<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1>Are you sure you’re not confusing the BBB with the Chamber of Commerce? Years back, when we looked into the BBB—and we were members for a brief while—there were no monthly meetings involved. There were with the CC. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Frankly, I don’t see either as being of much use to the self-employed piano technician. The BBB purports to be something of a quality and ethics watchdog over its membership. In practice—at least in my experience—as long as a member paid his dues regularly no amount of customer complaint was going to result in their giving a negative report about a member. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>After watching a couple of members who made it a regular practice to cheat their customers continue to receive good reports from the local BBB office we decided the BBB was as bad as they were. Overall it was a waste of money. To my knowledge we never lost a customer because we were not members of the BBB. Nor did we ever gain one because we were. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>(In case anyone wondered we didn’t find membership in the Chamber of Commerce to be of any benefit either.) <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>ddf<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><o:p> </o:p>Delwin D Fandrich<o:p></o:p>Piano Design & Fabrication<o:p></o:p>6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA<o:p></o:p>Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525<o:p></o:p><a href="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com">del@fandrichpiano.com </a>— <a href="mailto:ddfandrich@gmail.com">ddfandrich@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T Williams Sent: Monday, February 06, 2012 2:08 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] BBB<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>OK.  I'll go first. Never done it. It's very expensive, and they would like to see you attend monthly meetings.  All good if you can schmooz with the local politians and bigger businessmen.  Might make you some good customers......"might" is the operative unless you schmooz well.  I can see if you have a public shop space open to the public with lots of retail people that come and go all day with a store person.  Where I was before becoming a CAUT, I was so out of the way, nobody would even know how to get there!  My shop was elsewhere too. I'd like to know what they offer you for the huge price tag? I'm sure some of you guys who have storefronts, etc. can help out on this too.  I just said "no thank you" in my self employed days.   Good question, Gary. Just be ready to get political!  If you're good with the community, then it might work for you. Paul <o:p></o:p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;margin-left:36.0pt'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>From: <o:p></o:p></td><td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>Gary <<a href="mailto:gmcc@charter.net">gmcc@charter.net</a>> <o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>To: <o:p></o:p></td><td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> <o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>Date: <o:p></o:p></td><td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>02/06/2012 03:24 PM <o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>Subject: <o:p></o:p></td><td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>[pianotech] BBB<o:p></o:p></td></tr></table><o:p> </o:p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:center'><hr size=2 width="100%" noshade style='color:#9D9DA1' align=center></div> <tt>Just got a call this afternoon for an invitation to join the Better </tt> <tt>Business Bureau.  I'm not sure what the benefit would be, other than </tt> <tt>maybe more</tt> <tt>advertising/tax write-off..Any of y'all members?</tt> <tt>gary</tt> <o:p></o:p></div></body></html>