<VV> No Corvair, but car related - There is no "C" in "BBB"

[Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per]

Bottom line is that you should be extra careful of any business, and 
understand the agenda of the entity from whom you are seeking advice about 
any business.

It's reasonable that the BBB would disparage businesses that are not "dues 
paying" members, for obvious reasons.

Businesses who are not members may not be as a result of "prior bad acts," 
but it may be that they realize that the BBB is biased, which bias may be 
ameliorated by the intervention of an arbitrator or mediator, but you have 
to reach the point that the BBB is forced to spend that money on such 
intervention.

Is there another unbiased "clearinghouse" of complaints against a business, 
such as the local courthouse (with jurisdiction of the business) or law 
library, where a customer can see the records of small claims or civil (or 
even criminal) cases against the business, where they won't be hidden from 
view on the discretion of a biased entity ?


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Wildman" <k-wildman at onu.edu>
To: "Jeff Clark" <markii56 at yahoo.com>; <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 5:24 AM
Subject: Re: <VV> No Corvair, but car related - There is no "C" in "BBB"


> At 08:46 PM 8/30/2006, Jeff Clark wrote:
>>The BBB is little more than paid protection for
>>businesses.  As long as the business pays it dues, the
>>BBB will go out of its way to "protect" the good name
>>of the member business.  It's interesting to hear what
>>they have to say about businesses that AREN'T a
>>member: "Well, they aren't a member, so we can't say
>>whether they're good or bad to deal with, but you
>>should be EXTRA careful with a company that's not a
>>member in good standing of our organization.  It makes
>>you wonder why they aren't a member, doesn't it?,
>>etc..."  They're very good at convincing the consumer
>>that BBB members are to always be trusted, while
>>planting a seed of doubt about that choose not to join
>>them.  Bottom line: a consumer shouldn't waste their
>>time with the BBB.
>>
>>Jeff Clark
>
>
> Sorry, Jeff, but I strongly disagree.  I don't know what your experience 
> may be but as I discussed in a previous post, the BBB is quite active in 
> resolving disputes between customers and businesses.  Without their 
> service every conflict would be either unresolved or involve expensive 
> litigation.
>
> There is never any charge to the customer for the assistance of the BBB. 
> All costs are supported by the business "dues".  The work I do for them 
> can be fairly costly, I charge more than most mechanics for my services. 
> <grin>
>
> I think they provide a valuable, and free, service to consumers and 
> membership by businesses does provide an intangible value to the business 
> as a result.
>
> Ken
>
>
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