BBB Community | April 2016 by BBB of Fort Worth

BBB SERVING TARRANT, JOHNSON, HOOD, SOMERVELL, WISE, PARKER, ERATH AND PALO PINTO COUNTIES

APRIL 2016

FWBBB.ORG

Weathering Storms & the Aftershocks 10 TIPS to help your business GO GREEN Models in Ethics: Clear Fork Royalty SPECIAL FEATURES: WOMEN IN BUSINESS NETWORKING | REVOCATIONS COUNTY TORCH AWARD WINNERS plus REVIEW OF THE 2016 TORCH GALA

We are a full services CPA firm with a rich history of servicing businesses in the Fort Worth area. As a third generation CPA, we are dedicated to helping and assisting your business with an array of financial needs.

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A LETTER FROM YOUR BBB We are inspired by the concept of pro-activity. We see in you, our accredited businesses, a trend of successful businesses more apt to lead than follow. For this issue of Community, we chose to give you resources which may help you and your business be even more pro-active. From weaving green practices into your environment to managing your online reputation and enhancing cyber security, to weathering the aftershock of storms in our area, we believe that you will find something interesting and relevant to your life and business.

PUBLISHER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Lindsey Haase

MANAGING EDITOR

Julie Lyssy

ART DIRECTOR

Michael J. Slack

SENIOR WRITER

Tina Urbina

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jesus Silva Chelsea Boyer

AD SALES MANAGER

CONTRIBUTORS

We continue this pro-activity theme in our 2015 Torch Award winners who were honored in February at our annual Gala. Learn more about them in this issue as well. You will also find that we have been pro-active when you review our 2015 annual report which is included in this issue. We are proud of the progress we are making in partnership with all our accredited businesses to keep our community one that is grounded in marketplace ethics. We are ever grateful for your example and support as we move forward.

Larry Taylor

Jerron Patton

Julie Barlow Hilary Dennis Tara Stephens

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Michael J. Slack

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Eric McGehearty

Sincerely, Larry Taylor, CEO & President

Better Business Bureau of Fort Worth

BBB Community© is published quarterly by Better Business Bureau of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, Inc., 1300 Summit Avenue, Suite 700, Fort Worth, TX 76102, 855-621-8566

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CHANDLER AD

The best time to deal with hail and storm damage is before it happens. Be prepared for Texas weather by talking with us beforehand to build the right plan for insuring your peace of mind. We provide unparalleled damage restoration and insurance claim guidance.

chan dle rco m p any.co m Phone: 817.812.2953 | Fax: 817.812.2954 | Email: info@thechandlerco.com | 5904 S. Cooper Suite 104 Arlington, Texas 76017

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STORM PREP

WEATHERING STORMS & THE AFTERSHOCKS

Natural disasters such as floods, tornados and hail are prevalent in North Texas. Left in their wake is damage to homes, vehicles and financial burdens. In the aftershock, your initial instinct is to take the shortest path back to normalcy. Being judicious can help you avoid a second disaster by making decisions without having completed your normal due diligence.

Protect Your Property Wind shear, hail and punishing rains all take a toll on homes,

Second, be wary regarding places you can’t see. While most

especially roofs, and vehicles. Tornados have their own special

roofers abide by the law, be careful allowing someone you do not

effects which can be physically and emotionally taxing.

know to inspect your roof. An unethical contractor may actually

Within hours of damaging storms you can expect to be greeted

create damage to get work. The same goes for attics, crawl

by a seemingly endless line of contractors wanting to help you fix

spaces, ducts, and other places you cannot easily access or see

your home and places advertising car repairs.

for yourself. Vehicle damage is generally visible, but fine hail damage and pitting to glass may not be as easy to see.

While the easy thing to do is sign the first contract presented to you, it may not be the best option. You are making a decision that

Third, contact your insurance company to determine coverage,

will not only affect you today, but for years to come. While we

any deductible you are responsible for, if there are specific

would all like the easy answer to be the best answer, often times,

companies they contract with and specific filing requirements

in retrospect, we have come to know it is not.

to gain your maximum reimbursement.

