BBB 2 0 2 Market the Monitor 9 · Sales for a FREE demo at 888-946-8355. ... TPA. Current...
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Market Monitor the News for Better Business Bureau Accredited Businesses February 2012 INSIDE Service to the Community Reports issued on companies/charities................... 855,754 Customer complaints filed.............10,873 Lists of BBB Accredited Businesses provided by industry .................... 85,760 www.cleveland.bbb.org visits...... 752,650 Advertising review cases initiated...... Top 10 Inquiry-Generating Industries 1. Roofing Contractors 2. Mortgage Brokers 3. Construction & Remodeling Services 4. General Contractors 5. Collection Agencies 6. Health & Medical (General) 7. Auto Repair & Services 8. Plumbing Contractors 9. Auto Dealers - New Cars 10. Auto Dealers - Used Cars Top 10 Complaint-Generating Industries 1. Insurance Companies 2. Auto Dealers - Used Cars 3. Roofing Contractors 4. Auto Dealers - New Cars 5. Collection Agencies 6. Auto Repair & Service 7. TV, Cable, & Satellite 8. Manufacturers & Producers 9. Mail Order & Catalog Shopping 10. Banks Greater Cleveland BBB Activity Report January - December 2011 261 Can’t do Group Rating? Try Group Retro Meet a New BBB Director Visual History of the BBB B2B Discounts for You Out to Lunch Local businesses lead list of unanswered complaints BB Serving Greater Cleveland handled almost 11,000 complaints during 2011. While most businesses responded to complaints they received, there were some who opted to ignore them and left complaints to be closed as “Unanswered.” The top five businesses that generated the most unanswered complaints during 2011 were: Friendship House – This online seller of goods for music and dance instructors has racked up nearly 160 complaints in the past three years. Its “F” rated record reflects a pattern of complaints concerning failure to deliver ordered merchandise and inability to contact the company to determine the status of orders. Non Stop Connections - BBB began receiving complaints about this business in 2007 from inmates who had paid between $30 and $50 to place personal ads through the company and choose up to five female “pen” pals. The company’s brochure states it has over 3,000 female members who will supply photos and are willing to accept correspondence from incarcerated men. Some inmates report the firm has cashed their checks but has not run ads or sent the ordered photos. In cases where photos were sent, the addresses for the mem- bers were not current and mail was returned by the Post Office as undeliverable. Non Stop Connections also has an “F” rating. Real Benefits Association – BBB has several names on file for this company in- cluding AIM Health Plans and Viking Administrators. Consumers report this busi- ness sells plans nationwide that offer discounted health care services but fails to pay claims. It operates from a P.O. Box in Avon, Ohio. BBB has alerted Depart- ments of Insurance in various states as well, as FBI authorities, to this company’s practices which have earned it an “F” rating. Northeast Electronics Sales and Service – This Cleveland business generated complaints when it accepted advanced payment for TV repairs and failed to re- pair and return the TV’s. Some consumers also complained about used TV’s they purchased from the business when Northeast failed to honor warranties. The Ohio Attorney General sued Northeast in November, 2011, for various violations of Ohio consumer law. This “F” rated company’s phone number is now discon- nected. When a business fails to respond to consumer complaints, BBB advises the consumers to contact the Ohio Attorney General or other agency for assistance. BBB also alerts the Ohio Attorney General and other appropriate law enforcement agencies when a business generates an inordinate volume of complaints that are not being resolved or its practices warrant further investigation. B Be sure to research personal and business purchases at cleveland.bbb.org. You can obtain BBB Business Reviews on companies and charities throughout the U.S. and Canada. Or call your Accredited Business Hotline at (216) 241-4476. B B B C e n t e n n i a l 1 9 1 2 - 2 0 1 2 Out to Lunch
Transcript of BBB 2 0 2 Market the Monitor 9 · Sales for a FREE demo at 888-946-8355. ... TPA. Current...
MarketMonitortheNews for Better Business Bureau Accredited Businesses February 2012
INSIDE
Service to the CommunityReports issued on companies/charities................... 855,754Customer complaints filed.............10,873Lists of BBB Accredited Businesses provided by industry........ ............ 85,760www.cleveland.bbb.org visits...... 752,650Advertising review cases initiated......
Top 10 Inquiry-Generating Industries
1. Roofing Contractors2. Mortgage Brokers3. Construction & Remodeling Services4. General Contractors5. Collection Agencies6. Health & Medical (General)7. Auto Repair & Services8. Plumbing Contractors9. Auto Dealers - New Cars10. Auto Dealers - Used Cars
Top 10 Complaint-Generating Industries
1. Insurance Companies2. Auto Dealers - Used Cars3. Roofing Contractors4. Auto Dealers - New Cars5. Collection Agencies6. Auto Repair & Service7. TV, Cable, & Satellite8. Manufacturers & Producers9. Mail Order & Catalog Shopping10. Banks
Greater Cleveland BBB Activity Report January - December 2011
261
Can’t do Group Rating? Try Group Retro
Meet a New BBB DirectorVisual History of the BBB
B2B Discounts for You
Out to Lunch Local businesses lead list of unanswered complaints
BB Serving Greater Cleveland handled almost 11,000 complaints during 2011. While most businesses responded to complaints they received, there were some who opted to ignore them and left complaints to be closed as “Unanswered.” The top five businesses that generated the most unanswered complaints during 2011 were:
Friendship House – This online seller of goods for music and dance instructors has racked up nearly 160 complaints in the past three years. Its “F” rated record reflects a pattern of complaints concerning failure to deliver ordered merchandise and inability to contact the company to determine the status of orders.
