is a very specific reason that the word “better” is in the name of our organization – we work each day to help businesses get better!  We do that through a variety of efforts and services:

• Dispute Resolution – we work with businesses each day to help them resolve disputes with consumers, many times before a complaint is even filed.  We also help businesses improve their practices to effectively reduce or eliminate consumer complaints.
• Advertising – we help businesses each day to ensure that their advertising is consistent with the Code of Advertising.  Following this guide will help increase their business without increasing the likelihood of a consumer complaint.
• Marketing – we strategize with all types and sizes of businesses on how they can leverage their accreditation with the BBB for increased exposure, consumer traffic, and market share in their industry.  This is made possible through a wide variety of sponsorship opportunities available with the BBB.
• Networking – we offer several opportunities each month for businesses to take advantage of low-cost or no-cost networking opportunities. This provides a chance to effectively spread the word about their business products and services.

BBB Holds Businesses Accountable

In addition, to all of these services designed to help businesses get better, we also work each day to hold businesses in our service area accountable to the Code of Business Practices.  These are the standards that businesses must be in compliance with and agree to uphold before they can become accredited and use the BBB Logo.  This means holding businesses accountable in many different areas – dispute resolution, customer service, advertising, etc.

We are fortunate to live and work in a professional climate where the large majority of businesses do their very best to do business right.  This has played a major role in helping your BBB to become #2 in the BBB System (Out of 113 BBB’s) in Market Share – an amazing accomplishment!  There are some businesses however, who choose not to operate in accordance with the Code of Business Practices or the Code of Advertising.  When that happens, it is our job to work with them help bring them into compliance. 

We have been able to help numerous businesses in the past in resolving disputes, reducing and preventing consumer complaints, and in improving their customer service and business practices.  On occasion, some businesses choose not to accept our suggestions on how to be better.  In our 8 ½ county service area, we report on a business’ relative success in meeting the Code of Business Practices.  This is the rating that businesses earn by their performance in a variety of areas.  These ratings can be viewed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our efforts in working with businesses and holding them accountable is a major part of our effort “to be the leader in advancing market place trust” by creating a marketplace where consumers and businesses can trust each other.

Working together to create this type of professional collaborative climate is what we mean by our phrase, “Start With Trust”.  This kind of trust environment benefits all of us in Southeast Texas as businesses, consumers and citizens.

If we can be of assistance to you in one of these areas, please call on us. We are here to help!  In the meantime, have a wonderful November and keep on building your “Better Business”!