First, be leery of door-to-door workers or telephone solicitation

Finally, shop around for contractors. You may need to make

whether offering home repairs, inspections, heating and cooling

temporary repairs, but major permanent repairs should be the

services, speedy insurance processing or vehicle repairs. There

result of multiple bids and thorough research. Here are some

is no harm in taking their card, but signing a contract without

specific steps to insure you have quality information

further investigation is not advised.

to make decisions:

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STORM PREP

Due Diligence Check List Require Written Bids Bids should clearly identify the specific materials to be used with associated costs and all labor charges as well as the timing of the beginning and expected completion of work. Require copies of all licenses, permits and liability insurance prior to any work commencing. A minimum of three bids is advised to get a good reference for market pricing.

Be Sure That Bids Are Comparable Comparing apples to oranges has long been known to lead to poor choices. Be certain the materials are the same and the time frames are fairly equivalent. Be wary of very low estimates, which could set up a “bait and switch” tactic and end up costing you in the end.

Get References From Past Customers

After Storm Vehicle Market

Obtain references from a range of time frames. This gives you

Salt and water have a debilitating effect on metal vehicles.

the ability to find out about their current workforce as well as the

Vehicles that have survived floods, once dried out, often can

long–term quality of their work and customer follow-through if

function, but some of that damage will affect the longevity

issues arise after the initial work has been completed.

and efficiency of the vehicle.

Check Out Their History With Objective Third-Parties BBB offers objective business reviews along with verified customer reviews, giving you that extra comfort in knowing the reviews were not great because the company paid people on Fiver to give them great reviews nor are the less favorable added at the request of a competitor – real customers, real reviews. Trade associations are also a good source of third-party information.

Do not pay in advance for the work A reputable contractor may ask for a small deposit, but not to be paid in advance or for you to front the money for materials.

Obtain a Lien Waiver Before Final Payment When work is complete, be sure to get a notarized statement that all sub-contractors and materials suppliers have been paid in full to avoid a contractor’s lien on your property.

Payments Should be Made to the Company Pay by credit card, if possible; you may have additional protection if there’s a problem. If paying by check, it should be made out to the company. Be sure to keep records

Warranties on Work Should be in Writing Any guarantee on workmanship and/or materials should be in writing and specify what is covered and what is exempt from coverage.

Allow Heating/Cooling to Dry and be Cleaned Making a determination on repairs needed when the system is compromised may lead to false conclusions about what, if any, repairs are required. 7 BBB Community

If you are shopping for a used vehicle, look for the signs of flood or hail damage: Rust (under the vehicle), Mud, Watermarks or discolored upholstery, Mismatching carpet to original interior from manufacturer, Musty odor. Also, request a vehicle report based on the vehicle identification number (VIN) to check for past reported damage from a company like AutoCheck or CarFax. These reports will provide you with the vehicle’s history.

Bearing the Financial Crunch Severe storms damage more than just personal property. They may place you in an unanticipated out of work situation due to bodily harm or damage to your workplace. If you find yourself temporarily out of work, call your creditors to arrange payment terms. Calculate what you can afford to pay before you call to avoid making a payment term you aren’t able to keep up with. Also, be clear on the terms of your credit cards and what fees and interest rates accrue for credit purchases and cash advances so that you are able to use these tools without incurring high backend fees. Natural disasters and their effects are beyond our control. However, by responding pro-actively rather than re-actively to the “aftershock” situations, you can protect yourself and your family from becoming re-victimized.

BUSINESS TIPS

GOING GREEN

TEN TIPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Should your business go green? Applying green processes to the workplace not only benefits the environment by reducing unnecessary waste, but also helps create a healthy workplace for employees. Your business could also see an improvement in overall efficiency, reap legal and tax advantages through green initiatives and see an improved public response. Here’s 10 simple changes your business can implement to improve workplace efficiency and sustainability.

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Recycle Everything Encourage recycling in the office by including separate receptacles for recyclable paper and plastics. Don’t forget to properly dispose of and recycle additional workplace waste such as: old computers, cell phones, batteries, glass, tires, used oil and hazardous waste.

Go Paperless It’s more secure and easier to manage workplace record keeping electronically. Also institute a workplace policy to post manuals and other lengthy documents online.

Use Natural Lighting When possible, open blinds and shades to utilize natural light. Also encourage staff to turn off lights when not in use. Better yet, invest in timers or motion sensors that automatically shut off lights when not in use.