Non Stop Connections - BBB began receiving complaints about this business in 2007 from inmates who had paid between $30 and $50 to place personal ads through the company and choose up to five female “pen” pals. The company’s brochure states it has over 3,000 female members who will supply photos and are willing to accept correspondence from incarcerated men. Some inmates report the firm has cashed their checks but has not run ads or sent the ordered photos. In cases where photos were sent, the addresses for the mem-bers were not current and mail was returned by the Post Office as undeliverable. Non Stop Connections also has an “F” rating.
Real Benefits Association – BBB has several names on file for this company in-cluding AIM Health Plans and Viking Administrators. Consumers report this busi-ness sells plans nationwide that offer discounted health care services but fails to pay claims. It operates from a P.O. Box in Avon, Ohio. BBB has alerted Depart-ments of Insurance in various states as well, as FBI authorities, to this company’s practices which have earned it an “F” rating.
Northeast Electronics Sales and Service – This Cleveland business generated complaints when it accepted advanced payment for TV repairs and failed to re-pair and return the TV’s. Some consumers also complained about used TV’s they purchased from the business when Northeast failed to honor warranties. The Ohio Attorney General sued Northeast in November, 2011, for various violations of Ohio consumer law. This “F” rated company’s phone number is now discon-nected. When a business fails to respond to consumer complaints, BBB advises the consumers to contact the Ohio Attorney General or other agency for assistance. BBB also alerts the Ohio Attorney General and other appropriate law enforcement agencies when a business generates an inordinate volume of complaints that are not being resolved or its practices warrant further investigation.
B
Be sure to research personal and business purchases at cleveland.bbb.org. You can obtain BBB Business Reviews on companies and charities throughout the U.S. and Canada. Or call your Accredited Business Hotline at (216) 241-4476.
BBB Centennial 1912 - 2012
Out toLunch
B2B Discounts for BBB Accredited Businesses
Credit Card ProcessingTSYS Merchant Solutions offers rates as low as 1.52% on retail transactions and 2.09% for mail and phone orders (plus a nominal fee per transaction). Small monthly fee. Call(888) 562-6737 for details.
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Phone ServiceEaston Telecom - Rates ranging from 2.5¢ - 3.5¢/minute for long distance calls, toll-free lines as low as 1.79¢/minute. 10% discount off most retail services. Contact Jim Butler at (800) 222-8122.
Pre-Employment Background ReportsIntelliCorp provides instant online background checks at deeply discounted rates. Contact IntelliCorp Sales for a FREE demo at 888-946-8355.
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Thanks!
Thanks to the following BBB Accredited Businesses who sponsored our booth at the NARI RemodelOhio Show at the IX Center - Absolute Roofing, COIT Cleaning & Restoration Services, Holland Paving, P.K. Wadsworth, and The Plumbing Source.
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February 2012
Meet a New BBB Director
Name: Donna MintzCompany: Comfort SealPostion: President
Fun Fact: Enjoys raising exotic ducks and caring for other farm animals including horses, dogs, cats, a rabbit, and miniature pigs.
Nature of Business: Sales, installation and service of energy efficient replacement windows and doors for both commercial and residential renovation and new construction projects
Can’t do Group Rating? Try Group RetroWith the cost of Workers’ Compensation continually rising, many businesses not eligible for Group Rating are looking at alternative rating programs such as Group Retrospective to help reduce their premiums. This program is a voluntary performance based incentive program created by BWC-certified sponsors with groups of employers who practice effective workplace safety claims managment to achieve lower premiums than they could on their own.
836 employers - Over 40% of all Ohio Employers participating in Private Group Retrospective Rating Programs - have selected Sheakley, the BBB’s Group Rating TPA. Current participants of the BBB’s Group Retrospective Programs have projected rebates of 51%-59%.
Getting a no cost, no obligation quote is easy! Contact Sheakley’s Mark Miller directly at 440.449.5534
February 2012
The Market MonitorBetter Business Bureau2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Fl.Cleveland, OH 44115-2408
The Market Monitor (ISSN 1085-5122). February 2012. Volume 7 No. . Published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December by the Better Business Bureau, Inc. 2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44115-2408, Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Market Monitor, 2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Fl, Cleveland, OH 44115-2408.
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During 2011, cleveland.bbb.org was visited more than 750,000 times. You can benefit from this exposure with an online sponsorship offered exclusively to BBB Ac-credited Businesses. In the next few months, Platypus Productions will be calling on our behalf to discuss videos and banners available for premium placement on cleveland.bbb.org’s Business Search pages, Home Page, and News Center.
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