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Back to Basics: What Is The BBB?

As we embark upon a very exciting time of change and rejuvenation of our image it is important to know where we have been in order to fully appreciate where we are going! The Better Business Bureau enjoys a 98% favorable name recognition rating as reported by the Gallup Organization. The BBB name is synonymous with trust and members must meet and maintain the BBB’s Standards of Membership. With our high level of public awareness it is obvious that membership in the BBB lets your customers and consumers at large know that a business is worthy of their trust. Highlighted below is important background information concerning our history, structure and services. Mission:
OUR MISSION is to promote and foster the highest ethical relationship between businesses and the public through voluntary self-regulation, consumer and business education, and service excellence.

Funding:
The Bureau's primary source of funding comes from the annual dues paid by its member businesses.

History:
Originally called "Vigilance Committees" or Advertising Clubs, the first Better Business Bureaus (BBB) were established in the early 1900s. Their goal was to correct advertising abuses. In response to marketplace demands, BBBs quickly expanded to monitor business performance and provide consumers with vital information to avoid the pitfalls in the marketplace.

The Better Business Bureau serving Greater Iowa, Quad Cities and the Siouxland Region is one of 138 Bureaus located throughout the United States and Canada. The Bureau is a member of the oversight organization, the Council of Better Business Bureaus located in Arlington, Virginia.

The Better Business Bureau is a private, not-for-profit organization that aids consumers and businesses by supplying reports on the reliability of companies and charities. The Bureau provides dispute resolution services and consumer education materials to the public, and promotes honest advertising and selling practices and self-regulation within the business community. The BBB also informs the public about consumer scams and fraudulent business behavior.

Services:
The BBB promotes ethical business practices by providing these services:

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is to promote an ethical marketplace. It does so by providing the following information and services to consumers and businesses:

• Business Reports: Information on a business's performance in the marketplace, which can alert you to a history of unanswered or unresolved complaints, law enforcement actions, and advertising violations;
  
  How a Company report is developed: Once the BBB receives several inquiries about a company, we send them a questionnaire asking for basic business information. If the company completes and returns the questionnaire a report is initiated. A report may also be developed if the BBB receives a complaint on a company, or is made aware of a government legal action. The reports contain information which is reflected in our files and that reflect a company's customer service history. The reports indicate whether the company responds to complaints that consumers file with the BBB or if they ignore them. If we receive a series of identical complaints alleging the same problem, that pattern of complaints will appear in the report. If there is a government legal action that includes allegations which could affect a consumer's decision to do business with that company, the legal action would be mentioned.
• Charity Reports: Information on charities and other soliciting nonprofits that seek public donations;
• Dispute Resolution: Help in resolving a complaint against a company, using conciliation, mediation and arbitration services when appropriate;
• Consumer Information Clearinghouse: Brochures, books, public library videos, and Internet advisories on many important topics to assist consumers and businesses in making wise purchasing decisions;
• Business Ethics Promotion: Promoting truthful, accurate advertising and selling practices, both online and off-line, by monitoring advertising and seeking appropriate corrections;
• Fighting Fraud: Alerting consumers and law enforcement agencies about current marketplace scams and frauds.