Comments on: Governing Bodies At Work

By: Larry Conn

Larry Conn — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:16:39 +0000

Kevin,

Years ago, I ws defrauded by the Better Business Bureau. They started a Yellow pages and the company they contracted to do the publication took off with everyone’s money. Everyone who had paid for their advertising (this was the one year I had paid in full in advance) had to sue them in a class action suit.

I also had a chance to do a job interview with them at one point. The sales associate trainer told me to go after the big companies because they charge per employee for membership and the commissions would be higher. My question is what do they really do for the business, and do they do more for the companies that pay more?

I think we all know the answer. And the BBB in my area now even charges the prospective clients for more than basic information about the company. I believe the BBB is a shell of an organization that does little if anything for anybody.

By: Sue

Sue — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:43:33 +0000

I see it both ways too. Although this would get me upset when they put in that if you do not respond…would make it out like you are a bad company. I am learning to be skeptic as in my business I have had smiling, slick haired salespeople come in my front door and take my money and do a partial baked job. Then no refund, just use my name and show the next victim my work that they did not do correctly, that I hired someone else to finish the job correctly. I also have had those mailed forms for the wall…you must comply and purchase these forms for your employees…a joke, when you can go to a website, download the same ones for free. They want you quake in fear to get them to do what they want. Not what I call good business practice. Each of us can take it for what we want but buyers beware of anything you give away, information or $. Once gone, hard to retrieve.

By: nan

nan — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:26:12 +0000

Okay people…Keith said that this is a “membership organization” NOT the BBB. While the letter itself does not ask for money or membership, to be included in their files, you have to pay a fee. DUH. This IS a marketing tactic, plain and simple. Most of you would have gotten “hooked” by it because you are not reading between the lines, nor paying attention to everything Keith wrote. They present themselves as consumer advocates, but it’s more like a Club for the merchants…who pay membership fees. This is just a way to get potential businesses attention by saying “there was an inquiry”. People are naturally curious, so they want to know what it was and who. But, the business owner won’t be able to find out without joining. Chances are, there wasn’t one at all.

By: lea sedan

lea sedan — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:30:28 +0000

an organization that’s funded by business owners
cann’t give non-biased information to the public,
i mean they can, but they are not going to do it.
I do not believe them.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:09:52 +0000

Reminiscent of paying for protection? The local little stores pay out to dirty cops, the mob, gangs, whoever to keep the others at bay. It’s as if this org. is saying-you need to send us your info or else… they don’t quite define “or else”. And the gong or mob or dirty cops are monitoring themselves. Creepy.

I realize this org. does do a lot of good, it is private and therefore has to make money somehow-but a org. that is supposed to protect consumers from scams and/or bad business practices that makes its operating money from businesses is a conflict of interest!

By: Janice

Janice — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:12:52 +0000

My husband and I were duped twice into the mentoring/coaching programs of a Utah company -as Stephen mentions above – but they go by a variety of different names and keep changing them. Their primary interest is in how much available money you have on your credit cards to spend on their program, usually for a 6-month period. They initially asked us for between $14,000 – $17,000. Of course, we didn’t do anything nearly this expensive, but they still got us for a few thousand. Any program now that comes out of Utah arouses our suspicions! Unfortunately, a number of the gurus in Internet marketing use them!

By: Janice

Janice — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:00:55 +0000

Years ago a California businessman told us that the beginnings of the BBB were by the Mafia in Las Vegas – whether or not this is true, I don’t know. We should “google” it and do some research! I do believe the letter they sent you was a manner of threat or intimidation.

Also, apparently SNOPES is a liberal viewpoint website that only reports back to us information they have sought out online, and Rip-Off Report changes their opinions on people/organizations they have formerly criticized when they receive money to revise the status of those people/organizations. It’s hard to know who is trustworthy!

By: lani

lani — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:13:40 +0000

im seeing things both ways here what i see is someone asking for info they have no right to but they are clearly at the same time not asking for money or membership thats what i see

By: Regina

Regina — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:45:03 +0000

I’m not seeing a solicitation for money or membership, either. I read “this is NOT a solicitation of money or a request for membership.” Wanna do a Radical Forgiveness session anyone who’s thinking there’s some ulterior motive here?

By: Stephen Tuell

Stephen Tuell — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:00:46 +0000

Dear Kevin,
I was recently and very strongly solicited by a Utah
corporation for a very expensive coaching program. I
was somewhat suspicious because the referral came through
a spam communication from a third party. The company
rep called me on the phone and spent a lot of time telling
my why I should join. He sent me to one of the company
websites and directed me to a link to the BBB. The
company had an A+ rating. Later, I whent to the BBB
site directly. The company had an F rating ! I didn’t
buy the course. Who am I to believe? I think the BBB
should be VERY careful of its reputation. It should
never accept money from from the businesses it reports
on. Never. Stephen