2022 BBB Central Ohio Annual Report

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF CENTRAL OHIO

BEACON ®

President’s Message to BBB’s Community of Trusted Leaders

What an extraordinary year it has been. Globally and locally, 2022 saw businesses finding new ways to serve their customers and their communities. And at BBB of Central Ohio, we also sought to listen and uncover impactful ways to serve our mission. BBB works to meet the evolving needs of our community with exceptional products, programs, and services aimed at promoting the value of trust in the marketplace and building stronger, more resilient, and trustworthy businesses.

The desire to credibly demonstrate and uplift trust matters now more than ever. There are now nearly 400,000 businesses in the International BBB ecosystem that have earned their Accreditation Seal with BBB. Our research shows that consumers believe BBB’s Accreditation Seal is a valued sign of trust and ethical business practices. Indeed, in 2022, 140 million consumers used BBB.org to research the businesses around them and 70 percent of those consumers found that the information obtained in BBB’s business profiles was critical in selecting where to do business.

We were excited to return to our in-person awards ceremony to lift up and celebrate current and future leaders. One change to 2022’s event programming was merging BBB’s three award programs into one powerful night at COSI. Toast to Trusted Leaders saw generations of wise leaders and rising stars coming together to swap stories, receive recognition and connect. It was a great night for conversation and celebration!

I want to personally invite you to get involved with BBB in this coming year. Please use our 2022 Annual Report as a resource for you to discover more information about BBB’s programs, products, services, accomplishments, and impact.

We appreciate your work to advance trust in our community and we are here to support you in 2023.

Thank you to BBB’s Board of Directors for volunteering their time and expertise to advance trust in our community.

Chair of the Board

Scott Steckel

Plunkett’s Pest Control/Varment Guard

Vice Chair of the Board

Jasmine Y. Green

Nationwide

Secretary-Treasurer

Betty Collins

Brady Ware & Company President

Judy Dollison

BBB of Central Ohio

Assistant Treasurer

Mike Farris Accounting Solutions Group

Legal Counsel

Douglas J. Schockman, Esq. Fishel Downey Albrecht & Riepenhoff LLP

Nevin Bansal Outreach Promos/Small Biz Cares

Brian A. Brooks E.E. Ward Moving & Storage Co., LLC

Garry Brown Highlights for Children, Inc.

Glenn Bryan GrowthMatrix, Inc.

Betty Clark CPMedia & Marketing

Sara Gordon Marketing Executive

Pat Halaiko

Custom Air Conditioning and Heating Co.

Mark Hensley VITAS Healthcare

Robert Hiss Huntington National Bank

Tom Hodgson Color World Painting

David K. Johnson Byers Auto Group

Kevin Keiffer Dublin Police Department

Lubna M Najjar IL Moda Brand Development

Judy Dollison President, BBB of Central Ohio

Theresa E. Potter Franklin University

Mike Rosati Rosati Windows

Accreditation is a Powerful Sign of Trust

BBB’s goal is to ensure businesses are trustworthy and that customers can rely on them to act with integrity. BBB does this by setting standards for trust, educating businesses and consumers about best practices, uplifting trusted businesses in our community, and calling out organizations that aren’t living up to standards

The most trustworthy businesses can earn and maintain Accreditation with BBB which consumers know as a credible Sign of Trust.

Here’s what BBB’s research tells us about Accreditation:

• Accreditation can be beneficial for a brand by attracting and retaining customers. If a brand has a positive reputation, people are more likely to choose its products or services over those of its competitors, usually leading to increased sales and revenue for the brand.

• A positive reputation can have lasting effects and lead to increased credibility and trust among customers. Customers are more likely to believe the claims and promises made by a brand that has a good reputation and they may be more likely to recommend the brand to others.

• A positive reputation can also be beneficial for a brand’s employees. Employees can be more motivated and committed to working for a brand that is well-regarded in the industry and by customers.

