OVERVIEW
In 1975 the BBB started offering alternative dispute resolution services (ADR) to Minnesota and North Dakota businesses. In 2006 we established the Community Mediation Center. ADR services place a premium on the customer-business relationship and provide for an amicable resolution.
In today’s competitive marketplace, hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent to combat customer lawsuits. These lawsuits erode the public’s confidence in even the best businesses. When businesses resort to the court system to resolve disputes of customer satisfaction, no one comes out a winner. Even if the business wins the lawsuit, the customer relationship is violated. Additionally, the public record of court action further erodes customer confidence in the business and its industry.
PROGRAMS FOR BUSINESS
Pre-Complaint Business Assistance
This program makes our knowledgeable and competent staff accessible to the business community to assist them in resolving a marketplace issue before it results in a customer complaint. When a call for service is received, a staff person will listen, discuss and outline recommendations on how the issue can be resolved.
Pre-Dispute Arbitration Contract Clause
Many businesses include an arbitration clause is their contracts naming the Better Business Bureau as the service provider. This pre-commitment must be clearly explained and disclosed to the customer. Many courts have disregarded pre-commitment clauses unless the business has clearly outlined the nature of the clause and has provided the customer an opportunity to accept or reject it. Acceptance is noted with the customer’s signature and date immediately following the clause.
Conflict Management Training
The BBB targets skill training in developing active listening skills, clarifying facts, seeking common ground, reality testing, diffusing anger, and recognizing people’s needs versus their positions. You will learn the full range of mediation, conflict resolution, customer satisfaction and telephone techniques.
LOCAL PROGRAMS
Volunteer Arbitrator Training
The goal of arbitration is to resolve business/customer disputes quickly and economically as an alternative to the court system. Accordingly, arbitration is a professional activity requiring high levels of specific skills, including excellent written, verbal, listening, fact-finding and logical reasoning skills.
Our dispute resolution training programs are developed and conducted by staff trainers. All trainers have extensive experience in dispute resolution and are active in the field.
Volunteer Mediator
If you are already a trained mediator and are looking to volunteer for your BBB, please contact us directly to determine whether there are openings, and to get more information.
NATIONAL PROGRAMS
BBB AUTO LINE ®
We offer the largest and most effective auto warranty dispute resolution program in the US to help build trust and confidence in the automotive marketplace. Most auto companies offer BBB AUTO LINE to their customers as a consumer help resource.
Telecommunications
We provide a dispute resolution program to assist Verizon Wireless customers. To begin the process, file a complaint with the BBB of New Jersey at www.newjersey.bbb.org.
MORE INFORMATION
Maureen Slater, CMC Manager
mslater@thefirstbbb.org
220 S. River Ridge Cir
Burnsville, MN 55337
651-695-2427