Energy Saving Light Bulbs They’ll help reduce your energy cost and last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs while producing the same amount of light.

Non-Toxic Cleaners Conventional cleaning products can contain some of the most hazardous ingredients we’re exposed to on a daily basis. Try using green products that contain fewer chemicals and place plants around the office to

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Water Filters Bottled water is expensive and generates a large amount of container waste. Save money and reduce waste by investing in a water filter for the office instead.

Programmable Thermostat With a programmable thermostat you’ll have precise control over your heating and cooling which helps reduce wasted energy and lowers you’re utility costs.

Two-Sided Printing To cut down on paper waste encourage double-sided printing whenever possible.

Shut Off Computers Remember to shut off computers and power strips when leaving for the day. Setting computers to sleep automatically during short breaks can also help save energy.

Minimize Packing Materials Using less material helps cut down on cost and reduces waste. Try using appropriately sized recyclable boxes and materials when possible.

help absorb indoor pollution.

Sources: www.theselfemployed.com/office/20-small-business-tips-for-going-green/ www. smallbusiness.chron.com/businesses-should-green-766.html

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS NETWORKING

Hilary Dennis Director of Women in Business Networking Our newest program, Women in Business Networking (WIBN), is garnering attention rapidly. That was visible at the February 23 inaugural monthly Lunch & Learn event where women from across the Metroplex came together to meet, eat, learn and connect.

Guest speaker, David Valentine of ReThink Creative Group, shared an inspiring presentation challenging attendees to think from a purely giving perspective rather than a quid pro quo perspective in their personal and professional lives. We were also honored to have WIBN’s founder, Jeanne Porter, in attendance. She succinctly shared the essence of WIBN’s purpose, “It is about relationship building, not just exchanging business cards. You should feel elevated after attending a WIBN event.”

Introducing the 2016 WIBN Advisory Committee Connie Sitterly Sitcom, Inc. Janice Tims 2J’s Automotive Andi McCord Rogers Wealth Group

Yolanda Roberts Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Business Division Chair Karen Green Frost Bank

Betty Dillard Fort Worth Business

She went on to explain that WIBN is designed to provide interactive avenues where women will leave each event excited about an idea or connection. She will have the “next step” in mind to achieving a personal or professional success. And, through WIBN she will have a team of other women in business to encourage her to not only know the next step, but to take it. The monthly Lunch & Learn gatherings are held on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Registration is required and can be made by contacting Hilary Dennis via e-mail (contactwibn@fwbbb.org). To expand efforts to recognize women who exemplify entrepreneurship, dynamic leadership, charity advancement and community involvement, WIBN is introducing our first annual 25 Women to Watch awards. Help us recognize the amazing women in our area by nominating the ones you admire and who inspire you by their example. To learn more about WIBN and the amazing opportunities it affords women in business, contact Hilary Dennis via e-mail at contactwibn@fwbbb.org.

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Mary Robb, owner of Covenant Credit Repair, networks with women at the March WIBN Luncheon.

ANNUAL REPORT Year after year, BBB Fort Worth has seen tremendous growth and improvement. Through our programs and efforts, we strive to further marketplace trust and bring even greater awareness to our Accredited Businesses in the North Texas community we serve. With so much positive information to share, we hope that the charts and graphs below help to showcase some of the progress that was made in our service area in 2015.

