The BBB Difference:

MISSION& STANDARDS

St. Louis BBB plans first Illinois regional officepage 4

BBB reaches out to serve ethnic communities page 8

Connecting with BBB on social media page 10

Advancing Trust, Accreditation Process Make BBB Stand Out from the Pack page 6

www.bbb.org/stlouis Summer 2016

Kevin Deptula, president and CEO

of Builders Bloc

Better Business BureauSummer 2016 Better Business BureauSummer 2016

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RESERVE YOURSPOTS NOW!

ST. LOUIS REGION MID-MISSOURI REGION

Tuesday, October 4, 201611:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Champagne Ballroom,

Columbia, MO $25.00/person; $250 patron sponsor

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BBB Expands Services To New Areas,

Ethnic Minorities

Board of Directors

The mission of Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois is to be the

leader in advancing marketplace trust.

* Chair **Past Chair ***Ex-Officio

Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Missouri

& Southern Illinois211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060,

St. Louis, MO 63102Phone: (314) 645-3300

Fax: (314) 645-2666Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m.

Jerri Stroud, Editor Email: editor@stlouisbbb.org

Paul BirnerRenewal by Andersen

David BreckenridgeMoneta Group

Tim CombsHelitech Waterproofing

Michelle L. Corey***Better Business Bureau

Ron CrowLaclede Gas Co.

Tonya DemullingEnterprise Rent-A-Car

Kevin DeptulaBuilder’s Bloc Contracting

Kevin DrollingerEpworth Children & Family Services

Darlene ElderBuild-A-Bear Workshop

Kim GarnerBEST Transportation

Robert J. Hoffmann**Hoffmann Brothers

Jim HoldenerAmeren Missouri

Steven HorstGraybar

Michael HurstRukus

Keesha IrvingCharter Communications

Marlene JonesBJC Healthcare

Justin LeeRubinBrown

Tim LeonGeile/Leon Marketing Communications

Scott Mosby*Mosby Building Arts

D. NarainMonsanto Co.

Michael RottlerRottler Pest & Lawn Solutions

Carolyn Sandgren-KempfElite Travel

Scott SchaeferSchaefer Auto Body

Joseph W. Schmelzle**United Van Lines

Will SmithCaleres

Tom StreibStreib Electric Co.

Tom ThielChesterfield Fence & Deck Co.

Thomas B. WalshDrury Hotels Co.

T. William White**Commerce Bank N.A.

Torchlight (ISSN 1547-2043 USPS 053-540) is published quarterly by Better Business Bureau, 211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060, St. Louis, MO 63102. Subscriptions are available to BBB Accredited Businesses only. Periodicals postage paid at St. Louis, MO. Postmaster: Send address changes to Torchlight, 211 N. Broadway, Suite 2060, St. Louis, MO 63102.

A message from the President

Your Better Business Bureau can be thought of as treasure chest filled with thousands of BBB Accredited Businesses and BBB Accredited Charities, burnished by years of hard work, an unwavering emphasis on quality, marketplace integrity and customer service.

So, it seems appropriate that BBB’s newest branch office is expected to open later this year in the Mississippi River community of Quincy, long known as the “Gem City” in Illinois.

Just in time for our BBB’s 100-year anniversary in 2017, Quincy joins Columbia, Mo., and Cape Girardeau, Mo., as a BBB regional office, under the direction and guidance of our St. Louis headquarters. As St. Louis BBB’s first Illinois-based office, the new branch will serve the northernmost reaches of our 92-county area. The region is rich in scenic beauty, history and commerce, and probably best known as the boyhood home of Hannibal’s Mark Twain.

That news, by itself, would be exciting enough, but it is only part of BBB’s continuing commitment to bring its services to previously underserved communities across the bi-state area.

BBB’s Cape Girardeau office, headed by Joey Keys, already is beginning to reach across the Mighty Mississippi into Southern Illinois. In coming months, Keys will be expanding the office’s geographic reach into several Illinois communities, with a focus on Effingham and Coles counties.

The goal is to increase recognition of BBB, increase consumer usage of BBB’s free services and work with businesses and charities to earn BBB Accreditation status. He will be working with local media, speaking to business and consumer groups and meeting with business owners.

The effort is similar to the outreach approach that has been underway in BBB’s Mid-Missouri office in Columbia, headed by Sean Spence.

But BBB’s efforts at inclusion are not restricted to geography. Under the direction of Education Coordinator Maggie Sueme, BBB is beginning to move into the region’s ethnic communities in an effort to educate new groups of consumers and businesses on the value of BBB.