586

New Accredited Businesses

87.4% Market Share

9.3%

67 Retention Rate

4858

Total Accredited Businesses

Businesses and Organizations Aim to be Better

Total Accredited Charities/Seal Holders

In 2022, we implemented our Customer Continuum initiative to better understand the journey that a business takes from awareness about BBB to being an advocate and trusted leader in the community.

One revelation was that there are far more businesses and organizations aiming to be better that simply don’t know where to start with BBB or how to do so on their own.

To better understand and take action on this insight in 2022, BBB made intentional efforts to be more proactive in consulting with non-Accredited Businesses performing at a level that resulted in a “C” or lower rating with BBB.

In our conversations with them about trust – and about their reputation in the community – we learned that most of these businesses wanted to make transformational changes to improve their reputation but they didn’t know where to start or how to do so. The conversation was an important first step and our team has grown to support these new opportunities by hiring Stephanie Evans as our Operations Consultant.

BBB will continue to learn how best to adapt to meet the needs of our community and, in doing so, will showcase the value that BBB offers to more businesses who seek Accreditation.

Complaints

Building a Trusted Reputation

A business’s reputation is extremely important and can make a significant difference in building trust and credibility with customers. That’s why we prioritize helping businesses and consumers with BBB customer reviews and complaints.

A 2022 focus for BBB’s Operations Consultant was working with business owners on the importance of generating, and responding to, customer reviews. In today’s world, online reviews are a crucial component of building trust. According to a recent survey by BrightLocal, 93% of consumers say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions. Receiving reviews are important, but consumers also tell us that the business’ response to reviews are a key factor in determining their level of trust with the business.

90.2%

When BBB receives a customer complaint, our Dispute Resolution and Customer Service teams work diligently to facilitate conversation between the two parties. If the dispute can’t be resolved informally, BBB offers mediation and binding arbitration services completely free of charge. The services provide a neutral third-party view, ensuring all parties are heard with the goal of an amicable resolution. Together with our BBB team, business owners can proactively address complaints which contributes to building a more trusted reputation.

17

Reviews

Systemwide Accredited Business Spotlight: Petland, Inc.

A highlight of 2022 was getting to work hand-in-hand with Chillicothe-based business, Petland, Inc. that operates corporate stores and franchise locations across the United States. Petland, Inc. worked with BBB to earn Accreditation for the Petland headquarters as well as for the corporately owned stores in Ohio and surrounding states.

BBB’s systemwide Accredited Business activation program ensures that Petland, Inc. can efficiently and effectively achieve its goal of becoming a trusted business with superior customer experience. By participating in this program, Petland, Inc. has a dedicated BBB professional staff member assigned as a single point of contact for all customer matters. This staff member closely monitors reviews and disputes, and will be able to quickly escalate any issues that require the company’s attention.

We heard Petland, Inc. tell us that the resources available through their BBB Accreditation allow them to increase responsiveness to better meet customer needs and expectations. This program is regularly reviewed to help Petland, Inc. staff identify patterns with customers and understand how best to handle any issues.

Congratulations to Petland, Inc.! BBB is proud to welcome you to our list of BBB Accredited Businesses.

Learn more about Petland, Inc. at BBB.org

Your Neighbors, Our Backyard

One of the most rewarding stories we hear from business owners in central Ohio is their feedback when they get to work directly with our team. Our team doesn’t just serve this area, we live here! And that makes a huge difference to our community. The next time you’re nearby, we hope you will stop by our office and say hello!

BBB Operations Team Wins Prestigious Award

For the fourth year in a row, BBB of Central Ohio was awarded the Outstanding BBB Award by the International Association of BBBs. This award is based on superior performance in providing core services that support our Accredited Businesses and consumers.

On behalf of the team, BBB Vice President of Operations Pat Cassidy said:

“Our team’s experience and passion for the BBB mission has propelled us to continued success, as evident by our metrics-based award. The perfect blend of veteran knowledge and fresh perspectives has proven to be a recipe for success.”

