Blog-Vickie's two cents

This is a continuing series of comments and thoughts about the importance of ethics and honesty in our society and our marketplace. Please feel free to send your thoughts to Vickie at vickie@cencal.bbb.org.

"What’s in it for me?” used to be my favorite question when asked to do a chore I really hated.

Today, many people make negative remarks about Gen Y’ers for asking “What’s in it for me?” when it comes to the workplace. But the bottom line is that we all, regardless of age, want something for ourselves out of our work.

And when you are a business owner, that “something” can be a lot of things: bigger profits, faster return on expenses, more customers, fewer competitors. The ethics card comes into play when you consider how you are going to meet those goals for yourself and your business.

Attracting more customers and bigger profits are positives unless you use false advertising or sell poor quality goods at quality prices to accomplish that end. The argument that your competitors are doing the same thing sounds just like when I used to try and convince my Dad that all my friends got paid a lot more than I did to clean the garage. I knew it was a hollow argument; I just wanted more money.

We continue to watch an economy that is not rebounding according to promises and hopes of early 2009. And, let’s be honest, it bites to see someone else making money while you make less because you take the high road and advertise truthfully and continue to sell goods and services at fair prices.

What about competitors? I used to complain to my Dad that I didn’t like so and so because they got a better grade or an award I wanted. He would always ask me if it was because I was jealous or hadn’t worked hard enough. Once in a while, the truthful answer was that they had cheated but usually they just tried harder or worked smarter and I was jealous because they had what I wanted.

It’s the same in the marketplace. Sure, there are businesses that lie and cheat and still make money. But would they want their business practices exposed on the nightly news? Think about it. Maybe what’s in it for you as an ethical business person is the knowledge that you do the right things for your customers and can be proud of how you do business.

Can you take that to the bank? Not always, but you can sleep on it at night.

Do you know a company that deserves recognition for their outstanding business ethics? Go to http://cencal.bbb.org/ethics-awards and nominate them for the BBB’s annual Ethics Award. Companies do not have to be an Accredited Business with the BBB in order to be nominated.

SAVE THE DATE for a very important evening: Join us on January 20, 2010 at the Visalia Convention Center for the 2010 Ethics Awards Celebration. Call Vickie at 800-675-8118, ext. 331 for more information.

Does having ethics mean that your business will prosper? I would hope so, but it isn’t a guaranteed thing. And I know it is painful when you see a competitor that lacks ethical standards making sale after sale.

Read the full post.

This is a continuing series of comments and thoughts about the importance of ethics and honesty in our society and our marketplace.  Please feel free to send your thoughts to Vickie at vickie@cencal.bbb.org.

In a disposable society, are ethics even important anymore?

We live in a world where it seems like everything, except humans, has a short life span.  In our world today, refrigerators and other appliances are not expected to last 20 years and, even if they did, we would replace them sooner with newer technology and/or newer styles.  The same holds true for cars, furniture, computers, phones and televisions.  If something stops working, we just shrug and buy a newer version.  Our only criterion for where we buy something is the best price.

So why should a business owner care about ethics if the bottom line is the bottom dollar?  The obvious answer is because it is the right thing to do.  But beyond the obvious is the underlying factor that without ethics we would have chaos in the marketplace.  If no one follows the rules, customers and businesses would soon suffer.

Does having ethics mean that your business will prosper?  I would hope so, but it isn’t a guaranteed thing.  And I know it is painful when you see a competitor that lacks ethical standards making sale after sale.

Maybe what it comes down to is that publicly supporting marketplace ethics is a sign of character.  Someone once said (and lots of people have claimed variations of the saying) that “character is what you do when no one is looking.”  Belonging to the BBB is assurance for your customers that you are dedicated to doing the right things in business, including:

·         treating your employees fairly and with respect;

·         providing customers with that same fairness and respect;

·         using vendors who share your same standards of excellence and reliability;

·         making sure that your product or service meets the same high standards that you would have if you were the consumer;

·         advertising honestly and honoring your advertising claims; and

·         watching that important bottom line

Next week: What’s in it for me?

Do you know a company that deserves recognition for their outstanding business ethics?  Go to http://cencal.bbb.org/ethics-awards and nominate them for the BBB’s annual Ethics Award.  Companies do not have to be an Accredited Business with the BBB in order to be nominated.

SAVE THE DATE for a very important evening: Join us on January 20, 2010 at the Visalia Convention Center for the 2010 Ethics Awards Celebration.  Call Vickie at 800-675-8118, ext. 331 for more information.

This is a continuing series of comments and thoughts about the importance of ethics and honesty in our society and our marketplace.  Please feel free to send your thoughts to Vickie at vickie@cencal.bbb.org.
In a disposable society, are ethics even important anymore?
We live in a world where it seems like everything, except humans, has a short life span.  In our world today, refrigerators and other appliances are not expected to last 20 years and, even if they did, we would replace them sooner with newer technology and/or newer styles.  The same holds true for cars, furniture, computers, phones and televisions.  If something stops working, we just shrug and buy a newer version.  Our only criterion for where we buy something is the best price.
So why should a business owner care about ethics if the bottom line is the bottom dollar?  The obvious answer is because it is the right thing to do.  But beyond the obvious is the underlying factor that without ethics we would have chaos in the marketplace.  If no one follows the rules, customers and businesses would soon suffer.
Does having ethics mean that your business will prosper?  I would hope so, but it isn’t a guaranteed thing.  And I know it is painful when you see a competitor that lacks ethical standards making sale after sale.
Maybe what it comes down to is that publicly supporting marketplace ethics is a sign of character.  Someone once said (and lots of people have claimed variations of the saying) that “character is what you do when no one is looking.”  Belonging to the BBB is assurance for your customers that you are dedicated to doing the right things in business, including:
• treating your employees fairly and with respect;
• providing customers with that same fairness and respect;
• using vendors who share your same standards of excellence and reliability;
• making sure that your product or service meets the same high standards that you would have if you were the consumer;
• advertising honestly and honoring your advertising claims; and
• watching that important bottom line

Next week: What’s in it for me?
Do you know a company that deserves recognition for their outstanding business ethics?  Go to http://cencal.bbb.org/ethics-awards and nominate them for the BBB’s annual Ethics Award.  Companies do not have to be an Accredited Business with the BBB in order to be nominated.
SAVE THE DATE for a very important evening: Join us on January 20, 2010 at the Visalia Convention Center for the 2010 Ethics Awards Celebration.  Call Vickie at 800-675-8118, ext. 331 for more information.