Thousands of minorities and immigrants too often have found themselves on the outside looking in, as cultural, economic or language barriers have kept consumers and businesses from taking full advantage of what BBB has to offer.

Spurred by the Federal Trade Commission’s Ethnic Media

Conference in April, BBB has made this a priority for our region in the coming year.

The conference, hosted by BBB in St. Louis, featured representatives of the public, law enforcement, ethnic media and local and national consumer and business groups, all intent on finding better ways to educate minority and ethnic groups about scams and wise buying and giving tips.

Sueme also has been redoubling BBB’s efforts to bring our message to seniors through BBB’s speakers bureau, as well as continuing to reach out to some of our youngest consumers through the In Pursuit of Ethics program for high school students.

For nearly a century, BBB Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois has been a proven and trusted source of vital information for tens of thousands of consumers. They depend on us for help as they seek trusted businesses to provide the products or services they need. We are happy to help.

Our treasure chest, our BBB family, still has plenty of room to grow.

Michelle Corey President & CEO, CAE

Join BBB in honoring outstanding local businesses, charities and students

St. Louis BBB’s first Illinois-based office in Quincy, Illinois joins Columbia, Mo., and Cape Girardeau, Mo, as a BBB regional office.

St. Louis Region:go.bbb.org/29dlCXP

or contact Chelsie Hellercheller@stlouisbbb.org

314.645.0606

Mid-Missouri Region:go.bbb.org/29dmPyD

or contact Sean Spencesspence@midmobbb.org

573.886.8965

Thursday, October 27, 2016Chase Park Plaza Hotel

10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Speaker sponsor networking with speaker

11:30 a.m. to noon”Gain by Giving” networking event

Noon to 1:30 p.m. Luncheon

1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Winners Circle event for networking

and congratulating 2016 TORCH winnersEmcee: Andre Hepkins, KMOV-TV anchor

$60/person; $1,500 patron sponsor

ST. LOUIS KEYNOTE SPEAKER Mr. Dennis Lower, President & CEO of Cortex Innovation Community,has been involved in technology-based

economic development since 1995, with a focus on the planning and development of

university-sponsored urban innovation districts.

By Jerri Stroud BBB Editor

BBB’s annual Shred Day events put the focus on preventing identity theft, fraud that is rampant in America.

Missouri ranked first in identity theft complaints last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission, and Illinois ranked fifth. St. Louis had the largest number of complaints per capita of any large metropolitan area.

BBB Shred Day seeks to reduce the chance of identity theft by providing free shredding of outdated but sensitive documents and by encouraging consumers to take steps to protect their identity.

This year, BBB and other volunteers collected nearly 30 tons of paper at four locations – St. Louis Galleria, the Edwardsville Schnucks, at Cape Girardeau’s West Park Mall and on the Office Depot parking lot in Columbia, Mo.

Estimates for the amounts collected were: 34,000 pounds at Saint Louis Galleria; 12,000 pounds in Edwardsville; 9,000 pounds in Columbia and 4,000 pounds in Cape Girardeau. Shred-it, a Securit company, supplied shredding trucks at all four sites.

Kevin Kuberski, branch manager for Shred-it in St. Louis, says the company does several community events each year as a community service and to spread awareness of its commercial grade shredding services.

“People like to know that their sensitive papers are being shredded securely,” he said. “We also recycle that paper, and it is used to make paper products that we all use.”

Mike Seabaugh, owner of Seabaugh Appraisals who volunteered in Cape Girardeau, said he believes free shredding such as offered at BBB Shred Day events is important to the community.

“There is a heightened awareness of identity theft, and I feel that by BBB offering this service the community feels that they are safe to use this service without fear of identity theft,” Seabaugh said.

“Better Business Bureau and Schnucks have a long history of working together, and we’re happy to offer the parking lot of our Edwardsville, Ill., store for the annual Shred Day,” said Joanie Taylor, Schnucks director of community affairs and consumer relations and a former BBB board chair. “Helping

to bring this great service to customers and citizens in the metro east is something we’re pleased to do.”

The Bank of Missouri’s Drew Zorn was a volunteer at the Mid-Missouri Shred Day.

“Volunteering for Shred Day is important not only because of the valuable service the event provides to our community but it is probably BBB’s most publicly visible event,” Zorn said. “I wanted to use that opportunity to share the significance and broad scope of services available through the BBB with people we may not otherwise reach.”

