Is the new roof leaking? The improved dishwasher crunching cups? How about that sweater that unraveled after one wearing? And what happened to the $10 you sent to the charity that called?
If you can't get defective merchandise fixed or you aren't sure if a charity is on the up and up, or if you just want basic information about a company, the Better Business Bureau of Utah might have the answers.Some people might think Better Business Bureaus are anachronisms gone the way of tail fins and wringer washers.
Not so, said Bill Beadle, BBB of Utah president. The Utah agency has seen a steady increase in calls every year. Last year, it logged 140,000 calls. So far this year: 100,151.
Most were general questions, although many involved specific companies. People often ask about a firm's reliability.
"We don't make judgments here but provide information as best we can," Beadle said. "We have a basic rule: If you can't prove it, don't say it."
The bureau also handles complaints and contacts businesses so they can voluntarily straighten things out. So far this year, the bureau has closed 1,791 complaint cases. More extensive mediation and arbitration services are offered, but most complaints are handled at an early stage, Beadle said.
"Enlightened companies know it costs six times as much to get a new customer to walk through that door as it does to take care of an old customer," he said.
Studies by the Technical Assistance Research Project (TARP), a Washington, D.C.-based research firm show that 96 percent of unhappy customers don't complain to managers - but they also don't buy from that company again. TARP found that each dissatisfied customer speaks about a bad business experience to nine other people. But companies can win back 95 percent of unhappy customers if complaints are resolved quickly and satisfactorily.
Bureau services are free to consumers, but Beadle points out that the bureau is not a police agency or legal aid firm. Instead, cooperation is the key.
The bureau's mission is straightforward: It is a nonprofit organization of 1,200 Utah businesses that pushes self-regulation and ethical standards in a free-market system. The idea is to benefit both customers and businesses.
Besides dispute resolution, the bureau provides reliability reports on more than 5,000 Utah companies, reviews advertising and gently prods companies to be sure ads aren't misleading ("We're a nagging conscience," Beadle said), looks at charities and offers seminars for consumers and businesses.
Its $350,000 annual budget is paid by member businesses based on a company's size and number of employees.
Beadle said well-run firms recognize the need to handle consumer complaints well, and they respond promptly when the bureau forwards a disgruntled customer's concerns.
"Companies can improve, but only if you let them know," he said. "The vast, vast majority of companies are operating legitimately."
Most complaints involve allegations of telemarketing fraud ("a nightmare for the last six to eight years"), followed by troubles involving auto repairs and warranties, home improvements such as roofing or siding and home services such as carpet cleaning or furniture repairs.
The bureau forwards even questionable complaints just so a business knows what a customer thinks.
"A satisfied customer is the best salesman for your company and an unsatisfied customer is the worst advertising you can have," Beadle said.
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Buying tips
Try these Better Business Bureau of Utah tips to become a smarter consumer:
- Do your homework. Before making a major purchase, shop around and get information from the library and/or the Better Business Bureau at 487-4656. Learn an industry's jargon and know what to look for.
- If you run into problems with a product or service, speak up.
- Be careful when dealing with telemarketers. Never give credit card numbers over the phone, don't pay in advance for prizes and check out charities calling for donations.