Joining the Better Business Bureau -- Is it Worth the Cost?

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on June 23, 2009 at 12:27pm

Hello Robert,
I use to have a BBB with my other business before I become a hypnotherapist, and in my opening, it is waist of your hard earned money...

Just my two cents.

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht

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Permalink Reply by Robert M Dunscomb on June 23, 2009 at 12:53pm

Thanks Doreen, that is exactly the sort of information I'm looking for.

Robert

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht said:

Hello Robert,
I use to have a BBB with my other business before I become a hypnotherapist, and in my opening, it is waist of your hard earned money...

Just my two cents.

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht

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Permalink Reply by Kent Fullarton on June 23, 2009 at 12:58pm

Ditto. They refusd to de-list crooks until they were convicted or their check bounced. They would not look into complaints in a timely way. I hope they have improved.

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht said:

Hello Robert,
I use to have a BBB with my other business before I become a hypnotherapist, and in my opening, it is waist of your hard earned money...

Just my two cents.

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht

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Permalink Reply by GIL BOYNE on June 23, 2009 at 1:20pm

I was a member for years until my experiences with them convinced me that not only was it a total waste of money but worked against me at times. They are a throwback to a much earlier time.

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Permalink Reply by the grumpy hypnotist on June 23, 2009 at 2:08pm

I wanted to file a complaint with the BBB against my local chapter of the BBB! Those idiots decided to charge me the annual fee when I applied for the membership, but never got around to completing the process over 3 months later. So the entire time I was unable to use their membership material. I sent them letters, faxes, phone calls. Even paid a visit to the local chapter office. Their lame excuses were... lame! --- "Uh, most of us were on vacation last week", "The director's still at lunch", etc.

Finally I had to threaten them with filing a chargeback on the card (they never did complete the process and never were able to answer if my annual membership would either be pro-rated or start on the charge date of the card). Total nin-com-poopery made absurdly ironic considering they are the BBB. Almost as bad as experience with Yellow Pages sales rep (YP and BBB both deserve to be dumped into the dustbin).

Plus, when you find out the restrictions that are placed on you as a basic member (unless you purchase extra add-ons), it's silly. For example, even after spending hundreds of $$$ for the basic membership, I wouldn't be allowed to put the BBB logo on my website or promotional materials. But I would be allowed to hang the BBB placard in my office, and stick a BBB sticker in my window. Whoopee! That's great, I get to attract people who are ALREADY in my office with the BBB sign on the wall, and if anyone happens to be walking by outside my 9th floor office window, they'll see that I'm a member and come right on in!

Robert, I hope this information helps.

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