BBB eNewsletter November 2022

Benefit

ACCREDITED BUSINESS LISTS

Callers ask us for the names of honest companies every day. While we can’t recommend a specific company, we can provide lists of ourAccredited Businesses in your business category.Your very next customer might find you that way.

BBB DYNAMIC SEAL

If you have a website, you need a BBB Dynamic Seal! It assures your customers that your company meets strict BBB standards, and that yours is a site they can trust!Apply for a Dynamic Seal by contactingTish at tish@ccie.bbb.org.

BBB GET-A-QUOTE

Is a lead generating program consumers may access through our website to request price estimates for products and services. We send the actual proposal to Accredited Businesses that could fulfill the request for an opportunity to gain a new customer.

BETTER BUSINESS TOOLBOX

The Business Management Platform for Out-Call Service Providers.Toolbox applications drive success for service providers through functionality, simplicity, and price.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

Take full advantage of BBB Customer Reviews.Ask your customers to post their review for you! We review the submissions to make sure they are truly your customer before they are posted.

MEDIATION SERVICES PROVIDED BYBBB

This service is offered when disputes between two parties cannot be resolved. Informal proceedings are held before the mediator, and both parties work to reach an agreement.The program can save Accredited Businesses court costs, time and money in settling complaints.This service is available to all employees of the Accredited Business.

BBB in the Community

With the help of our Fresno State student volunteers, we attended the 17th Annual Fresno Fall Home Improvement Show. We were there to answer consumers questions and promoted our trustworthy Accredited Business. A huge thank you to our generous sponsors Bonadelle Neighborhoods and D-R Pro Emergency restoration Services!

As part of our Smarter Living Program, our BBB representative Liliya Rudan presented to hundreds of students at Clovis North High School during fun and information filled few days. We would like to thank our sponsor, Central Valley Community Bank, who followed our presentation with their own on financial literacy for high schoolers.

Last Saturday’s Fall ShredFest at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds was a huge success! The event brought over 1,000 cars, shredded nearly 52,000 pounds of material and raised $4,736 for Clovis East High School Pep and Cheer Squad.

D-R PRO EMERGENCY RESTORATION SERVICES

If you are in need of services, give us a call. We are more than happy to answer all questions book your free inspection.

D-R Pro Emergency Restoration Services is a one stop shop for all your emergency restoration needs.

Diego Rojas came to the US from Mexico when he was 19 and did not speak English. Diego worked in restoration for 17 years and built D-R Pro in 2018 from the ground up when he passed his contractor license exam.

We are preferred partners of most insurance, specializing in water, mold and fire remediation with the construction to follow.

Our team is IICRC certified, we understand what is takes to restore your home, the importance of limiting the inconveniences you have to deal with and we ensure that you are fully satisfied with the appearance of your property during the process and post completion.

Whether it’s your home or place of business, an emergency is a serious matter. When dealing with water damage, it is crucial to address the problem accurately and promptly. Microbial growth in homes or business is often a result of water damage gone untreated and a fire can cause serious damage to your home or business.

We are a local business with a big service area. North to Modesto and South to Visalia also providing services on the Central Coast in the areas surrounding Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo. Call us at (559) 321- 3313 or visit us online at d-rpro.com

Getting your Business Ready for the Holidays

The holiday season is officially here!This year, the National Retail Federation is forecasting a healthy growth in retail sales during the holidays, even with shoppers concerned about inflation and economic uncertainty. However, between higher prices and staffing shortages, the 2022 holiday season is sure to bring challenges for small businesses. Here are BBB’s tips for navigating those issues and ensuring a profitable end to 2022.

Create a plan of action early.The forecast for consumer behavior may not be crystal clear, but you can still make sure shelves are stocked and you are promoting products that fit with shoppers’current wants and needs. Keep in mind your chain of supply could be affected by current events, and plan accordingly.

Offer curbside pickup. Curbside pickup can help you and your customers save on shipping costs. In addition, this service can help you win over many consumers who got used to the service during the pandemic and want to continue saving time and money. Start planning your curbside pickup system as soon as possible and let your clients know it is available.

Fix any bugs in your online presence. Make sure your website and online shop are up-to-date and running smoothly. Work out any bugs before holiday shopping really picks up. Consider investing in online advertising or social media marketing

Prepare for a return to in-person shopping. While online shopping isn’t going away, experts expect more in-store shopping than in the past few years. With ongoing staffing shortages, expect to face challenges hiring and keeping seasonal staff. With many major retailers upping their holiday wages, make sure your business is paying competitively and consider offering flexible schedules and access to benefits. See these BBB tips on employee retention

Consider flexible payment options. PayPal, a BBBAccredited Business, encourages business owners to take a proactive approach this holiday season by embracing digital payments and flexible payment options for consumers, to keep sales coming in. Buy now, pay later options, or the option to pay in smaller installments, could encourage consumers to make a purchase they wouldn’t have made if they had to pay up front.