Sherry Major of Columbia EDP said, “It was important as a board member to volunteer for Shred Day to help spread the word that we have a local BBB office, to participate in a great event needed in the community, and to help build on the BBB trust.”

“The BBB shred day event is great for a lot of reasons,” said Jim Pellock, owner of Precision

Construction Services. “First and foremost, it destroys information on papers that are no longer needed. This eliminates the possibility of that information being compromised. Another great benefit is conserving the resource of the paper and recycling the

material for other uses. But, my favorite part of the whole event is getting to meet and visit with lots of great people.”

“I am amazed at the many people who use this service,” said

Jason Ingram, a partner in Accelerated Wealth in Columbia. “And I can’t help but be thankful knowing that their documents can’t be copied, their IDs stolen or sensitive information revealed to anyone. This yearly service by BBB is a home run.”

Check BBB newsletters and promotions for information about next year’s Shred Day.

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News & Notes for BBB Accredited Businesses in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois

BBB celebrated its first Cape Girardeau regional TORCH Awards this spring, honoring three businesses, a charity and a student for exceptional ethics and service to customers and the community.

The reception, held at Ray’s Plaza Banquet Center, drew about 100 people from the Cape Girardeau BBB region covering 28 counties in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

The TORCH award winners were:• The Bank of Missouri, with

numerous locations across Southeast Missouri.

• Johannes Auto Sales, Jackson, Mo.• SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott

Counties, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

• Southeast Missouri Food Bank, Sikeston, Mo.

Jamie Elizabeth Hodge, a senior at Delta RV High School, was the winner of a $1,000 Student of Ethics award. Hodge was unable to attend, but her mother accepted a certificate on her behalf. Hodge plans to use the award to study psychology and counseling at Union University in Jackson, Tenn.

BBB is grateful to Wren Homes, the presenting sponsor, who helped make the event possible. Other sponsors included: The Bank of Missouri, Elite Travel, Bollinger County Abstract & Title, Seabaugh Appraisal, SOTO Property Solutions, SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties, Tri-State Water, Power & Air and Drury Hotels.

TORCH Awards Winners and others at the Cape Girardeau Regional BBB TORCH Awards, held Thursday, April 28, at Ray’s Plaza Banquet Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. BBB TORCH awards recognize organizations with exceptional ethics and service. Pictured are Joey Keys, Cape Girardeau BBB regional director, back left. Back row, from left: Morgan Grothaus, Melissa Rice, Tiffany Campbell and Janey Foust of the Southeast Missouri Food Bank, Aaron Panton of The Bank of Missouri, Donna Schuette of Johannes Auto Sales, Sandy Hastings, co-owner of SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties, and Michelle Corey, BBB president and CEO. Front row, from left, Jennifer Wood, Joyce Wollenburg and Karen Green of the Southeast Missouri Food Bank and Amanda Hanson, reporter and anchor for KFVS12 and emcee for the event.

BBB Collects Nearly 30 Tons of Paper at Four Events

Cape Girardeau Regional BBB TORCH Award winners honored

Joey Keys presents a TORCH Award to Donna Schuette, co-owner of Johannes Auto Sales.

GALLERIA: 34,000 lbs.TOTAL POUNDS COLLECTED: 58,247

EDWARDSVILLE: 12,000 lbs. COLUMBIA: 9,000 lbs.

CAPE GIRARDEAU: 4,000 lbs.

BBB SHRED DAY 2016

Five Reasons to Value BBB AccreditationConsumers clicked on BBB Business Reviews 3.6 million times last year. These are highly motivated consumers who are looking for

products and services they want to buy.

More than 2.9 million consumers interacted with BBB electronically through electronic newsletters and social media. They really value the

information that BBB provides.

BBB resolved 89 percent of the 21,239 complaints filed last year. Resolving complaints is a great way to build consumer trust in

businesses.

BBB investigated 285 companies and charities last year, resulting in 50 BBB alerts to consumers. Calling out businesses with substandard

business practices helps build trust in the marketplace.

More than 7,300 businesses and 226 charities were BBB Accredited in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois as of Dec. 31. You can be proud

to be among this elite group.

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seal of approval,” Major said. “BBB is the leader in having quality standards for members.”

“For me, standards are important regardless of your sector, whether you are a business or a charity,” said Kevin Drollinger, a BBB board member and CEO of Epworth Children & Family Services. “Standards are a promise to the community about how you will perform and what you will do.”