This is the second in a series of comments and thoughts about the importance of ethics and honesty in our society and our marketplace.  Please feel free to send your thoughts to Vickie at vickie@cencal.bbb.org.

From an idea to 3 million reliable business reports in less than a century, ethics withstand the test of time

In 1911, Samuel Dobbs was involved in the adoption of the "Ten Commandments of Advertising", one of the first codes of advertising developed by groups of advertising firms and individual businesses.   It wasn’t long before businesses began asking Dobbs to expand his watchdog activities to include ethical business practices and customer service.  Dobbs agreed and the concept of the Better Business Bureau was born.

Over the succeeding decades, organizations such as the National Better Business Commission, Inc. of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World (1921), and the National Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. (1933) merged to become the Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. in 1946. In 1970, the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) was established.

Today, there are 124 BBBs serving communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than 3 million local and national businesses and charities.

Unlike many imitators, the BBB strives to remain neutral regarding the information provided about businesses.  The statistical information (company name, address, contact information, startup date, etc.) in Reliability Reports is based on information that is, whenever possible, verified by the business itself.  Complaints made are sent to the companies in question with ample opportunity for them to respond and resolve the issue.  Companies are now ranked by a simple grading system, A to F, which is more precise than the old satisfactory or unsatisfactory rating system.

Equally as important as the BBB process of providing reliable information to consumers are the 3,098 businesses in the Central Valley who stand together to support marketplace excellence.  Belonging to the BBB as an Accredited Business openly shows commitment to customer service, honesty in advertising and the highest ethical practices in dealings with consumers and vendors.

In an economic environment where consumers deliberated before spending their money, the BBB logo immediately conveys a sense of trust. 

Next week: Who really cares about ethics in a disposable society?

Do you know a company that deserves recognition for their outstanding business ethics?  Go to http://cencal.bbb.org/ethics-awards and nominate them for the BBB’s annual Ethics Award.  Companies do not have to be an Accredited Business with the BBB in order to be nominated.

SAVE THE DATE for a very important evening: Join us on January 20, 2010 at the Visalia Convention Center for the 2010 Ethics Awards Celebration.  Call Vickie at 800-675-8118, ext. 331 for more information.

Ethics. A small word with a big meaning, a meaning that was understood more than 2,000 years ago when the Roman philosopher Cicero wrote to his son, Marcus: "All things should be laid bare so that the buyer may not be in any way ignorant of anything the seller knows."

Read the full post.

I am really irate about this opportunity for greed on the part of the credit card companies. The recently passed “Credit Card Holders’ Bill of Rights” didn’t put the expected cap on interest rates, even though it should have. I’ve heard people smugly say that they aren’t worried because they have good credit and they always pay their bills on time. But a friend of mine recently sent in a payment on her credit card and it was credited two days after the due date. Forget that she has perfect credit. Forget that she has been a cardholder with this company for 20 years and has never before had a late payment. Forget loyalty. They raised her interest rate 16 points. When she called to complain, they told her to read the fine print that gave them the authority to do what they did. Guess they also forgot ethics.

craigslist is such a fun place to shop. If I can think of it, I can probably find it there. (I know that there are places on the list that aren’t my cup of tea and I just ignore them.) A friend of mine was telling me about these incredible vintage French doors he found just while cruising around looking for stuff for his new home. Unfortunately, scammers have also discovered craigslist in every city and now you have to first check who’s selling every great find before you get too excited and impulsive over the item itself. If it’s a company, it’s easy to do due diligence by checking with the BBB and/or a Google search. But what if it’s someone selling that old Martin guitar that you just have to have?

I always check with the BBB before buying (duh!), but I hate always having to be suspicious. What do you do so you know you aren’t going to get ripped off? This enquiring mind wants to hear.

Neutrality is the cornerstone of the BBB. We provide neutral information and seek both sides of every story in order to settle marketplace disputes.

But I am a Diet Coke girl, always have been and always will be. When I read about cola wars , I admit I lose my BBB neutrality and root for Coke. I’m still a diet coke fan, but recent events have given me new sympathy for Pepsi.

There is a check scam going around, complete with bogus checks, that says Pepsi and ABC are going to pay big bucks to the recipients of these “lucky” checks. Pepsi has been around for more than 100 years and they haven’t stayed in business by scamming people. I know that using the names of legitimate companies makes scams seem more real, but it leaves a flat taste in my mouth when a company that does actually sponsor fun contests and provides valuable prizes and “stuff” gets used as the front for malicious greed.

 I was reading an article in The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/business/19credit.html) this morning about how credit card companies are considering a “one size fits all” package for credit card holders.  That means that everyone, regardless of how they have managed their credit history, would pay the same high interest rate.  Yet I also keep reading (and know from personal experience) how important it is to use credit wisely and to pay your bills responsibly and on time to protect your credit report.  Does it seem unfair to anyone else that people with high credit scores should pay the same credit card interest rate as people with low credit scores?