Kudos to the team that works with businesses and consumers every day to deliver our BBB mission

Stephanie Evans, Operations Consultant

Stephanie joined BBB in 2022 with the aim of helping businesses proactively manage their online reputation on BBB.org, by fully utilizing their profiles. She works to assist companies with responding to complaints, increasing the number of reviews on their profiles, and helping businesses create a process for reputation management.

Trezon (Tre) Dancy, Dispute Resolution Manager

Expanding Our Building Resources to Our Community

One way BBB supports the needs of our community is by sharing our physical office space as a free resource for our Accredited Businesses. Our new conference room has capacity for up to 50 guests and video conferencing makes an in-person or hybrid meeting format easy and efficient. All Accredited Businesses and nonprofits are invited to book our space at no charge.*

Tre serves as the primary point of contact for Accredited Businesses when it comes to resolving complaints to the satisfaction of both parties. Additionally, he is responsible for managing BBB’s local Autoline program, which aims to resolve disputes related to warranties or lemon laws with manufacturers. Tre focuses on consistent communication, upholding the trust standards of BBB, and managing BBB’s team of dispute resolution consultants.

Kaila Perrier, Customer Service Representative

Kaila is responsible for handling consumer and business inquiries via online and phone channels. Her responsibilities include filing reviews, publishing complaints, and providing updates on case status. Additionally, she directs consumers to external agencies that are better equipped to assist with issues that fall outside of BBB’s scope of services.

Discovering Trusted Businesses in Central Ohio

BBB maintains a systemwide database of business profiles offering insight into a business’ letter rating, star rating, services offered, geographic areas of service, customer reviews, resolution of complaints, and more.

Each year hundreds of millions of consumers internationally turn to BBB to search for businesses in their community and learn about their reputation. In 2022, there were nearly 3.8 million visits from central Ohio consumers to the BBB.org Business Directory who then clicked through to 1,863,118 individual business profiles to obtain more information on each business.

As a first point of contact for consumers and businesses, Caroline greets them with a warm and welcoming voice as a representative of our BBB. She assists by providing information and resources to Accredited Businesses as they grow and develop.

Access to this information is only part of what BBB offers. What makes BBB really stand out is our dedicated Customer Service Team who consults with consumers who need help with researching a business, reporting a scam, filing a complaint, or connecting them to resources.

13,739 Dynamic Seal Click

3,799,867

1,863,118

1,581,975

Online Directory Impressions

1,348,062

1,523

28,941

Business Profile Inquiries BBB.org Sessions BBB.org Users Customer

Caroline Chafin, Consumer Relations Assistant and Receptionist

Service Chats Customer Service Calls

Education & Engagement Builds Trust

BBB’s goal is to be a trusted business advisor in the community, providing resources, counsel, education, and networking opportunities to help organizations succeed. To do that, BBB hosts events and shares information through collaborative groups and educational sessions, empowering businesses and charities to advance trust in their organizations.

• BBB hosted various events/webinars throughout 2022 focusing on Accredited Business requested topics paired with consumer-focused webinars, including a two-part series on “Keeping Your Kids Safe Online” in partnership with the Ohio Attorney General’s office

• BBB created a guide for soliciting and managing reviews that is available to all Accredited Businesses as an added benefit of Accreditation

• Locally, BBB’s directory ads provided millions of impressions for participating businesses and have an immediate and sustainable impact on a business

• BBB launched several marketing initiatives promoting Accredited Businesses, including billboard campaigns, TV ads, and digital ads

• A new campaign introduced in 2022 will expand in 2023 with ads on YouTube, social media, and in broadcast media, promoting the value of looking for “The Sign of a Better Business”

141 Directory Sponsored Ads

1,551,119

Directory Ad Impressions Billboard Impressions

Accredited Business Spotlight

First Ohio Home Finance, INC.