BBB’s standards are “tried and true principles,” such as telling the truth, advertising honestly and honoring promises, Drollinger added.

BBB “encourages companies to strive to do better, to build an organization on ethics and integrity,” said Thomas Thiel, president of Chesterfield Fence & Deck Co. “The foundation of having great service is integrity.”

Thiel, who joined BBB’s board in 2015,

said BBB stands out in the profusion of websites offering business directories and reviews.

“BBB is the only one with a holistic approach,” Thiel said. Other organizations do little or nothing to help businesses build a relationship with their customers. The sites’ only goal is driving traffic to their sites, he said.

Thiel also appreciates BBB’s investigations that call out bad behavior by other companies.

“Bad service providers hurt the marketplace for everyone,” he said. When a consumer who has been hurt by a business is asked by another firm to provide a deposit, they may resist. “People will say, ‘I’m not going to give a deposit because the last guy took my deposit and did no work.

“It’s important to have an organization like BBB to encourage companies to have ethics and to be a watchdog,” Thiel said. BBB

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Set BBB Apart in Building Marketplace Trust

In today’s marketplace, how does BBB differentiate itself from all the other purveyors

of business directories, customer reviews and other business information?

Business leaders throughout Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois say that BBB’s mission of advancing marketplace trust and its standards-based accreditation process make it stand out from the pack.

“BBB has the people you should go to first,” said Kevin Deptula, president and CEO of Builders Bloc, one of the largest residential building subcontractors in the St. Louis area. “If you’re looking for a fair and honest review from a consumer that is verified, go to BBB. BBB has the information and resources you need to make a wise decision.”

Deptula said his employee-owned company respects BBB’s effort to serve consumers and businesses as a “truthful and neutral source that provides accurate information” on businesses.

Builders Bloc wanted to be a part of

BBB because of its dedication to high ethical standards for businesses. It also encourages its 400 union tradesmen to rely on BBB for Business Reviews and help resolving complaints.

“A good business is going to hold themselves and their employees to high standards about the work they promise to do,” Deptula said. “When they do make mistakes, they want to get it resolved as

soon as they can for the good of the consumer and the reputation of the business.”

David Breckenridge, a BBB board member and principal with Moneta Group in Clayton, echoed Deptula’s remarks.

“I believe BBB’s mission and standards help to bring accountability to St. Louis area businesses,” Breckenridge said. “The vast majority of businesses are run by hard-working, honest and fair men and women. However, a very few disreputable business owners can potentially bring dishonor to all in that industry, and BBB helps to identify and make accountable those firms.

“BBB has objective, measurable standards that serve to police the conduct of businesses for the betterment of the consumer,” Breckenridge said.

“BBB over-all has a wonderful reputation as having trustworthy business members,” said Sherry Major, business development specialist with Columbia EDP Center Inc., a 47-year-old payroll services firm in Columbia, Mo. “Especially as a payroll company, we need to do as much as we can to associate ourselves with the positive image that BBB’s seal conveys.

“The BBB really gives that trustworthy

COVER STORY

‘BBB has objective, measurable standards that serve to police the conduct of businesses for the betterment of

the consumer.”—David Breckenridge,

BBB Board Member and principlal with Moneta Group

‘BBB is the only (organization offering business directories and reviews) with a holistic approach.”

—Thomas Thiel, president of Chesterfield Fence & Deck Co.

By Jerri Stroud BBB Editor

BBB Standards for Trust

• Build Trust. Establish and maintain a positive track record in the marketplace.• Advertise Honestly. Adhere to established standards of advertising and selling.• Tell the Truth. Honestly represent products and services, including clear and

adequate disclosures of all material terms.• Be Transparent. Openly identify the nature, location, and ownership of the

business, and clearly disclose all policies, guarantees and procedures that bear on a customer’s decision to buy.

• Honor Promises. Abide by all written agreements and verbal representations.• Be Responsive. Address marketplace disputes quickly, professionally, and in

good faith.• Safeguard Privacy. Protect any data collected against mishandling and fraud,

collect personal information only as needed, and respect the preferences of consumers regarding the use of their information.

• Embody Integrity. Approach all business dealings, marketplace transactions and commitments with integrity.

‘BBB has the people you should go to first.”

—Kevin Deptula, president and CEO

of Builders Bloc

MISSION STANDARDS&

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By Bill Smith BBB Reporter

EEthnic diversity shows up in the “Little Bosnia” neighborhoods of

South St. Louis, the Asian restaurants and businesses up and down Olive Boulevard and in the rich variety of ethnic entertainment and dress at the summer Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park.

