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About The BBB
We are one of the leading sources for information, dispute resolution and
referral in the state - acting as an intermediary to resolve disputes, thus
driving communication on ethical business and consumer practices. In line with
this, our overall mission is to promote the highest level of ethical conduct
between businesses and the public through voluntary self-regulation, business
and consumer education, and service excellence.
Supported by over 10,000
member businesses, the BBB provides reports on roughly 45,000
businesses and charities. In 2006 alone, this local BBB has received over
1,400,000 inquiries (representing over $250 million in spending), had our website
accessed over 1.5 million times, and facilitated over 27,000 complaints.
The BBB is governed through a diverse
Board of Directors, representing local companies and charities, both
large and small. As a reporting agency, the BBB works with all licensing and
regulatory agencies and law enforcement, both state and federal. Some of these
agencies include the FBI, Secret Service, Federal Trade Commission, Arizona
Attorney General, Securities and Exchange Commission, and the US Postal
Inspection Service. A full listing with contact information for these agencies
and more is available on the Outside Resources page.
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The Better Business Bureau of Central/Northern Arizona also partners with
the BBB Foundation as a supporting organization of the BBB. The
Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity established in 1982. The mission of the BBB
Foundation is to educate individuals and businesses about consumer issues and
charitable giving practices.
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What Does The BBB Do For Consumers?
The BBB is often misidentified as a consumer complaint-handling agency. Some
people are even under the impression that the BBB is a government entity. In
truth, the purpose of the BBB is not to act as an advocate for consumers or for
businesses, but to act as an intermediary to resolve disputes, to facilitate
communication and to provide information on ethical business and consumer
practices.
The BBB is a private, non-profit organization that exists across the United
States and in Canada and Puerto Rico. Its mission is to promote an ethical
marketplace by encouraging businesses to be honest in their advertising and
selling practices and fair and prompt in resolving complaints. The BBB also
encourages consumers to take responsibility in creating an ethical marketplace
by being truthful, honest, and sensible, and to do everything possible to
remedy a situation before filing a complaint.
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Click here for the business ethics page.
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Your local BBB has been in existence since 1938. It serves ten counties in
central and northern Arizona, including Apache, Coconino, Gila, La Paz,
Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma counties. Consumer services
provided to these communities include:
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Business Reliability Reports: The BBB offers reports on member and non-member
businesses that can provide information on its background and customer
experience, general information related to its type of business, and any other
information developed through special investigations and relevant government
actions. We encourage consumers to contact us prior to doing business with a
company, as prevention can be simpler than problem resolution.
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Charity Reliability Reports: Additionally, we offer reports on charitable
organizations and other soliciting non-profits that seek public donations. As
with business reliability reports, we encourage you to check a charity’s
reliability report before giving money or volunteering your time.
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Dispute Resolution: A service we provide that is not as widely known is our
assistance resolving consumer complaints using conciliation, mediation, and
arbitration services when appropriate. Consumers are always encouraged to
contact the business first in an attempt to resolve the complaint directly.
However, if there is not a satisfactory resolution, they may file a complaint
with the BBB and obtain free assistance.
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Educational Information: Free seminars, tips, brochures and advisories on many
important topics are available either online or in printed form to assist
consumers in making wise purchasing and/or donating decisions. We also provide
information to businesses on how to avoid scams, schemes and fraud in the
marketplace.
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Business Ethics: The BBB is based on the promotion of ethical selling
practices, as well as identification and notification of disreputable
businesses.
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Advertising Review: A second little-known consumer service the BBB offers is
the monitoring of advertising from all media sources. We seek adherence to
principles of truth and accuracy, as well as compliance with local, state, and
federal regulations relating to advertising.
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Internet Assurance Programs: For those that shop on the Internet, we work to
drive the promotion of trust and confidence through the BBBOnLine Reliability
Seal and Privacy Seal programs, as well as the Code of Online Business
Practices. The BBBOnLine Reliability Seal is a special program that allows
members to identify themselves on the Internet as a reliable and trustworthy
business, provided they meet certain program requirements and agree to special
complaint-handling procedures when applicable.
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From The Beginning – A Historical Perspective
In 1938, at a meeting of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association, President
M.R. Murray opened discussion concerning the need to establish a local
"Better Business Bureau" to protect Phoenix merchants and the public
against commercial frauds. He explained that local businessmen Andrew Tomlinson
and Henry Goodman had been seeking information from the Los Angeles Bureau and
the National Better Business Bureau, Inc., in New York City regarding articles
of incorporation, constitution and by-laws and other details as early as April
of 1937.
A special committee consisting of Andrew Tomlinson, A.F. Morairty, Henry
Goodman, Russell Ellsworth and Chester Goldberg was appointed to investigate
the feasibility and cost of establishing a Better Business Bureau as a separate
operation not to be connected with any other existing organization.
On May 17, 1938, the Better Business Bureau of Maricopa County, Inc., was
incorporated. The original incorporators were: Andrew De M. Tomlinson, Russell
V. Ellsworth, Henry Goodman, Robert S. Fry, Don MacAfee, John A. Rockwell,
Walter T. Martin, Ernest E. Chambers, A. Ford Jennings, W. Claude Quebedeaux,
Chester K. Goldberg, E. Gordon Jones, Harry F. Mitten, Leo V. Seaman, Richard
J. Walsh, Byron J. Showers, Ben Projan, John L. McAtee, Ivan N. Shun, Don J.
Dreessen, Fred S. Porter, Emmette V. Graham, Harry Rosenzweig, K.W. Pike, and
Tassco Coe.
Since its inception, the Phoenix Bureau has steadily grown from a staff of one
to an organization with a professionally trained staff of more than 40. In
1974, the Bureau moved to 4428 North 12th Street. The building also houses the
BBB of Central Arizona Foundation under whose auspices the building's funding
was secured. The name was changed to The Better Business Bureau of
Central/Northern Arizona - to better delineate the organization's service area,
which is all of Arizona with the exception of Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima
and Santa Cruz counties. The Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona in
Tucson serves these counties.
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