CONNECTING CONSUMERS WITH TRUSTWORTHY BUSINESSES: Data from Jan. 1, 2015 – Dec. 31, 2015

1% Neutral Reviews Business Inquires

Accredited Businesses

Closed Complaints

Total Social Media Followers/Likes

62%

37%

Positive Reviews

Negative Reviews

1,164,406

Customer Business Reviews

675,309

Online Sessions

88%

Retention in 2015

83%

Retention in 2014

2015

2014

72% increase in web traffic from 2014 to 2015

MOST INQUIRED ABOUT TYPES OF BUSINESSES

MOST COMPLAINED ABOUT TYPES OF BUSINESSES

Jan. 1 – Dec. 31st, 2015

1. Roofing Contractors

1. Airlines

2. Home Builders

2. Travel Agencies & Bureaus

3. Insurance - Life

3. Auto Dealers - New Cars

4. Insurance Companies

4. Home Builders

5. Financial Services

5. Video Games - Dealers

6. Air Conditioning & Heating Contractors - Commercial

6. Consumer Finance & Loan Companies

7. Educational Consultants

7. Auto Dealers - Used Cars

8. Auto Dealers - Used Cars

8. Auto Warranty Processing Service

9. Surveyors - Land

9. Roofing Contractors

10. Insurance Services

10. Electronic Equipment & Suppliers - Service & Repair

Have questions? We’re happy to answer them for you. Contact our Accredited Business Concierge service: service@fwbbb.org

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2016 COUNTY TORCH AWARDS

CELEBRATING OUR TORCH AWARD WINNERS

Clear Fork Royalty, Tarrant County Torch Award Winner

Snodgrass Painting and Remodeling, Hood County Torch Award Winner

he Torch Awards are an annual ceremony and one of

The businesses and charities who receive this honor

the highest honors given by our nonprofit trade

maintain business practices and activities that exemplify

organization to recognize BBB Accredited Businesses

BBB’s mission and principles. Congratulations to our

and Accredited Charities for their exceptional commitment

2015 county Torch Award recipients:

to upholding marketplace trust in our North Texas communities. For the first time, BBB of Fort Worth

BBB of Fort Worth presented winners with their

accepted applications for county Torch Awards in each

respected county Torch Award at individual ceremonies

of our eight service-area counties. The volunteer judging

held at their business locations. County Torch Award

committee selected six county Torch Award recipients

winners also received recognition and an award

based on their ability to demonstrate: Exceptional Ethics

presentation at the Torch Awards Gala held on

& Training, Excellent Customer Service, and Community

Saturday, February 20, 2016.

Involvement & Charitable Giving.

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Covenant Credit Repair, Parker County Torch Award Winner

Baxter Chemical & Janitorial, Erath County Torch Award Winner

Wise County Winner, DFW Ponds

Baxter Chemical & Janitorial, Erath County Torch Award Winner

Leland’s Industries, Johnson County Torch Award Winner

Parker County Winner, Covenant Credit Repair

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CYBER SECURITY

WHAT IS CYBER SECURITY? Most companies now use the internet and IT equipment to do business on a daily basis. While this offers numerous business opportunities and benefits, it also comes with great risks. According to the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), a federal agency that is part of the Department of Commerce, cybersecurity is defined as “the ability to protect or defend the use of cyberspace from cyber-attack.” In short, cybersecurity is protecting your computer-based equipment and information from unintended or unauthorized access, change, theft or destruction.

COMMON RISKS AND THREATS TO BUSINESSES Every company and business type is at risk. Cyber-attacks aim at disrupting your business by stealing your money and/or confidential information. Small businesses are increasingly becoming targets. Cyber criminals believe it’s easier to penetrate smaller businesses in hopes that they lack the knowledge and resources that larger companies have. The potential threats to your business can be overwhelming, but by understanding and taking a systematic approach to cybersecurity you can help protect your business investment for years to come.

A 2015 study conducted by Verizon identified these 7 major cyber threats to small businesses: Physical Theft and Loss Items, like laptops, tablets, and back-up drives, are lost or stolen and, if they contain vital digital information, that theft can lead to a data breach. Payment Card Skimmers These sophisticated card readers fit inside regular point-ofsale card readers and capture credit card numbers, PINs or passwords putting your customers’ information at risk. Point of Sale Intrusions Hackers can get inside your company’s payments system by compromising employee credentials or those of a vendor who has access. Crimeware Malicious software that can be downloaded to a computer or mobile device via an email link or attachment and then used to steal bank records and system data. 17 BBB Community

Web App Attacks Compromises caused by someone stealing your login information and then using it to pretend to be you online. Insider and Privilege Misuse An employee with bad intentions could steal money or company secrets if given access to more data than needed to perform their job. Miscellaneous Errors Usually in the form of human error, through people being lazy or too busy to pay attention to details.

GLOSSARY OF CYBER-TERMS Phishing – an attempt to fraudulently obtain confidential information by posing as a legitimate company, usually a financial organization, via an email message.

