| Business news you can use from your Better Business Bureau® |  |
| Trends & Trust |  |  |
|
| Customer Satisfaction & Marketing | | |
|
- How to create a more customer-friendly return policy
Crafting a return policy that caters to consumers' needs is essential for online retailers. You should give your customers a generous period of time in which to make returns and ensure that your policies are easy to understand. "When I click on your return policy, I don't want to see a three-page document," said Harley Finkelstein of Shopify. Entrepreneur online
(1/14)     
- What Super Bowl ads can teach you about marketing
Super Bowl advertising is often creative, but companies still need to approach it strategically to achieve success, writes Steve McKee, president of McKee Wallwork & Co. In addition, some of the most effective Super Bowl ads are simple -- for example, Google's "Parisian Love" spot. "That one of the simplest Super Bowl commercials ever was created for a brand that deals with extreme complexity isn't just ironic; it's an inspiration for the rest of us who don't have money to burn," McKee writes. Bloomberg Businessweek
(1/14)
- Are you your business' biggest problem?
You may be hurting your business if you fail to fulfill your promises or if you refuse to delegate your responsibilities, writes Deanne Katz. "It doesn't matter how organized you are or how much time you have to devote to the business, at some point you have to share the work," Katz writes. FindLaw/Free Enterprise blog
(1/14)
- Giving back can create community, profits for companies
Creating a corporate giving strategy can improve your company's bottom line by humanizing your brand, writes Andrew Bridge. Giving back can also create a sense of community for employees, open up communication with customers and create customer loyalty. "By giving back, you help to set your company apart and validate your customers' purchase -- not only will they feel better about choosing you, they'll stay with you because of it," Bridge writes. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (tiered subscription model)
(1/10)
 | Most small business owners know the importance of managing credit effectively and that a "one size fits all" model won't work. Use Managing Credit - Made Simpler to find the right credit management model for your business and to help identify strategies to ensure you are on top of your business's financial condition. |
| Funding & Finance | | |
|
- How to pick the right tax accountant
When searching for a tax accountant for your business, you should try to find someone who has experience with the kinds of issues you are dealing with, Jane Porter writes. "You need an accountant who has worked with other businesses like yours and knows the ins and outs of the industry," she writes. You should also find out how the accountant will handle the billing process. Entrepreneur online
(1/14)
- Save or shred: A guide to financial-document management
Financial documents are important, but you don't have to keep every piece of paper in perpetuity, professional organizer Regina Leeds says. For example, you can probably dispose of ATM receipts and monthly bank statements on a fairly regular basis. On the other hand, you should hold on to contractual agreements, property records and other documents that are critical for your business, says Greg Jones, CEO of Bookkeeping Express. Entrepreneur online/The Daily Dose blog
(1/15)
| BBB in the News | | |
|
| SmartQuote | | |
|
 | Not in the clamor of the crowded street, not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng, but in ourselves, are triumph and defeat."
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
American poet and educator
|
| |
| |
| About BBB® |
|
For 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping consumers find businesses,
brands and charities they can trust. In 2011, consumers turned to BBB more than 100 million times for
Business Reviews on more than 4 million companies and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities,
all available for free at
www.bbb.org.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella
organization for 115 local, independent BBBs across the United States and Canada, as well as
home to its national programs on dispute resolution and industry self-regulation.
|
|
| |
| |
| | Recent BBB TrustBrief Issues:
- Monday, January 14, 2013
- Friday, January 11, 2013
- Wednesday, January 09, 2013
- Monday, January 07, 2013
- Friday, January 04, 2013
| | | Lead Editor: Brooke Howell
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2013 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
KVOA Communications (Tucson, Ariz.)