The St. Louis region has become a patchwork of diverse cultures, a stitched-together crazy quilt of histories, cultures and languages that create unique challenges and opportunities for our region.

BBB’s challenge is how to better serve all the people who live and work here, whether it’s a new refugee victimized by a scam or an immigrant family starting a new business.

Anna E. Crosslin, president and CEO of International Institute of St. Louis, which serves more than 7,500 immigrants and refugees, says

that 4.5 percent of the region’s population is foreign-born.

“They are St. Louis’ largest in-flow of new population and are helping to turn the tide of decades of population loss,” Crosslin said. “These newcomers are of tremendous benefit to our region. And with some focused assistance, they can quickly gain a stronger hold and engage even more fully in our economy.”

Crosslin said immigrants fill two important roles in St. Louis’ business community. First, she said, they are customers, purchasing goods

and services. Second, they are entrepreneurs, founding and operating enterprises ranging from high tech firms to restaurants and cleaning services.

A 2012 study by Saint Louis University showed immigrants are 60 percent more likely than native-born St. Louisans to start businesses.

They are job creators, Crosslin said, and a significant asset to our economy.

Crosslin said immigrant newcomers especially “can be confronted with a myriad of business practices,

policies and regulations which are confusing and which sometimes can result in them being victimized. Therefore, immigrants benefit from education to overcome their language and cultural barriers.”

BBB Education Coordinator Maggie Sueme has made presentations about BBB services to Vietnamese, Afghan and Bosnian senior citizens.

“It’s something we have to do,” Sueme said. “If we don’t, we are continuing to leave so many people vulnerable.”

Sueme previously worked for a financial institution, where she saw multiple cases of fraud targeting seniors. Many seniors, particularly if they spoke little or no English, found it daunting and frustrating to find help. Often, victims had to find someone who spoke English to fight their battle for them.

“There should be a better way,” she said.

In April, BBB hosted an Ethnic Media Conference coordinated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The event brought law enforcement, consumer organizations, business groups and media together to discuss fraud affecting minority and ethnic communities.

The conference demonstrated a need to find better ways to serve minority and ethnic groups throughout the region, said Michelle Corey, St. Louis BBB president and CEO.

“Cultural and language

BBB Reaches Out to Serve Ethnic Communities

barriers are very real,” Corey said. “Unless we do everything we can to break them down and help people understand who we are and what we do, we are not living up to our mission.

The FTC’s Combating Fraud in African-American and Latino Communities, issued in June, noted that African-American and Latino communities “under-report scams to the FTC, even though consumers in these communities were more likely to experience fraud than the overall population.”

Scams experienced by the groups include bogus work-at-home opportunities, phony credit and debt repair schemes and fake mortgage relief scams.

The report calls for the use of trusted sources of information–such as local libraries, community advocates, teachers, religious organizations and media–to help protect people from fraud.

Karlos Ramirez, executive director of St. Louis’ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said, “It is crucial to provide education and resources regarding fraud.” Ramirez said some people specifically prey on the Hispanic community, and “people need to know how to report this malicious act.”

“BBB can no longer be content with things as they have been,” Corey said. “We want to be there for every business and every consumer.” BBB

A volunteer tutor helps

a refugee student learn English.

BBB invited ethnic media from a number of ethnic publications to join BBB at a conference, co-sponsored with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Better Business BureauSummer 2016

By Shellie Kreter BBB PR and Communications Manager

From multinational corporations to local mom-and-pop stores, businesses are discovering the opportunities afforded them by social media. Many consumers

now use social media to research businesses before they choose to buy. Having a presence on popular networks helps businesses establish credibility with their customers by providing more information about their services and showing that they care about being accessible to their customers.

Whether your business’s social media strategy is modest or expansive, BBB is a resource and an ally for our Accredited Businesses on social media. BBB’s social media mission is to continue to advance marketplace trust in this new section of the market. By teaching online consumers how to find trustworthy businesses, we’re introducing many new consumers to BBB’s message. We also provide social material that businesses like yours can use.

“As with TV advertising, social media increases awareness of our brand,” says Chris Thetford, BBB vice president of communications. “Social media gives us a crucial opportunity to tell the public that BBB Accredited Businesses deserve their trust, and we’ve found that the public responds enthusiastically to our message.”

Since last year, BBB has been investing more resources in social media, which has allowed us to reach more consumers than ever before. BBB has seen exponential growth in the number of people who have seen our posts in the last year. In 2015, we reached over 2.6 million people.