Social Engineering – direct communication, either in person, by phone, by fax or over the internet, designed to trick you into providing your personal information.

Ransomware – Malware specifically designed to block access to systems or information until a ransom is paid.

Hacker – an unauthorized user who attempts to or gains access to an information system.

Malware – categorical term for various forms of malicious software designed to damage or access computers without knowledge of the owner.

Firewall – a capability to limit network traffic between networks and/or information systems.

Virus – a computer program that can replicate itself, infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user, and then spread or propagate to another computer. Spam – the abuse of electronic messaging systems to indiscriminately send unsolicited bulk messages.

Cookie – a small data file that a web site installs on your computer’s hard drive to collect information about your activities on the site or to allow other capabilities on the site. Worm – a self-replicating, self-propagating, self-contained program that uses networking mechanisms to spread itself.

CYBER SECURITY NATIONAL ACTION BBB is here for your business and proud to support a program that emphasizes a strong focus on small business cybersecurity support and safeguarding privacy. In early February 2016, Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) joined with the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and major high-tech industry leaders in supporting the President’s “Cybersecurity National Action Plan” (CNAP). The CNAP is the result of more than seven years of research gained from evaluating cybersecurity trends, threats and intrusions. The plan directs the Federal Government to put in place long-term strategies to enhance our nation’s cybersecurity awareness and to take new actions to protect our privacy and public safety. Learn more at www.whitehouse.gov.

5 Steps to Better Business Cybersecurity Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) recently collaborated to create “Five Steps to Better Business Cybersecurity”, a business education resource establishing cybersecurity best practices for small businesses. The 5 Step Approach, is based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, geared at helping you understand how best to identify, protect, detect, respond and recover from a cybersecurity incident.

Step 1: Identify Understanding the key assets your business needs to protect is the first step to keeping it safe. Take inventory of key technologies you use and know what information you need to rebuild your infrastructure from scratch. Inventory the key data you use and store and keep track of likely threats. Best Practice: Document your assets; record the manufacturer, make, model, serial number and support information for all hardware and software used within your business.

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CYBER SECURITY

Step 2: Protect

Step 5: Recover

Assess what protective measures you need to have in place to be as prepared as possible for cyber incident. Put protective policies in place for technologies, data, and users, and ensure that your contracts with cloud and other technology service providers include the same protections.

Know what to do to return to normal business operations after an incident. Protect sensitive data and your business reputation over the long term.

Best Practice: Identify security vendors in advance and, if possible, put contracts in place. Continually install security updates and backup system data. Consider cyber insurance to cover risks that are too expensive to protect against.

Step 3: Detect Put measures in place to alert you of current or imminent threats to system integrity, loss or compromise of data. Train your employees to identify and quickly report incidents. Most cyber-attacks can be prevented or detected with basic security practices in place. Best Practice: Regularly monitor messages blocked by email filters, traffic in and out of your network and antivirus messages.

Step 4: Respond Make and practice an Incident Response Plan to contain an attack or incident and maintain business operations in the short term. Best Practice: Utilize spares and backups, while continuing to capture operational data. Know how to stop an attack, stop exfiltration of data and collect forensic evidence.

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Best Practice: Create a Disaster Recovery Plan. Identify who makes the call on activating the plan and who is responsible for executing the steps. By understanding cybersecurity risks and managing them effectively you’ll enhance your business reputation, profitably and help safeguard your customers’ information.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES For more useful tools on creating and implementing a cybersecurity strategy for your company, please visit the following websites: BBB Resources: www.bbb.org/cybersecurity NCSA Resources: www.stopthinkconnect.org FTC Resources and Information: www.ftc.gov/datasecurity Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report: www.verizonenterprise.com/DBIR/2015/ Cybersecurity is our shared responsibility and, with a little preparation and follow-through, we can help make our digital community safer and allow businesses and consumers to do more online with trust and confidence.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Accredited Business Open Houses: Join us at the BBB of Fort Worth office (1300 Summit Avenue,

WIBN Social Media Saturday: 3rd Saturday of the month

Suite 700, Fort Worth, TX 76102) to learn more about beneficial

Featuring discussions on the latest trends in social media

BBB services, networking opportunities and how to make the

and online marketing and how it can impact your business.

most of your BBB Accreditation.

