How To Get BBB Accredited

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May 25, 2015

Having a Better Business Bureau accreditation tells future clients that you run a trustworthy, respectable business that cares about its customers. Assuming that’s the type of reputation you want to uphold, you may decide to apply for BBB accreditation for your business. The process is fairly lengthy, but any time or money you spend on it will come back ten-fold in business leads, promotional opportunities, and your customers’ peace-of-mind. The guide below explains how to get BBB accredited so you can establish a fantastic reputation for your company.

What BBB Accreditation Will Do For Your Business

Your BBB accreditation is like a stamp of approval showing that you run a good business that people can trust. While you can run a successful business without being accredited, people are more likely to work with you if they can see you’re backed by the Better Business Bureau. In a service-based industry like window washing, creating that trustworthy persona is critical for lead conversion and reputation management.

Who Qualifies For BBB Accreditation?

In order to apply for BBB accreditation, you must meet a set of requirements laid out by the bureau. These are all outlined in the BBB Code of Business Practices. Your company must:

  • Be in business in a specific service area for a minimum of 12 months.
  • Obtain all licenses and bonds necessary for your industry.
  • Maintain a BBB rating of at least a “B”.
  • Abide by state and federal advertising laws.
  • Create honest advertising and service descriptions.
  • Be transparent about the nature of your business.
  • …and more.

The BBB accreditation standards are rather long, but they all focus on maintaining good business practices focused on honestly, value, and solid customer service. If you run a high-quality business built on a foundation of trust, you should be able to qualify for accreditation.

How To Apply For BBB Accreditation

To get accredited by the BBB, you must submit an application through your local BBB office. The bureau provides a helpful BBB locator on their website that you can use to find the office closest to you.

You will have to pay a fee to have your business reviewed for accreditation, as well as a monitoring fee for the first year. You can use the accreditation cost calculator to see how much it will cost you to get BBB accredited. The current fee for a company with 1-10 employees is $39.95 per month. The BBB says the average business of that size sees a return on investment of $1,846 in 12 months.

Your local office will give you details about how the accreditation process works in your area and how long it will take for your application to be approved. If everything works out well, you will soon have exciting news to share with current and future customers!