Better Business Bureaus

BETTER BUSINESS Bureaus, often referred to as BBBs, are free services developed to provide citizens with alerts to dubious advertising tactics or other similar problems associated with businesses. Better Business Bureaus are better referred to as a system of bureaus than as one bureau, as BBBs are established around the country and are charged with handling regional complaints and maintaining regional memberships.

Businesses may apply for membership with their regional BBB as a means of indicating to their customers that they subscribe to the most stringent of business standards and business ethics. The list of members is then available to interested parties via written requests or via the internet, with businesses being either rated as satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

A majority of the services offered by the BBBs are free to the general public, with the exception being the public mediation service offered by some BBBs.

All BBBs are interconnected through a national database. Therefore, if someone in Texas is having problems with a business in New York, then the BBB in Texas may be notified of the problem. The problem is then forwarded to the BBB in New York; this form of referral service is considered necessary because the business in question may be a member of the New York regional BBB and therefore be more open to correction of the problem if influenced by the New York BBB.

The foundation for the Better Business Bureaus was formed in the early 1900s when the National Federation of Advertising Clubs of America was created with the intent of exposing individuals and companies that were presenting erroneous information about products and services. Prior to the establishment of this group, there was no regulation of companies and their advertising. Samuel Dobbs, who created the Ten Commandments of Advertising, was the organization's first president. Under Dobbs' leadership many regional advertising clubs began to emerge and sponsor local cities. In 1912, George Coleman, an advertising executive, formed a national group to monitor advertisement and business practices, and, in 1921, this organization was renamed the National Better Business Bureau. Today, there are numerous Better Business Bureaus in operation around the country.

Better Business Bureaus are often misunderstood by citizens who are under the impression that contacting the BBB is the first step in developing legal action against a business that has committed a wrong. BBBs do not normally get involved in criminal matters, and, in fact, few will even attempt to provide legal advice. Because BBBs are maintained on the basis of donations and small membership fees charged to businesses that are members of the regional bureaus, it is impossible to keep qualified attorneys on staff to answer complex legal questions. Should the BBB contacted determine that there is the potential for the development of a legal or criminal problem, then the group may recommend that the individual who was wronged contact the police or the district attorney. Additionally, BBBs do not normally get involved in disputes that arise between individuals and non-businesses; therefore, a dispute between two individuals would be declined for consideration by the BBB.

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