Free event – all are welcome, from 9:00 -10:30 am at BBB

Free event: Open to new and existing Accredited Businesses Lunch is Provided - Reservation Required

of Fort Worth office (1300 Summit Avenue, Suite 700, Fort Worth, TX 76102).

RSVP Today online

Networking Lunch & Learn Series:

June 9th at 11:30 am – 1:00 pm , September 8th at 11:30 am – 1:00 pm,

4th Tuesday of the month

December 1st at 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Held each month 11:15 – 1:15 pm at One Safe Place (1100

WIBN Koffee-Talks, Morning Round Table Discussions:

Hemphill St., Fort Worth, TX 76104), which serves as home to the Tarrant Regional Family Justice Center. Events focus on creating connections with other successful business women

Every Friday

and incorporating community awareness and support. Cost

Koffee Talk events offer networking opportunities in a

to members is $30.00 and $35.00 for non-members.

relaxed and comfortable environment. Each week from 8:00-9:30 am, facilitated round-table discussions are held at a different featured Accredited Business office location. Free event - All are welcome.

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ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

WHY YOUR #1 GOAL IN 2016 SHOULD BE ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT About the Author: Eric McGehearty, CEO of Globe Runner SEO, earned his Master’s Degree from the University of North Texas, where he honed both his creative vision and his dedication to hard work, both of which are reflected in the culture at Globe Runner. He has been featured in Forbes, Killer Start-Ups, The Business Journal, Denton Record Chronicle and Dallas Morning News.

1. New Business Sales Imagine you’re a customer in search of a new business. How would you react if your internet search produced a host of bad reviews, litigation cases or the personal scandals of company figureheads? You’re likely to turn and run in the opposite direction before handing over your hard earned cash! Even if the information supplied is out of date, most people will make a snap decision based on what turns up on Google’s first page of search results. That’s where reputable online management firms like Power SEO, SEO watchdogs and Globe Runner SEO come in.

$1.2 million dollars.

That’s the amount of money generated by the world’s e-commerce platforms every thirty seconds. Clearly, large amounts of money are at stake if you ignore your online reputation. Twenty years ago, organic word-of-mouth fueled the majority of new business transactions. Today, that word-of-mouth happens in the digital realm.

They use a variety of strategies proven to give your reputation a boost. Most notably, qualified firms can help you emphasize the good instead of making fruitless attempts to “erase” the bad. For instance, they’ll start with things like highlighting internal changes you’ve made, focusing on local awards you’ve received, and promoting ways you give back to your community. Talking about these things publicly helps ensure they’re the first thing potential customers see when researching your business.

With a quick post on social media, a customer can instantly source trustworthy plumbers or get mechanic suggestions from their network. In fact, it’s rare that potential customers don’t involve some form of internet research before making their final decisions. This makes online reputation management paramount. Reputation management has become a widely circulated buzzword in recent years and rightfully so. It encompasses a host of intricate and technical pieces. Yet, at its core, reputation management is a full-time job of actively monitoring and positively influencing your business’ credibility in the online arena. As we’ll see, your reputation influences everything from your ability to attract qualified candidates to your bottom line. If you make just one goal for your business in 2016, make it a focus on reputation management. If not, here are a few things at stake:

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2. Credibility of your Brand No one can put a dollar amount on the level of trust you have in the marketplace. It’s an invaluable and critical piece of running a successful business. Public confidence in your business is a true asset—one that can be difficult to recover if ever called into question. A prime example is the recent Blue Bell Creameries scandal. The 108-year-old brand suffered irreparable damage once the story broke that it had hidden the scope of a listeria

outbreak. In the end, its losses extended far beyond their bottom line. In total they were forced to lay off 1,450 of their 3,900 employees. Another 1,400 were furloughed. However, it was the loss of their public image as a trusted brand that stung most. While your situation may not be as dire, each customer you come into contact with is helping build, or tear down, your credibility. In every interaction, give customers something positive to talk about with their online communities. In doing so you help deemphasize the few, and inevitable, poor reviews that may follow your business. When it comes to fiercely protecting your good name, apply the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

