Ottawa Landscaping Contractors: Choosing the right one...
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been an excellent organization serving consumers and businesses alike for nearly a century. Founded in 1912 by the Associated Advertising Clubs of America (currently the American Advertising Federation), it started out as movement by industry to self-regulate and adopt truth in advertising standards. It's now better known by most as a champion of the consumer--a place to file complaints and check a business's overall service or performance rating.
For most businesses, deciding to join the Better Business Bureau is purely a marketing decision. Since many consumers assume members of the Better Business Bureau operate at a higher standard, it's a relatively inexpensive way to buy credibility. Do BBB member companies really operate at a higher standard? Unfortunately consumers are somewhat misled. Even the BBB website explains that BBB membership does not guarantee quality service or workmanship from an organization. Membership is simply an agreement between a business and the BBB. A pledge that the member business will operate under the Better Business Bureau "Standards of Conduct" now referred to as "Code of Business Practices (Accreditation Standards)".
The Better Business Bureau has come under fire of late for violating some of the very truth in advertising tenets on which it was founded. They have muddied the waters somewhat. Until recently, consumers could search for a business on a BBB website and get an impartial review of how well a company was performing. Today, if a company is not a dues-paying member of the Better Business Bureau, consumer searches show the listing against a grey, drab and lifeless background and often with an NR rating. That, in and of itself, implies a company is too obscure to even rate-even if that business is well established and respected by consumers and industry peers alike.
If a company is a dues paying member of the BBB, however, you're greeted with a bright and lively two tone blue listing, and a company is immediately rated and referred to as "accredited". Furthermore, the term "accredited" implies that member companies have earned some noble status when in truth, all they've done is paid a yearly membership fee and agreed to operate under the BBB Standards of Conduct. Essentially they get preferential treatment for supporting the BBB.
A recent Smart Money magazine article goes even further and implies that the BBB is too cozy with the firms it monitors. The article goes on to say that paying members might actually be given higher ratings or more favorable treatment than non-paying members. The BBB is also under fire, and being sued in the U.S., for favoritism. Incorp Services Inc. is suing the BBB of Southern Nevada claiming BBB ratings are biased in favor of companies paying accreditation fees. There is mounting criticism that the BBB ratings standards are flawed, obscure and unreliable. Scott Jordan, a freelance writer in Mesa Arizona, also questions the reliability of the BBB rating system. According to his article the BBB simply doesn't have the resources necessary to give any single business more than a fleeting glimpse, let alone a proper rating.
A few years ago we were dues paying members of the BBB and enjoyed an A+ rating on one of those beautiful two tone banners. Since we only ever get asked if we are BBB members about 10% of the time, we felt our dues and membership fees budget could be better used. We made a strategic decision to put more money in training; training that earns us accreditations that our pertinent to our business and helps support our industry association. We've since lost our beautiful, two tone banner and are now listed as NR. Nothing was done to lose our rating other than opting out of the BBB program.
There's a great irony here. Unless things change at the BBB, consumers will lose faith in the organization. If consumers can't rely on the information they provide, The BBB itself could be brought down by the very tenets on which they were founded. The very same standards of conduct they have members swear to uphold-Truth in Advertising.
I still encourage consumers to use the Better Business Bureau when vetting a landscape contractor. Chances are if a company isn't flying right they'll show up on the BBB radar. However, if a company is not listed on the BBB website, or listed and not rated "NR", consumers owe it to themselves to go even further in their research or risk disqualifying very qualified and capable companies. Ultimately, the better business bureau should only be considered as one of a list of things to consider when hiring a contractor. You should at the very least:
* Check contractor references from current and past customers.
* Check references from dealers and suppliers whenever possible.
* Ask the contractor if they are part of any industry associations.
* Ask for and check on any relevant industry accreditations.
* A contractor should have a valid business license.
* Validate that the contractor has Liability Insurance.
* Confirm that the contractor pays into the Workman's Compensation program-this can protect you from injury lawsuits from anyone getting hurt on the site.