Embrace Small Business Saturday. Many communities take the Saturday afterThanksgiving to support local small businesses. If your community does, take advantage and make sure to get involved in any activities or promotions taking place in person, online, or on social media.

Entice shoppers to buy – without resorting to discounts. High inflation has made shoppers price conscious. But before you resort to sales to get shoppers in the door, try other ways to entice them.These may include in-store events or gifts with purchase.

Save money and staff time by focusing on your top sellers. Small businesses can streamline their operations by offering fewer – but best-selling – products or services. For example, a restaurant with 12 entrees could reduce its menu to six top sellers.This will enable businesses to buy in larger amounts and negotiate better supplier deals.The same strategy goes for retailers and other business types.

Make a seasonal marketing strategy.Think up seasonal offers and spread the word. Some retailers sell gift certificates, hold holiday events, or offer discounts customers can use in January and February when the holiday shopping season dies down. If you have a brick-and-mortar store or a pop-up tent, plan your decorations and storefront ads. Use social media, local coupons, and your Google business profile to let customers know what you have to offer.

Keep your website, mobile app, and social media channels secure. Update admin passwords and enable two-factor authentication to keep your data, and your customers’data, secure during the busiest time of the year.Train your employees in cybersecurity to help them recognize scams and to avoid cyber hacks.

cards to dodge scammers. Online shopping scam reports to BBB ScamTracker remain just under all-time highs reached in 2021 when BBB issued an in-depth study, Theft on a Massive Scale: Online Shopping Fraud and the Role of Social Media, last December.

For more information and to view the whole report, visit BBB.org/ScamStudies

Industry Spotlight: Electricians

Q: Hello, I’d like to get some shopping done early this year, but I’ve been wary of any “too good to be true” offers I see on social media. I’ve been burned by such attractive offers before, so I’m proceeding cautiously as far as my online shopping goes…Any tips as I take the plunge?

A: Thank you for reminding me, it’s always important we remind our readers to be careful when starting their holiday shopping.To make sure our readers shop safely, here are some tips we always recommend to the public as we get into the holiday season, courtesy of BBB:

● Research before you buy. Use BBB.org and shopper reviews to do your homework before paying.

● If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.The top motivating factor for people who made a purchase, then lost money was price. Don’t shop on price alone.

● Beware of fake websites: Check the URL, watch for bad grammar, research the age of the domain, and search for contact information.

● Professional photos do not mean it’s a real offer. Respondents reported that website photos motivated them to engage with scammers, especially for pets/pet supplies, clothing/accessories, and vehicles.

● Make sure the website is secure. Look for the “https” in the URL(the extra s is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar. Never enter payment or personal information into a website with only “http” – it is NOTsecure.

● Be careful purchasing sought-after products, especially during the holiday season.The risk of online purchase scams rises during the holidays because more people are making online purchases, and scammers offer the most popular products for the season at great prices.

● Beware of making quick purchases while scrolling through social media. Scammers have access to tools they need to learn about your buying behaviors, offering exactly what you want at enticingly low prices.

● Look for the BBB seal. BBBAccredited Businesses pledge to uphold the BBB Standards forTrust and to deal fairly with consumers. If a business displays a BBB seal, verify it by going to BBB.org.

● Use secure and traceable transactions and payment methods.According to BBB's research, those who paid with a credit card were less likely to lose money. Be cautious when paying by digital wallet apps, prepaid money cards, or other non-traditional payment methods.

● Shipment tracking information can be faked. Look closely to make sure it is a legitimate business.Avoid clicking on the tracking link; go to the 'shipper's website and type in the code to see if it is real.

● Count on BBB to help you “Shop Safe, Shop Smart.” More tips are available at BBB.org/holiday-tips.

● Report unsatisfactory purchase experiences to BBB. If you are unhappy with a purchase, file a complaint at BBB.org/complaints. If you never got what you paid for, consider reporting it to BBB ScamTracker (BBB.org/ScamTracker) to help other consumers avoid being scammed.

A Weekly Column in the Fresno Bee where CEO & President, Blair Looney answers questions written in by consumers looking for advice.