19,465,339

8,997,200

Co-branded TV Homes Reached

First Ohio Home Finance understands the process of buying or refinancing a home can be stressful for their clients. To give customers peace of mind, they prominently feature BBB Accreditation in advertising and promotion of their services. According to First Ohio Home Finance, this helps them demonstrate their commitment to integrity and ethics.

According to Tony Coplen, CEO, Founder & President of First Ohio Home Finance, “As a long-standing Accredited Business, we use BBB’s marketing campaigns to increase our visibility to those looking for mortgages or refinancing. By working with the BBB of Central Ohio, we are able to provide our customers with the trust they are looking for when choosing an ethical and professionally responsible mortgage company. Thank you, BBB!”

Learn more about First Ohio Home Finance, Inc. at BBB.org

Building Awareness in our Communities

Throughout our 21 county service area, BBB of Central Ohio participated in numerous events and activities, building awareness of BBB resources and showcasing why consumers should look for “The Sign of a Better Business” when making purchase decisions.

Business Events

In 2022, BBB sponsored and made presentations at various chamber luncheons, hosted a table at the Powell Chamber’s Women’s Expo, sponsored the Columbus Women’s Leadership Conference, and sponsored Grandview’s Festival for Good, just to name a few.

Consumer Trade Events

BBB once again participated in the annual Spring and Fall Home & Garden shows reminding consumers to look for the Accredited Business seal when choosing a contractor. This outreach differentiates our community of Accredited Businesses from other exhibitors by providing a visual reminder of the trust pact with the consumer.

Family Fun Events

Allison Chester, Visual Communications Specialist, and Jessica Hamlin, Communications Director, with friends and family in tow, drove “Bea” the BBB mo”B”ile in Grove City’s Arts in the Alley parade throwing candy and encouraging the crowd to Look for the Sign of a Better Business.

Executive Leadership Engagements

BBB President Judy Dollison presented throughout the year to numerous Chambers of Commerce highlighting BBB’s impact on our community and the benefits of becoming an Accredited Business.

60

Community & Business Events

2

2 Award programs hosting more than 150 attendees

Jeanne Rucker and Ali Bahns at the Powell Chamber Event: Women in Business Expo.

BBB booth at the Home and Garden Show

BBB mo”B”ile in the Grove City’s Art in the Alley Parade

Fighting Financial Fraud

Jessica Hamlin became a FINRA, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Certified Fighting Financial Fraud Trainer through a six-phase FINRA-led program bringing further value to our community. Jessica is available to present on several topics, including:

• Knowing the 5 Red Flags of Fraud

• How to Spot the Con

• Outsmarting Investment Fraud, and

• Bringing awareness to scams aimed at Students, Veterans, and Military Families in our community

*For speakers bureau and presentation needs, please email jhamlin@centralohio.bbb.org

Communications & Business Development

New Team Members

Jessica Hamlin, Communications Director

Jessica leads BBB’s strategic internal and external communications. She serves as liaison to Central Ohio’s news media and professional associations. One of her goals is providing “News You Can Use” to enrich our Accredited Businesses and our consumer community while inspiring Central Ohio to Look for the Sign of a Better Business.

Allison Chester, Visual Communications Specialist Allison creates compelling visual design for BBB publications and marketing materials from monthly newsletters, to printed take-aways, digital and print advertising, and the many branded elements Accredited Businesses require. She also creates and edits videos and other content for BBB’s use on social media and presentations.

Jeanne Rucker, Engagement and Communications Specialist

Jeanne serves as a key point-of-contact for our Accredited Businesses. She proactively helps maximize and promote the value of BBB’s offerings to our newest Accredited Businesses while also engaging with the community to look for the BBB Seal.

Sydney Simmons, Business Development Representative Sydney returned to the BBB family in 2022, previously serving as an intern in 2017, to work with local business owners who embrace trust and ethics. She helps guide their business through the BBB Accreditation application process.

