After 40 years, trust is still what matters most

By Shelley Polansky, President/CEO 

In 1983, Colorado State University student Lisa Curtis felt that our community was missing something: a branch of the Better Business Bureau that could serve everyone. A survey of consumers and businesses in the area revealed she wasn’t the only one with that thought. Nearly 90% of respondents said “yes” to establishing a local branch. 

And with that, on May 17, 1983, the BBB Serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming opened our doors (although, we wouldn’t officially get that name until 2009) with 215 Charter Members. These businesses wanted a way to communicate to consumers and their employees that they cared about ethics – and were willing to hold themselves accountable to a higher standard. Twenty-six of these founding members are still accredited with us today, and they’ve been joined by more than 4,000 others across the 38 Wyoming and Colorado counties we serve.  

Trust starts through education

Early on the BBB focused heavily on fraud prevention. Our team investigated businesses, educated the public on common red flags and scams, processed complaints, and provided an information clearinghouse that consumers could call to verify the legitimacy of a business. Calls came in by the thousands – and even if they got a busy signal (remember, this is the 80s), people kept trying. They knew they would get objective information about businesses’ records and valuable guidance on how to protect themselves from negative experiences. 

Fast-forward three decades, and we’re still the resource people turn to. Over the years, we’ve provided 24x7 access to business and charitable reports via automated voice response through the phone. And of course, once the internet became available, consumers could read about and log instances of unethical business practices across the country on our website. Providing guidance and reassurance over the years – and especially during times of uncertainty – is a responsibility we don’t take lightly. During the 2020 stay-at-home orders, traffic on our website set records as people searched for trustworthy solutions from the marketplace. 

The BBB strives to help consumers make smart buying decisions, and with the launch of the BBB Foundation in 1989, we broadened that initiative to cover smart giving decisions. Through the Foundation, we’ve expanded our philanthropic advisory services to better monitor and evaluate local charities and solicitations and educate the public on wise charitable giving. 

Issuing the ongoing call for partnership

The BBB was never meant to be the business police. Our goal has always been to build bridges between customers and businesses – and that starts with partnership. Through our work on background checks and complaint resolution, we’re able to approach businesses with opportunities to correct what’s not working. Self-regulation is a founding philosophy, and it is how we continue to approach our businesses today. They have the ability and freedom to change a pattern or practice and effectively address complaints. Our frameworks for ethical decision-making provide the critical guidance that enables organizations and business leaders to demonstrate that values matter and always will. 

Beginning in 1998 when businesses could proudly display their BBB membership seal in marketing communications, to the introduction of the letter-grade rating system in 2007, the BBB has made it easier for accredited businesses to showcase their commitment to honesty, integrity, and excellence. When companies make the decision to be independently vetted against our eight Standards for Trust, they are taking an important step in demonstrating that they believe in operating ethically and in the best interests of their customers.

Education goes a long way in fostering marketplace trust: Educated consumers make smarter buying decisions, and educated businesses are able to conduct business better. Over the years, we’ve put greater emphasis on educating our business partners in areas like online reputation management and complaint resolution. As new ethical issues emerge with the evolution of technology, we will evolve our ethics education offerings, expand our services, and form new strategic partnerships to help our business partners, consumers, and communities navigate the marketplace safely and successfully. 

Looking ahead

As we reflect on the last 40 years, we recognize the world has changed, but our values have not. The BBB listens to the needs of our community and aligns our efforts accordingly. Our greatest strength is our strong partnerships with local business leaders and consumers. As we look to next 40 years, know that BBB Serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming will be here, fostering trust in the marketplace by helping consumers make smarter decisions, resolving disputes, educating the public on scams and ethical issues, and supporting our business partners as they work to do business better. 

Going forward, we will continue to provide ethics-based assessments, training, and recognition for businesses and nonprofits that believe in always doing the right thing for the right reasons. And we will never stop looking for ways to embrace technology and adjust to the changing world, so you can always have what’s critically important in the marketplace – trust. 

Shelley Polansky is president/CEO of BBB Serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming.