Frequent users of the Better Business Bureau’s website to check up on companies will notice a big difference when they review complaints against a particular organization.
Starting Tuesday, the Canadian BBB will be offering more detailed complaints in their free Business Reviews.
Previously, complaints were classified into 12 categories, so only the type of each complaint was reported along with very basic information on how it was closed.
Now, actual text from customer complaints will be used as well as the initial business response, consumer rebuttal, and any final business or consumer response.
"Publishing complaints opens up great customer service opportunities for businesses," says Sandra Crozier-McKee, President and CEO of the BBB Serving Southern Alberta and East Kootenay in a release. "We want businesses to remember they will have the opportunity to respond prior to the complaint being published. Accredited Businesses have made a commitment to respond to complaints and this will provide valuable customer feedback that will ultimately improve their services and public perception.”
The BBB says they are making this change in response to consumer feedback over the past several months.
The change gives consumers more detailed information and companies more of a voice in the complaint process.
The complaints will be screened before they are posted to ensure that no personally identifiable information is in the complaints or rebuttals, such as:
- Consumer names and business personnel/employee names
- Phone numbers
- Addresses
- Order numbers/invoice numbers/contract numbers
- Banking information
- Credit card numbers
- Email addresses
- Social insurance information
- Driver license information
- Date of birth
- Identification numbers of any kind
- Abusive, defamatory and derogatory language
- Any information that would be deemed personally identifiable information
For more information and other consumer tips, visit bbb.org.