Go ahead and check the Better Business Bureau ratings, but don't let the drab grey listings or lack of "accreditation" mislead. Put a lot more weight in a full company vetting process. A company may well have simply made a strategic financial decision to support more relevant industry organizations and earn true industry accreditations.
For most businesses, deciding to join the Better Business Bureau is purely a marketing decision. Since many consumers assume members of the Better Business Bureau operate at a higher standard, it's a relatively inexpensive way to buy credibility. Do BBB member companies really operate at a higher standard? Unfortunately consumers are somewhat misled. Even the BBB website explains that BBB membership does not guarantee quality service or workmanship from an organization. Membership is simply an agreement between a business and the BBB. A pledge that the member business will operate under the Better Business Bureau "Standards of Conduct" now referred to as "Code of Business Practices (Accreditation Standards)".
The Better Business Bureau has come under fire of late for violating some of the very truth in advertising tenets on which it was founded. They have muddied the waters somewhat. Until recently, consumers could search for a business on a BBB website and get an impartial review of how well a company was performing. Today, if a company is not a dues-paying member of the Better Business Bureau, consumer searches show the listing against a grey, drab and lifeless background and often with an NR rating. That, in and of itself, implies a company is too obscure to even rate-even if that business is well established and respected by consumers and industry peers alike.
If a company is a dues paying member of the BBB, however, you're greeted with a bright and lively two tone blue listing, and a company is immediately rated and referred to as "accredited". Furthermore, the term "accredited" implies that member companies have earned some noble status when in truth, all they've done is paid a yearly membership fee and agreed to operate under the BBB Standards of Conduct. Essentially they get preferential treatment for supporting the BBB.
A recent Smart Money magazine article goes even further and implies that the BBB is too cozy with the firms it monitors. The article goes on to say that paying members might actually be given higher ratings or more favorable treatment than non-paying members. The BBB is also under fire, and being sued in the U.S., for favoritism. Incorp Services Inc. is suing the BBB of Southern Nevada claiming BBB ratings are biased in favor of companies paying accreditation fees. There is mounting criticism that the BBB ratings standards are flawed, obscure and unreliable. Scott Jordan, a freelance writer in Mesa Arizona, also questions the reliability of the BBB rating system. According to his article the BBB simply doesn't have the resources necessary to give any single business more than a fleeting glimpse, let alone a proper rating.
A few years ago we were dues paying members of the BBB and enjoyed an A+ rating on one of those beautiful two tone banners. Since we only ever get asked if we are BBB members about 10% of the time, we felt our dues and membership fees budget could be better used. We made a strategic decision to put more money in training; training that earns us accreditations that our pertinent to our business and helps support our industry association. We've since lost our beautiful, two tone banner and are now listed as NR. Nothing was done to lose our rating other than opting out of the BBB program.
There's a great irony here. Unless things change at the BBB, consumers will lose faith in the organization. If consumers can't rely on the information they provide, The BBB itself could be brought down by the very tenets on which they were founded. The very same standards of conduct they have members swear to uphold-Truth in Advertising.
I still encourage consumers to use the Better Business Bureau when vetting a landscape contractor. Chances are if a company isn't flying right they'll show up on the BBB radar. However, if a company is not listed on the BBB website, or listed and not rated "NR", consumers owe it to themselves to go even further in their research or risk disqualifying very qualified and capable companies. Ultimately, the better business bureau should only be considered as one of a list of things to consider when hiring a contractor. You should at the very least:
* Check contractor references from current and past customers.
* Check references from dealers and suppliers whenever possible.
* Ask the contractor if they are part of any industry associations.
* Ask for and check on any relevant industry accreditations.
* A contractor should have a valid business license.
* Validate that the contractor has Liability Insurance.
* Confirm that the contractor pays into the Workman's Compensation program-this can protect you from injury lawsuits from anyone getting hurt on the site.
Go ahead and check the Better Business Bureau ratings, but don't let the drab grey listings or lack of "accreditation" mislead. Put a lot more weight in a full company vetting process. A company may well have simply made a strategic financial decision to support more relevant industry organizations and earn true industry accreditations.
