BBB Membership?

[Alan Barnard]

I used to have a consulting company with several employees. We sold
high-ticket services to executives and senior managers so we joined the BBB
just so we could say "Member of the Better Business Bureau" to make people
more comfortable with doing business with us -- or that was the theory.

I wouldn't do it again and I certainly won't join now that I'm a one-man
piano service company and a recovering teacher. I see no benefit. If you
ever got a complaint through them, membership would not change how it was
handled and you don't have to be a member to use their mediation service,
either. So what would be the point, I say.

Alan Barnard
Salem, Missouri


> [Original Message]
> From: Carman Gentile <cgpiano at humboldt1.com>
> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Date: 03/23/2006 4:55:10 PM
> Subject: BBB Membership?
>
> My Colleagues,
>
>    Are any of you members of the Better Business Bureau?
>
>    I got a call from a representative from the BBB saying that my 
> "excellent" reputation has landed an invitation from them to become a 
> member.  Before I made any commitments, I checked out the rep via the BBB 
> website -and- their toll free number; found out the representative is 
> officially bonafide and legitimate.  Those folks somehow tracked me down 
> and want me to (of course) pay their annual membership fee and then I am 
> able to legally use the BBB logo on my ads and business forms.  Plus I
get 
> the coveted plaque and other membership materials.
>
>    Is it worth the membership fee?  Any other comments?
>
> Carman Gentile RPT
> Redwood Chapter 
>