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Why Is The Better Business Bureau Calling You A Bambie? |
In response to the Article, we received the below E-Mail from Ms. Jeanne Schumacher, Executive Field Rep, with the Toledo Ohio BBB.
The below E-Mail is just as received by BizNet Online Magazine. We have not changed or edited it in any way. We ask that all of our readers read both the Original article and the below response then give us their opinions.
So lets get started,
here is the Message from the BBB:
----- Original Message
-----
From:
jeanne
Sent: Monday, March 13,
2000 10:23 AM
Subject: re:BBB
Dear Mr. Tyler:
It's foolish reporting
such as what you printed that attempts to destroy national reputations that
makes ME wonder what kind of business YOU are.
Erronious remarks made
in your article, "Anyone Know Who I Can Report..."
regarding tactics made
by sales individuals with the Better Business Bureau is irresponsible. As
one of the field reps for the BBB for the last 5 years, we are NEVER trained to
use false information to "get businesses to join", but in fact we ARE
required to speak with a decision maker, not someone who simply answers the
phone. There are so many benefits to being a member, but in this day and
age, this non-profit organization is competing for membership support with
a whole lot of other groups, some real, some not, that we cannot afford to speak
with Bambi the receptionist entrusted to take our message back to
the President of the company. Call screening is very much a part of
business, and we have 30 seconds to get our point across. Information like
you put out doesn't help what we are trying to do, and responsible businesses
are the only types we can invite to become members. We don't hold
membership drives EVER, as it is not within our best interests. Therefore,
our membership stats show that only a fraction of ethical businesses (about
2-3%) support our efforts nationally. We are here simply to serve the
community by helping businesses maintain ethical standards, which in turn helps
us all. You, I'm sure, find YOUR WAY into peoples pockets by any means
possible, maybe a little deception, stretching advertising numbers, etc.
How does it feel to be
accused of something like that? Not good, I'm guessing.
We are trying to do the
right thing across the country with very little dollars, and maybe even less
after what you printed. It's a shame that journalism has sunk to
undocumented finger pointing. But why should your company be any different?
PS: By the way,
we were just awarded the most informative website on the internet.
Take that.
Jeanne Schumacher
Executive Field Rep
BBB Toledo, Ohio
Response from
BizNet Online Magazine:
Dear Ms. Schumacher:
This response is in reference to your E-Mail dated March 13, 2000. At first I was unsure just how to respond to your statements. Your response shows that you did the very thing that you are accusing BizNet Online Magazine of doing. Had you taken the time to research the matter before responding you would know that Tyler did not write the Article in Question, I did (Mike Lipshultz). None of the remarks made in that article were “Erroneous”. How do I know? Easy, I not only wrote the article, but I have also been a victim of the tactics I accused the BBB of using in my Article. As for destroying the “National Reputation” of the BBB; first, no one can destroy another business’s reputation unless the business in question gives them the fuel for the fire. Second, I have the fuel. If I really wanted to destroy the BBB I would have made the taped conversation I had with the BBB representatives available online. It is just part of my “Proof”.
As for your remarks
that “You, I'm sure, find YOUR WAY into peoples pockets by any means possible,
maybe a little deception, stretching advertising numbers, etc.” I can
assure you that BizNet Online Magazine maintains very high business standards.
Had you taken the time to read some of the articles we have written on Business Networking,
you would see for yourself the type of behavior we not only preach, but
practice. In fact, how’s this for putting my money where my month is?
If you can find (and document) one advertiser that has ever advertised in BizNet
Online Magazine, and felt they paid too much for their ad and did not get a good
value and results for the money they paid, I will, out of my own pocket, pay you
$500.00.
I believe your letter demonstrates that the representatives of the BBB are not responsible business individuals. Why would I say that? After reading your message I found it hard to believe that any person in the modern business world would ever refer to a Receptionist (or Secretary) as a “Bambie”. What makes this comment even more disturbing is that you are a woman. Do you have any idea how nasty and derogatory that word is. And worse yet, you use it because the Receptionist is just doing her “Job”. You also show how closed minded you are in believing that all receptionist are Women. I could go on and on, however I will close by simply saying that I believe your response does more harm to the reputation of the BBB then my article did. I thank you for giving me more proof that the BBB has fallen on hard times and is now slowly abandoning the high standards that got them their reputation in the first place.
PS.
As for your web site? I’m glad it got an award. I never mentioned it in my article. Just the BBB’s shameful marketing calls.
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Last modified: November 08, 2002
