Any business accepted for membership in the Better Business Bureau must
meet and maintain the following standards:
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A company must have been actively engaged in business for a minimum
of one (1) year, or such a period of time as necessary to establish
a customer experience record unless:
- the principals of the company have previously operated a firm
with a satisfactory record in this or another Bureau's service area;
- the company is a branch of a Bureau member;
- the company is a member in another BBB service area.
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A company must complete and sign the BBB Business Profile and Application
for Membership, providing general information on the nature of its
business, the background of its principals, FEIN, and any other information
requested by the BBB needed to conduct the necessary background investigation
to develop a factual report on the company. The business must fulfill
all licensing and bonding requirements of applicable city, county,
state and federal agencies, and provide copies of such licenses and/or
license numbers at the time of application for membership.
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Payment for the first year of membership dues investment must accompany
the Application for Membership. Annual dues must be paid in a timely
fashion to maintain membership. Dues may be paid annually or semi-annually.
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A company must not be the subject of any adverse information in the
Better Business Bureau files, including local, state or federal governmental
action involving its business practices concerning the marketplace
and its customers that demonstrates a significant failure of the company
to support the principles and purposes of the BBB.
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A company must be free from an unsatisfactory report at the BBB in
whose service area the company is headquartered.
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A company should have a good business reputation in the community.
A company's public image or reputation shall not be such that it would,
in the opinion of the Better Business Bureau, unfavorably affect public
opinion of the BBB, its members or objectives.
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A company must agree to promptly respond to any and all complaints
forwarded by the Better Business Bureau, make good faith efforts to
make corrections or adjustments in accordance with the BBB in a business-like
manner, and cooperate with the BBB in efforts to eliminate the underlying
causes of patterns of customer complaints that the BBB may call to
the company's attention.
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A company should demonstrate a willingness to consider mediation
and/or arbitration of any complaints which the business or the BBB
has been unable to resolve informally. The company must comply with
any decision rendered through these dispute resolution mechanisms.
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A company's advertising must adhere to established BBB advertising
standards. The company must agree to provide the Bureau with substantiation
or agree to modify or discontinue any advertising or selling claims
that the BBB challenges.
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A company should cooperate with the BBB's activities and efforts
to promote voluntary self-regulation within the company's industry.
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In accordance with the national BBB policy, a company must refrain
from using the trademarked name or logo of the Better Business Bureau
for commercial, sales or advertising purposes in any manner not specifically
authorized by the BBB.
