Coping With Complaint and Message Boards
The Better Business Bureau provides mediation services to help consumers and businesses reach a mutually acceptable solution when complaints arise. The BBB acts as a neutral third party, listening to both sides of the story. Companies are ALWAYS made aware of the complaint and given an opportunity to respond BEFORE a complaint is closed and reported. Online complaint boards do not work that way.
Irate consumers post complaints without any checking being done to verify they are even customers and without the company being given a chance to respond. Postings of unverified statements may come from disgruntled former employees, unethical competitors, and consumers who in fact are wrong in their allegations.
Recently we received information from a local accredited business who hasn’t had a complaint filed to the BBB in the last 36 months. This company was told that a negative report had been filed against them by a complaint board and that it could be changed to a positive report if the company:
- admitted wrong doing,
- did what the customer wanted, and
- paid several thousand dollars to participate in what was labeled as “Business Remediation, Customer Satisfaction & Resolution Programs” to remove the complaint.
The complaint board also promised not to post future negative information about companies paying money. It is interesting to note that this complaint board has a BBB rating of an “F” and has not responded to any complaints.
“It’s gotten so bad that we’ve had to file a restraining order against this individual,” said the owner of the local accredited business. “If that’s not bad enough, the complaint board wants us to pay thousands of dollars to remove the false information from their website.”
Again, when a complaint is filed with the BBB, the key is that the company ALWAYS gets to review and respond to allegations BEFORE any reporting of the complaint.
The BBB advises companies that are subjects of allegations posted on complaint boards to prepare a response to the allegations. Review the complaint and response with legal counsel before posting. Depending on circumstances, often the best response may be no response at all. Under no circumstances should companies knuckle under to threats by paying money. The BBB would welcome information about these kinds of tactics.