Consumer Agency Switching To Letter Grades

WALLINGFORD — Better Business Bureau has integrated a new ratings system that replaces the less-detailed “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” scale used in BBB Reliability Reports in the past. Under the new ratings system, companies will be assigned letter grades ranging from A+ to F.

Connecticut Better Business Bureau President Paulette Hotton Scarpetti says the change will arm consumers with more detailed information about a particular business’s marketplace behavior.

“This is a significant improvement in the reporting system,” she said in a January 8 notice. “The ratings formula can help consumers make more educated decisions about goods and service providers at a time when money is tight. These new reports make it easy and convenient to research and compare local businesses before making a purchase.”

The new ratings formula is based on 16 weighted factors that draw upon objective information, which is verified and evaluated by BBB professionals. Specific issues that affect a business’s rating are described in detail in BBB Reliability Reports.

Criteria include:

*A business’s overall complaint history with BBB, including the number and severity of consumer complaints.

*Whether complaints have been resolved in a timely manner or the company demonstrated good faith in trying to resolve them.

*How long a business has been operating and whether it meets appropriate competency licensing.

*Government actions against the business related to marketplace activities.

*Advertising issues evaluated by BBB.

*Whether the business is BBB accredited, having committed to BBB Standards for Trust.

Ratings factors also take into account BBB’s opinion as to whether business models and industries operate in violation of the law, misrepresent products and services, and are likely to generate trade practice concerns and/or have high levels customer dissatisfaction.

Both BBB accredited and nonaccredited businesses in the BBB database will receive a letter grade as part of their report. An explanation of the ratings system is linked to every Reliability Report.

For more information on BBB ratings and to find out which local businesses make the grade, visit www.bbb.org.