August 01, 2008
The BBB is kicking it up a notch! Even though their look has changed,
they are still the leader in advancing marketplace trust. That said,
the world around us is changing each and every day. To remain
"in-touch" and "relevant" it is important for the BBB to keep pace.
Today's savvy consumers are looking for control, security and
confidence in their choices. They know the importance of doing
business with a company that has made a public commitment to doing
what is right. Evaluating trust is certainly one of the first steps in
the purchasing process. This is where the BBB can help.
The BBB's new look and the "Start With Trust" campaign reminds the
public that there are measurable standards for trust in the
marketplace. You will notice that one of the many exciting changes to
the new brand is the BBB seal program. No longer do they refer to
companies who join as members. Instead, they are identified as a BBB
Accredited Business.
Ac•cred•it: to authorize; certify. The new term for members is,
however, more than just a word. In independent studies the BBB found
that the term "accreditation" is a clearer representation of what
businesses have achieved by meeting and maintaining their tough
standards.
The new branding effort, along with the tag line "Start with Trust",
is a reminder to customers that when they start with a BBB Accredited
Business, they can be confident they are dealing with a trustworthy
business. The branding campaign comes complete with a new and more
contemporary look that will help guide consumers to the information
they need. In addition to better search mechanisms, whereby consumers
can locate BBB Accredited Businesses by name and industry, zip code
optimization and other features help to ensure the public finds
companies they can trust.
The new brand positioning also comes with a concentrated media
strategy and local and national advertising campaign. All of these
aspects are designed to bring recognition and value to BBB Accredited
Businesses who support the BBB.
Another important aspect of the new brand is the report style.
Nationwide, the reports that BBBs issue on companies will change to a
new "ratings" format. For years, BBB reports have been based on a
satisfactory/unsatisfactory statement. The new style will incorporate
a grade-based rating of A through F. The ratings are similar to
classic school-based grading. The ratings will be based on a
formula/algorithm which measures a variety of factors such as
licensing, time in business, type of business, complaint activity and
BBB Accreditation statues.
BBB Accredited Businesses that do not adhere to the BBB Standards for
Trust are subject to having their accreditation suspended or revoked.
Accredited Businesses must support the principles and purposes of the
BBB and not engage in any activity that reflects unfavorably on the
BBB.
The accredited by BBB, businesses agree to advance trust in the
marketplace and to meet high ethical standards in their dealings with
customers. Actions by a BBB Accredited Business that don't fit with
BBB's mission may bring into question whether the business may
continue to be BBB accredited.
