There’s never a lack of feedback for the BBB

Having written this column for well over a year now, I’m still amazed by the feedback I receive.

Because of my photograph, people recognize me on the street and frequently ask to share whatever issues they’re running into with a specific company.

Managers and business owners relate their tales of woe about how hard it is to keep and motivate employees.

Acquaintances talk of cell phone-company challenges as I put in my 20 minutes on the treadmill.

Businesspeople and consumers alike applaud the BBB’s stance, its focus on ethics and specificity when we name names.

And oh, the e-mail messages.

So what industries are people inquiring about?

“ Body Blessings, a tanning salon in Spokane, recently went out of business, leaving now-worthless gift certificates and pre-paid tanning plans. It highlights the risk that can be involved in pre-paying or buying gift certificates. Unfortunately, if a company goes out of business, you’re more than likely out of luck.

“ Hoopfest brought folks downtown from all across our region, and some of them parked where they shouldn’t have. Some, though, made parking arrangements with friends who owned businesses downtown. It looks as though there was some aggressive towing exercised that weekend, even if drivers had permission from the lot owners. Contact TheLocalBBB if you were one of these unfortunate individuals. But please, if you parked where you didn’t belong and were towed, don’t waste our time trying to help you gain resolution.

“ Cell phones and cell-phone plans continue to make users crazy, and are generating a lot of complaints throughout the Better Business Bureau system. (This industry has generated enough complaints that www.bbb.org has created a section on its main page entitled “cell phone” under “file a complaint.” If you’re having unresolved issues, use this section to file.)

Complaints include promised coverage that doesn’t exist, roaming charges that crop up in areas the providers say are covered, minutes rounded off so high that estimating usage is difficult, and now, questionable contracts.

A recent change in the cell phone world is the ability to take your phone number to another carrier. But read those contracts carefully. There are some huge penalties involved if you cancel the contract before it ends. Know what you’re signing.

“ More people stop me to talk about AT&T than any other subject. And the news isn’t good. Customers of this company’s cell phone, long-distance and Internet service continue to encounter challenges trying to resolve problems, and I’m constantly surprised at the writhing hostility individuals express about the effort.

Again, file complaints with the BBB and the Federal Trade Commission and write your members of Congress.

All of this leads me to question: Where does the buck stop? Kenneth Lay pleads not guilty based on the supposition that information provided to him was false. Who is responsible, anyway?

I spend a lot of time talking about accountability and business ethics. Where have they gone? Are those concepts still alive?

Based on the comments I’ve heard from business leaders in the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene area, businesses and their customers still do care.

But they’re sick of the headlines, of those who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions. They resist being put into the same category with liars and cheats. They applaud exposing wrongdoings with clear facts and neutral reports.

It’s refreshing to have these conversations, and I hope they keep happening in boardrooms, employee lounges and at staff meetings. Live, breath and practice taking responsibility and holding people accountable; it’s a challenge worth keeping alive.

I have also received a number of angry letters, calls and e-mails from companies named in these columns. On a few occasions this sort of contact has forged a gap so the BBB and the company can work on offering better customer service, thus reducing their volume of complaints. More often than not, though, a company just goes away hurt. It’s a forum they don’t always appreciate.

Here’s the bottom line: Keep checking before you do business. It’s much more productive helping someone make the right choice rather than trying to undo a bad situation. There are more than 100,000 businesses in our service area — don’t you want to know what we know before you make a choice?