The Southwestern Company Internship Difference Blog
Earlier this year, the Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee (BBB) published a report regarding trust, integrity and ethics in the marketplace. Included in this information were some interesting numbers and statistics.
Southwestern Advantage is a charter member of the BBB of Middle Tennessee, having become a member when they started in 1961. Southwestern is accredited as well. There are 13 Standards for Trust set up by the BBB in which all companies who are accredited must adhere to.
From January 1 – December 30, 2011 (data from the previous year), the BBB recorded the following:
- 2,760,179 consumer visited the BBB of Middle TN website
- 106,458 visited BBB’s national website for companies in Middle TN
- 241,318 times consumers asked for a list of accredited businesses
- Consumers read over 1.1 million Business Reviews of Middle TN companies
- BBB provided complaint assistance 10,082 times with a 86% resolution rate
Consumers often look to the Better Business Bureau as a means of information and recommendation about a particular company and their past business habits. The following Top 10 Lists are interesting, as they rank the top consumer inquiries and complaints. It’s important to note there is a distinct difference between inquiries and complaints. Inquiries are asking about a company, perhaps to make sure they have reputable business practices and complaints are made against the particular company for their business practices.
Industries with the most consumer inquiries:
- Roofing Contractors
- Insurance Companies
- Auto Dealers
- Heating & Air Conditioning
- Contractors – General
- Home Builders
- Auto Repair & Service
- Mortgage Brokers
- Searchers of Records
- Home Improvements
Industries with the most consumer complaints:
- Insurance Companies
- Auto Dealers
- Roofing Contractors
- Nurseries – Plants, Trees
- Auto – Manufacturers & Distributors
- Internet Selling Services
- Auto Repair & Services
- Audio-Visual Equipment – Dealers
- Searchers of Records
- Publishers – Book
As a volunteer mediator and arbitrator for the BBB, I have seen firsthand how the best companies operate and the worst. As a consumer, look to see what rating the BBB has assigned to the company based on a BBB assessment and review process. These accredited businesses have been recognized as upholding ethics and values in line with positive consumer experiences.