These 2.6 million people see many different kinds of information about your BBB. We post informational videos that explain how to use BBB’s community services. The videos help consumers understand the benefits of looking businesses up on BBB’s website and have taught them how to use BBB’s Request a Quote and to post and read Customer Reviews. In our #HowToHireAContractor post series, we

explain the steps involved in choosing a contractor so customers can sign a contract with confidence.

We also post stories about our Accredited Businesses, including a series on the nominees for BBB TORCH Awards. These stories show the human face of local businesses. Consumers tend to read about the personal stories behind businesses, whether the business has been operated by the same family for decades or has only opened recently to meet a pressing community need. Positive stories about trustworthy businesses help consumers associate BBB with good news.

One social media campaign targets homeowners with a new variation on our Look for the Seal ads. In these posts, we encourage consumers to use BBB Accredited Businesses when they hire contractors, real estate agents, lawyers, or other professionals. It would be too expensive to buy television ads targeting dozens of specific industries, but each Facebook post is easy to create and can be shown to the thousands of social media users who might need it most.

BBB’s social media posts also can become part of your own business’s marketing strategy.

Accredited Businesses tell BBB that sharing our posts can be an easy and effective part of their social media messaging.

Sam Maiden Jr., the general manager of John Beal Roofing, says that sharing BBB’s posts on Facebook gives the company opportunities to express values important to it and its customers.

“The content BBB posts provides great information not only to us as a company, but to

our customers,” Maiden told us. “The #HowToHireAContractor posts are great information for our customers. Aligning ourselves with the BBB standards has proven to be the single biggest reason our company continues to grow.”

Just as using BBB’s seal on your website or vehicles builds trust, interacting with BBB on social media can help show potential customers that strong ethics are important to your business. Your social media presence can prove to web-savvy consumers that your business is deserving of trust. BBB

CREATING TRUST ONLINE:BBB SOCIAL MEDIA

UPDATE YOUR BUSINESS REVIEW Contact Martin Burgess, BBB business development representative—retention, at 314-584-6745 or mburgess@stlouisbbb

Use the BBB Business Login to make sure you’re getting the most out of your Accreditation

To log in, go to http://bbb.org/stlouis/login

Use the email address you gave BBB when you became Accredited. If you don’t remember your password, use the “forgot password” button to reset it.

After you’ve logged in, take advantage of these tools and features to update your business review and use BBB services:

View your Business Review: Take a look at the information we’re reporting about your business to make sure that it’s correct.

Inquiry statistics: Learn how many people have interacted with your business review in order to see the return on your Accreditation Investment.

Download Accredited Business Seals: Use the files located here to add the BBB Seal to your invoices, your signs, or othermaterials.

Update your Business Info: Add information to your file to make it more appealing to consumers. Make sure to add all of the services your business provide, the products and brands you offer, and your hours of operation.

Customer Reviews: Use the customer reviews portal to manage your responses to your customers’ reviews.

Install the Dynamic BBB Seal: Get code to install the BBB seal on your website. This version of the seal will click through to your business review and prove to your customers that your reputation is excellent.

Upload photos and videos: Make your review more visually appealing and show off your work by uploading a photo.

Complaint Extranet: Respond quickly and easily to complaints.

Payment Center: Pay your invoice online here so you never have to waste paper or checks.

Having trouble logging in? Ask us for help. Email Lara Beers at lbeers@stlouisbbb.org for assistance.

How to ConnectIt’s easy to connect with BBB on social media. Here’s where you can find us:

facebook.com/stlouisbbb facebook.com/capegiradeaubbb facebook.com/midmissouribbbtwitter.com/stlouisbbb twitter.com/capebbb twitter.com/midmobbb

linkedin.com/company/better-business-bureau-serving-eastern-missouri-&-southern-illinoisyoutube.com/bbbstl instagram.com/stlouisbbb stlouisbbb.wordpress.com

Like and follow our pages to get regular updates from BBB that you can share with your followers so they know your business is trustworthy.

With a little HTML know-how, you can install the BBB Dynamic Seal on Facebook. Email skreter@stlouisbbb.org for instructions.

Better Business BureauSummer 2016

Better Business Bureau®

Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois

211 N. Broadway, Suite 2060St. Louis, MO 63102

Start With Trust®

Contact Chelsey Heller, cheller@stlouisbbb.org, 314-645-0606 to participate in these webinars, an exclusive benefit for Accredited Businesses.

REGISTER NOW