|
A prospective BBB member must have been actively engaged in business in the Southeast Virginia/Northeast North Carolina area for a minimum of one year. However, if the principals have operated this or a different company in a satisfactory manner for the required time in this or another BBB service area, or the firm is a branch of an existing member or company that has met these standards, the one year requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Bureau. If a company not meeting the one year requirement signs an agreement pre-committing to BBB mediation or arbitration in connection with a customer dispute, the Bureau may waive the one year requirement for General Membership .
The authorized and approved method of membership identification for General Membership is through display of the BBB
membership plaque and/or decal at the member's place of business. A new member with less than one year in business who
pre-commits to BBB mediation and arbitration may advertise BBB membership in the following transient local media only:
newspaper, flyers, direct mail, TV and radio. More extensive advertising of membership is provided through the BBB
Membership Identification Program (MIP) and BBB Online program for members in business over one year (see separate MIP
and OnLine agreements).
A business must provide general information on the nature of their business and on the background of the business, its principals, and other information deemed necessary by the BBB, so that it may conduct the necessary background investigation to develop
a factual Reliability Report on the company.
A business must fulfill all licensing and bonding requirements of applicable city, county, state and federal agencies and
authorities; provide license numbers upon application for BBB membership; and provide periodic updates on request from the
Bureau.
A business must agree to support the purpose and function of the Better Business Bureau as defined by its By-Laws and cooperate with Bureau activities and efforts to promote voluntary self-regulation within the business industry.
A business and its principals must enjoy a good business reputation in the community and not be the subject of any adverse
information in Better Business Bureau files, including any local, state or federal government actions involving their business
practices. Their public image or reputation shall not be of such a nature that, in the opinion of the Better Business Bureau, it would unfavorably affect public opinion of the BBB, its members or objectives.
A business must be free from any governmental action concerning the marketplace and its customers that demonstrates a
significant failure of the company to support the principles and purposes of the Better Business Bureau. A membership must be suspended by the BBB's board when an action is filed if the allegations suggest such a failure.
A business must agree to promptly respond to customer complaints presented by the BBB, and to make corrections or adjustments deemed appropriate by the Bureau in a timely and businesslike fashion.
A business must be free of any pattern of complaints and cooperate with the Bureau to eliminate underlying causes of any future pattern of complaints the Bureau brings to its attention. It must also be free from an unsatisfactory report at the BBB in whose service area the company is headquartered.
A business must support the principles and purposes of the Better Business Bureau and not engage in any activity that reflects
unfavorably on the Bureau and its members.
A business must adhere to established BBB advertising and selling standards, including the Code of OnLine Business Practices for online businesses that apply for the BBBOnLine Reliability logo, and it must agree to provide the Bureau with
substantiation of any challenged advertising or selling claims and cooperate with the Bureau in matters relating thereto.
A business must complete and sign the BBB Membership Information Questionnaire and pay dues and fees set by the BBB.
Failure to maintain the BBB Membership Standards shall result in termination of membership and termination of the right to
advertise BBB membership or, to use or display the BBB membership plaque and/or decal.
|
