CHICAGO (WLS) -- Steve Bernas, president and chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau Chicago and Northern Illinois, discusses customer reviews, a warning for flood victims, and back-to-school budgets.
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New Features Add Consumer Voice to BBB Business Reviews
Customer reviews, a feature of many online commerce websites, are being added to individual company Business Reviews developed by the Better Business Bureau and available at www.bbb.org/chicago.
"The BBB is a primary provider of information about good, ethical businesses," explained Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. "Including customer comments on our Business Review pages is a natural progression of what people now expect from an online service and ratings provider."
"These "Customer Reviews" are an exciting additional feature of our overall Business Reviews for both consumers and businesses," Bernas noted. "The BBB has a carefully developed system for determining the validity of these comments to help ensure they are real and factual. This will avoid many of the problems that plague other ratings organizations."
Customers can make comments about their interactions with any of the more than 100,000 businesses in the BBB database covering Chicago and northern Illinois. By clicking a button on the BBB website, consumers will be guided through a very simple process.
Prior to posting on the public Business Reviews, the BBB will review customer comments for privacy concerns and inappropriate language. Our system also gives the business an opportunity to verify that the person making the comment was in fact a customer. Third parties cannot contribute to Customer Reviews.
Bernas added, "We believe that validated Customer Reviews along with our existing curated letter-grade rating system provides consumers with the most powerful business evaluations available.
Better Business Bureau Warning: Flood Victims Beware
Homeowners and businesses who suffered flood damage due to the extremely heavy rains in the area should be aware so that they do not become victims of unscrupulous contractors.
"There will be dishonest businesses that will exploit the situation and try to scam homeowners and businesses that are in need of making repairs," said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. "While there may be a sense of urgency, we encourage consumers and business owners to carefully consider repair contracts and not rush into making expensive decisions that can aggravate an already stressful time."
The Better Business Bureau provides a FREE online service "Request a Quote" to find local BBB Accredited contractors you can trust at www.bbb.org
There are a number of things that should be taken into consideration if your home or business has been damaged due to the rains. The first step is to immediately contact your insurance agent to file a claim. For flood damage clean-up follow these tips:
Where possible, take photos of any water saturation. An insurance adjuster may need to see what's been damaged in order to process your claim.
According to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as soon as the majority of water is drained away, all wet items should be discarded or cleaned and thoroughly dried within 48 hours of flooding to prevent the growth of mold.
Where more extensive repair is needed:
Do research - contact the BBB before you hire a contractor and avoid businesses who come to your door with a good deal. Go to our website at www.bbb.org and consider using the BBB's FREE online service called Request a Quote to obtain estimates, proposals or general information from BBB Accredited contractors.
Request bids from three or four different companies.
Base all bids on the same criteria.
Don't automatically pick the lowest bid.
Do not give into demands to make excessively large down payments. And don't make full payment until all the work is done to your satisfaction. BBB suggests that no more than one-third be paid up front.
Determine whether the contractor has the proper insurance.
Ask to see any required state or local permits or licenses.
Work with contractors who have a verifiable track record.
Homeowners should check with local and county units of government to determine if permits or inspections are required.
Get all estimates in writing.
Require a written contract with anyone you hire. It should specify the work to be done, the materials to be used and the price breakdown for both labor and materials. Any promises made orally should be written into the contract, including warranties on materials or labor. Be sure their name, address, license number and phone number along with a start and end date for the work is included in contract. Read and understand the contract in its entirety, don't sign a blank contract and a copy of the signed contract is to be given to you at time of signature. Illinois law requires a written contract for any work costing more than $1000.
Be wary of "Storm Chasers" individuals who go door to door offering great deals on repair work. They often claim to have left-over materials from a job down the street. Check that they are local and have a permanent place of business.
For more tips, visit www.bbb.org, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Create A Back-To-School Budget To Avoid Overspending
Back-to-school shopping is always big business for retailers. Analysts estimate that families will spend nearly $26.5 billion dollars on clothes, supplies and electronics for the upcoming school year. This is about $670 per family. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends consumers prepare a budget and stick to it in order to control costs and avoid overspending.
Of the total back-to-school costs, families spend the most money on school supplies and electronics, according to the National Retail Federation.
"The tendency is to overspend so parents and students need to determine what they need versus what they want," said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois.
The BBB recommends the following tips when back-to-school shopping:
Make a shopping list. Even if the school doesn't provide a list of things needed for a child's school, you probably have an idea of what types of clothing and other supplies are needed. Start by checking around your home to see if you have anything left over from last year to make sure you only buy items you need on the list.
Create a budget. Do a quick price search online of items you know you'll need. While online, take advantage of any coupons or discounts you may see. By knowing the prices of items beforehand, it is an easy way to know which items to cut if you need to reduce costs.
Set up email alerts for your favorite stores. Take advantage of email alerts because they allow you to find deals right away. Many websites have coupons, rebates and insider information on the best prices. These alerts will make sure you don't miss out on any money saving opportunities.
Take advantage of in-store discounts. Many stores will have student and teacher discounts on pricy items such as laptops or tablets. Retailers are trying to make room for newer models in the fall so they are eager to get rid of older models.
For more tips, visit www.bbb.org, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter