BBB Complaint Process

Learn about BBB's complaint services, from the complaint process to best practices for your business.

What is a Complaint?

A BBB complaint is when a customer is seeking BBB's assistance in gaining some kind of resolution to an issue with a business.

BBB complaints are processed for BBB Member Accredited Businesses and non-Accredited Businesses alike. BBB asks all businesses to respond to the complaint and to address the issue(s) stated. Businesses are encouraged to respond for a variety of reasons.

 

What is the Complaint Process?

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BBB's complaint process is free, and a great alternative to small claims court, or other types of dispute resolution. BBB's complaint process seeks to facilitate communication between a business and its customer, in the hopes of achieving some kind of mutually agreeable resolution

BBB's role in the process is as the facilitator of the communication. When a complaint is processed, it is sent to the business. The business has thirty (30) calendar days to respond. When the response is received, it is entered into BBB's complaint management system.

A letter is sent via mail or email to the customer documenting the business's response. A letter is also sent to the business confirming the response has been received.

Both the customer and business have an opportunity for two responses. BBB then evaluates the information presented and closes the complaint appropriately. 

Please note:
When you get an email from BBB regarding your complaint, that it is the latest and most up to date information available on your complaint; BBB personnel do not possess any further details.  When there's an update BBB will immediately email you.

How Do I Respond to a Complaint?

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To respond to a complaint your business received, log into your BBB Business Account and navigate to My Complaints and Customer Reviews. Click on Manage BBB Complaints to view and respond.

Be sure to read your customer's complaint carefully and respond, addressing the issues within the complaint.

BBB complaints are published and become public information. Businesses and customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.

Monitor your email. Once you respond to a complaint, your customer has an opportunity to issue a rebuttal, allowing you another opportunity to respond.

BBB Rating & Complaints

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The BBB letter grade rating is the result of an algorithm that evaluates information in BBB records, taking into account the following information with respect to closed complaints:

Number of Complaints Filed:

The number of complaints filed against the business, relative to the size of the business, including if the business responded to the complaint(s), addressed the issue(s) of the complaint(s), and the age of the resolved complaints. Older resolved complaints have less of an impact on the rating than newer complaints.

Rating Scale:

BBB Ratings are on a scale of A+ to F. Failure to respond to complaints, or a response that does not address the issue(s), can result in negatively impacting the business's rating. Learn more about BBB Ratings here.

Types of Closed Complaints

Once a complaint is closed, BBB will assign one of the following closing statuses:

Resolved

The business responded and the customer indicated his/her satisfaction with the response.

Unresolved

The business responded, the customer indicated his/her dissatisfaction with the response, and BBB evaluated that the business either didn't address the issue(s), or didn't follow through on statements regarding the resolution.

Answered

The business responded, the customer indicated his/her dissatisfaction with the response, and BBB evaluated that the business addressed the issue(s), but the customer remained dissatisfied.

No response

The business did not respond to BBB within 30 days.

Please note, BBB Accredited Businesses are required to respond to complaints presented by BBB in accordance with BBB's Accreditation Standards. Failure to answer a complaint results in BBB Accreditation subject to revocation.

What Complaints Does BBB Handle?

Disputes that relate to marketplace issues experienced with the services or products a business provides. BBB reserves the right to reject complaints that use abusive or foul language.

BBB does not handle complaints involving:
  • Businesses No Longer in Operation
  • Employee/Employer Disputes
  • Landlord/Tenant Disputes
  • Civil Rights Claims
  • Discrimination Claims
  • Allegations of Criminal Acts
  • Buyer's Remorse
  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Cases
  • Issues Based Solely on Discrimination with a Business's Price
  • Business to Business Complaints for Collection Purposes
How does BBB handle a complaint?

Everything submitted will be forwarded to the business within two business days.

The business will be asked to respond within thirty days.

BBB accepts complaints that meet the following criteria:
  • Includes the complainant’s name, a postal address, and an email address
  • Includes the business’s name and provides sufficient information to determine the business's location
  • Seeks assistance from BBB
  • Is from a person or entity that had a marketplace "relationship"
  • Relates to a marketplace issue
  • Must allege a deficiency in the company's marketplace performance with regard to the services or products that the business provided or allegedly agreed to provide
  • Is not in litigation when filed with BBB and has not been resolved by a previous court action, arbitration, or settlement between the partiesThe complaint contains no abusive language.