New Scam Tracker 2.0:

In 2022, BBB’s Institute for Marketplace Trust partnered with Amazon and Capital One to enhance the capabilities of the BBB Scam Tracker online reporting tool.

BBB Scam Tracker 2.0 makes it easier for consumers to report scams via mobile devices or desktop browsers and includes a new guided questionnaire that makes it quick to report a scam. Consumers can now share the report with friends and family via social media or email. They also have the option to receive updates about the constantly evolving tactics that scammers use. Consumers in Central Ohio reported 594 scams in 2022 with the top five most reported scams being Online Purchases, Phishing, Sweepstakes, Employment, and Government Grants.

Our Central Ohio communications team works with local and regional news media to provide valuable near real-time, credible information about scams targeting our community. BBB’s Scam Tracker is a reliable source of information that allows BBB to protect businesses and consumers, collaborating with the media to amplify our voice to millions of Central Ohio residents. In 2022, 928 stories ran in Central Ohio media representing a 56% increase from 2021.

594 Scam Tracker Reports

928

66

36

Media Hits Advertising Reviews Investigations

A Toast to our Trusted Leaders

BBB continues to recognize and honor leaders in the community including emerging and established leaders in the form of future leaders, young entrepreneurs, and established businesses. We showcase these Trusted Leaders through events, marketing, and awards to serve as role models for others in the community.

In November, BBB held its first Toast to Trusted Leaders event honoring the recipients of Torch and Spark Awards as well as local high school students with Students of Integrity scholarships. The event was held at COSI in downtown Columbus and was attended by hundreds of people from the community.

Gathering the winners of all our awards programs in one night created opportunities for networking and fostered a genuine sense of community. This celebration highlighted the importance of trust and ethics in our leaders and lays the foundation for building trust among the next generation of leaders in the Central Ohio area.

BBB TORCH AWARDS

BBB’s Torch Awards for Ethics celebrated its 28th year honoring organizations whose leaders demonstrate a high level of personal character; ensure the organization’s culture meets the highest standards of ethics; and earn trust with customers and the community.

2022’s winners included: Baker Creative, Bo Lacey Construction, Carlile Patchen and Murphy LLP, Columbia Gas of Ohio, CPMedia & Marketing, GBQ Partners, and Muth & Company Roofing.

28

Torch Awards Entries

6

Spark Awards Entries

2014

Laws of Life Entries

42

Students of Integrity Entries

Emceed by TV personality Laura Borchers and BBB President Judy Dollison, celebrants raised a Toast to Trusted Leaders and shared personal recognitions to many community businesses throughout the evening.

The Bo Lacey team accepts their TORCH Award at the Toast to Trusted Leaders celebration.

BBB SPARK AWARDS

BBB’s Spark Award recognizes business owners 35 years of age and under or businesses in operation for fewer than three years and celebrates the unique opportunity entrepreneurs have to spark and grow a culture of trust at the inception of their business. Selected for their high level of character, authentic culture, and commitment to community by a panel of judges, BBB of Central Ohio was proud to present the Spark Award to: 180 Demo, Benesafe Solutions, and Collaborate and Elevate.

Students of Integrity

For 20 years, BBB of Central Ohio has held the Students of Integrity Scholarship program to recognize 10 Central Ohio area high school seniors embodying high character through leadership, community service, overall personal integrity, and academic accomplishments. Congratulations to these future leaders!

Without the support of our sponsors, this event would not be possible. Thank you to the following businesses:

• Premier Event Sponsor: Rosati Windows

• Cocktail Sponsors: Columbus CEO, Newlook Sidings, Encova Insurance

• Exhibit Sponsor: Nationwide, Sheakley

• Hors d’Oeuvres Sponsor: Custom Air

• Toast to Trust Sponsors: The Waterworks - Plumbing, Drain & HVAC; E.E. Ward Moving & Storage, Eco Plumbers, Electricians, and HVAC

• Students of Integrity Scholarship Sponsors: A-Team Transmissions LLC, Outreach Promos/Small Biz Cares, Plunkett’s Pest Control

Laws of Life

In the Spring of 2022, BBB was excited to honor 19 Central Ohio students during the 23rd annual in-person Laws of Life celebration. The contest challenges 6th, 7th and 8th grade students to discover through reflection and writing what matters most to them in their

own lives and the principles they believe should guide their behaviors and choices. More than 2,000 essays were written which was narrowed to 116 finalists. Twenty student winners were presented with over $2,000 at the annual awards banquet attended by family, friends, and academic mentors.