3. Your Financial Opportunities It’s not just customers who will be turning a close eye to your online reputation. Say you’re ready to grow your business in 2016. After years of hard work, you’re finally going to open that second location. However, you’re likely going to need a little extra working capital, right? Where do you think potential investors or loan officers are going to start? What these institutions turn up in their online research could ultimately determine the financial future of your company. Investors, banks and customers alike all need to view your business as a trustworthy entity. Without knowing you personally, their sole decision often hangs in the balance of your online reputation.

without reputation management. A good example is VW’s admission of guilt that it had installed software designed to cheat emissions tests. The press had a field day. For a time, you couldn’t visit any news site without being reminded of their blunder. The silver lining is that hot button issues like this one do allow you an opportunity to quickly get in front of the public. In fact, it could be your only chance to right any wrongs before the news topples your business. After all, it took years, maybe decades to build your company. Don’t let one piece of negative press sink all you’ve worked so hard to create.

5. Quality Recruitment Options Even small businesses with relatively few employees understand that their staff is the basis of all they do. So much of a business’ success or failure depends on its ability to attract the industry’s top, qualified candidates. However, specialized and sought after employees are likely to research your company before accepting a job offer. Reputation management helps ensure their searches turn up the most positive aspects of your business. Moreover, to attract quality candidates you can trust, you have to be a quality business that they can trust. Reputation management proves to be the best way to ensure your business experiences a successful run. When negative press threatens to collapse all that you’ve worked for or a nasty customer review calls your credibility into question, look to reputation management. It’s the best to improve an online reputation that will precede every interaction you have in the marketplace. Protect it fiercely or be prepared to potentially shut your doors in 2016.

4. Uncontrollable Negative Press News, specifically bad news, travels quickly. With instant access to tiny pocket-sized computers, customers have a 24-hour real-time connection to multiple outlets. In this digital age, the acceptable window of time you have to respond during a crisis closes almost as soon as it opens. Whether it’s in the form of a bad review or breaking scandal, negative press can be almost impossible to get on top of fwbbb.org

REVOCATIONS

WHY BUSINESSES GET REVOKED Revocation of BBB Accreditation is a multi-step process. First BBB notifies the business that Accreditation has been suspended, explains why, and gives the company another chance to resolve the problem. When issues are not resolved, the proposed list of revocations is then forwarded to the BBB Attorney to review against Uniform Standards for BBB Accredited Businesses and BBB Rating Policy. The company in question is then presented to the Board of Directors for revocation. “Any membership may be revoked by a majority vote of the Board of Directors if the member fails to comply with the

Standards of Membership in the Bureau or for any other good cause as determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board of Directors.” (Bylaws – Section 3.2) A revocation letter is then sent certified to notify the business of their revoked Accreditation status. A business whose Accreditation has been revoked may request an appeal in writing by sending a written request via U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested to the Chief Executive Officer of BBB within 14 business days of receipt of notice of the revocation.

The following businesses have had their BBB® Accreditation revoked due to the business’ failure to maintain specified Accredited Business Standards.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

Aztec Construction Group

VIP Finance of Texas, Inc.

Top Roofing Solutions

2711 Mustang Dr., Suite A

801 E. Division St.

7505 Crosstimbers Lane

Grapevine, TX 76051

Arlington, TX 76011

Fort Worth, TX 76182

Reason Revoked: Standards 1D, 6A & B

Reason Revoked: Standard 2.2

Reason Revoked: 1D & 6A

Eagle Sprinkler & Drainage

Woods General Contracting

4904 Marble Falls Rd.

1421 Fairhaven Dr.

Fort Worth, TX 76103

Mansfield, TX 76063

Reason Revoked: Standards 1D, 6A & B

Reason Revoked: 1D, 6A & B

Lonestar Stained Concrete 5925 Watauga Rd. Watauga, TX 76148 Reason Revoked: Standards 1D, 6A & B

For more information on BBB’s Standards of Trust and to view Accredited Business Standards, please visit our website at fwbbb.org. For revocation questions or assistance responding to consumer complaints, contact the Dispute Resolution Department at 855-621-8566 or complaints at complaints@fwbbb.org.

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New BBB Accredited Businesses from December 1, 2015 - February 29, 2016 1st Choice Moving Company

Binswanger Glass

Dodson Electric

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