BBB is grateful to its sponsors including: Honda, Rosati Windows, Sheakley, Nationwide, Newlook Sidings, Custom Air, E.E. Ward Moving and Storage, and Encova Insurance

Heritage AB Member Celebrations

BBB has a longstanding history of partnerships with trusted businesses in our community. We are proud to celebrate our Heritage Accredited Businesses:

Aamco Transmissions

Acloché LLC

Aire-Flo Corporation

APCO

Argo & Lehne

Atlas Butler Heating And Cooling

Bob Caldwell Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Bob-Boyd Lincoln Mercury Inc

Buckeye Heating, Cooling & Plumbing

Buckeye Shapeform

Cabinetworks Kitchens

Capital City Awning Company

Capital City Exterminating

Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

Clark Grave Vault Company

Columbus Association of Realtors

Columbus Door Sales

Columbus Pest Control, Inc.

Columbus Sign Company

Columbus Worthington Air

Converse Electric, Inc.

DaNite Sign Co.

DeSantis Florist

Dick Masheter Ford, Inc.

EC Babbert, Inc.

Encova Insurance

Ethan Allen Design Center

Franklin Art Glass Studios, Inc.

Franklin International, Inc.

General Maintenance & Engineering Co.

Geo Byers Sons Holding, Inc.

Glen Rest Memorial Estate

Grange Enterprise Companies, including

Grange and Integrity Insurance

Hague Water Conditioning, Inc.

Hamilton Parker Company

Highlights for Children, Inc.

Jae Company

Jerry Spears Company

Kohr Royer Griffith, Inc.

Krieger Ford, Inc.

Lannis Fence Systems

Licking County Chamber of Commerce

Luebbe Hearing Services

Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet

Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet of

Worthington

Mid Ohio Electric Co.

Midas Auto Service Experts Central Ohio

Franchise Locations Owned by Ian Katz

Myers Surveying Co., Inc.

Nationwide

NBC4

Perma-Flex Mold Company, Inc.

Pickaway County Chamber of Commerce

Plaza Properties, Inc.

Quality Swimming Pools, Inc.

R. L. Bando, Inc.

Ricart

RiteRug Flooring

S.G. Loewendick & Sons, Inc.

Schoedinger & Co.

Sears Heating & Cooling Company

Southard Supply, Inc.

State Auto Insurance Companies

Superior Home Maintenance Co.

The Favret Company

The Fritsche Corporation

The Hadler Companies

The Huntington National Bank

The Ohio Exterminating Co. Inc.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

The Wasserstrom Company

United Refrigeration Service, Inc.

Varo Engineers A Salas O’Brien

Company

Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce

Westwater Supply Corp.

White Castle

Wirthman Brothers, Inc.

Thank you to our Heritage Members and to all of our Accredited Businesses for your commitment to living the values that make our community strong.

The Power of Trust: BBB’s Belief

Statement

At BBB, we believe in the power of trust. We believe in its power to grow people, businesses,and communities. It is why we were founded in 1921 and it is what motivates us today. To us, trust is the glue that holds communities together. It’s business owners, consumers, and community partners relying on each other to survive, grow, and thrive. It’s at the heart of our most precious personal relationships and we believe it should be central to every transaction, purchase, and investment we make. At BBB we advance business trust so that people, businesses, and communities thrive. It is why we exist

We look forward to serving you in 2023!