Amount Involved in Closed Complaints $24,558,009

Serving Nebraska, South Dakota, The Kansas Plains and Southwest Iowa

Annual Review 2016

APPLICATION FORM

and submit with your scholarship application package.

Dear BBB Accredited Businesses, Throughout the past year, your

2016

BBB: conducted numerous scam investigations, helped

Instances o

Solution both busTHiEn20e17sses and consumers FREE PUBLICATION

resolve complaints, represented

our BBACBCRaEtDItTrEaDdBeUSsINhEoSSwDsIRECTORY

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU?

throughout SoERuVIrNGfSoOUuTHrDAsKtOaTAte region,

issued alerts and consumer tips on a regular basis,

2013 = 2,768,3 2014 = 2,940,8

produced four different printed Accredited Business(AB)

Directories, upgraded our online directory by adding our popular information pages, awarded integrity, protected

2015 = 3,114,54

and educated seniors across our service area and made

e-quotes and customer reviews more accessible and easier to use by both our ABs and consumers - it all

2016 = 3,947,4

adds up to a great 2016!

Start As you will see in the statisW Ttricuitashtl?part of this report,

Instances o

we continue to see increasebsbbinindce.omrgand - particularly

1,761,057 Uniqu

on mobile devices - for our services. We believe this

4,357,103 Webs

Read & Submit is a clear indicator that BBB's brand is more relevant

2,272,671 Webs

than ever. This trend confirms that the consuming public prefers doing business with organizations that

2,656,730 (99.2% (not o

have been fully vetted by BBB and have made the commitment to supporting our mission of "being the

788,690 Busin (on m

leader in advancing marketplace trust." Please refer to the back of this Review for specific information regarding BBB's "Consumer Journey Survey."

295,830 Apple 155,253 Apple 18,934 Kindle

On behalf of our Boards of Directors and staff, I would personally like to thank you for your continued support and commitment. I am certain that our exceptional

318,673 Droid 75,258 Comp

BBB team will continue to build opportunities designed to enhance the value of your BBB Accreditation. Best wishes to you and yours for a happy and prosperous

7,392 Requ Busin

8,244 eQuo

New Year!

31,430 eQuo

Enclosed is a computer calendar, a gift for you, and a

56,362 BBB O 265,760 Type

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear BBB Accredited Businesses,

Throughout the past year, your BBB: conducted numerous scam investigations, helped both businesses and consumers resolve complaints, represented our BBB at trade shows throughout our four state region, issued alerts and consumer tips on a regular basis, produced four different printed Accredited Business(AB) Directories, upgraded our online directory by adding our popular information pages, awarded integrity, protected and educated seniors across our service area and made e-quotes and customer reviews more accessible and easier to use by both our ABs and consumers--it all adds up to a great 2016!

As you will see in the statistical part of this report, we continue to see increases in demand--particularly on mobile devices--for our services. We believe this is a clear

indicator that BBB's brand is more relevant than ever. This trend confirms that the consuming public prefers doing business with organizations that have been fully vetted by BBB and have made the commitment to supporting our mission of "being the leader in advancing marketplace trust." Please refer to the back of this Review for specific information regarding BBB's "Consumer Journey Survey."

On behalf of our Boards of Directors and staff, I would personally like to thank you for your continued support and commitment. I am certain that our exceptional BBB team will continue to build opportunities designed to enhance the value of your BBB Accreditation. Best wishes to you and yours for a happy and prosperous New Year!

Enclosed is a computer calendar, a gift for you, and a reminder that we are here if you need us!

Sincerely,

Jim Hegarty BBB President/CEO

Give Your Satisfied Customers the Opportunity to Say "Thank You" Using BBB's New One Click "Review Solution-ABs" App

Are customer reviews important to your business? Of course

they are! Consumers go online to check out businesses

constantly, and they look for customer reviews to help decide

whether to hire or to buy from you. So don't be afraid to ask--

be direct. Your customers will write reviews if they have an

easy way to do it. Your solution is now

just one click away with the FREE

"Review Solution-ABs" App!

Read & Submit

Our newest benefit only for BBB

Accredited Businesses (ABs),

provides your organization with a

free app that allows you to request

a customer review with a single

click. You can download the app

to as many Apple or Android mobile devices or PCs as

you need with no additional cost. Then, you simply send

text messages to request customer reviews. BBB's double

verification process always ensures the highest level of

integrity for each of your reviews.

To take advantage of this new BBB Accredited Business benefit, go online to bbb to set up your free account. To do this, you will need the link to your BBB Business Profile:

? go to ? search your company name ? click on your company's link ? copy the URL located in the browser

After you fill out your contact information (that includes a

place to paste the link to your BBB Business Profile) and

create an account login, you will be shown a short training

video. Then, you will be given a device key(s) to activate the

app that you will have to download to your "Smart" device.

If you do not have a "Smart" device, you can download the

app to your computer by going to

downloads/.

To get the free "The Review Solution?ABs" App on Apple devices go to the App Store, for Android devices go to Google Play. Then, open the

The more reviews your company has, the higher ranking it gets on search

engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. Utilizing

app, enter your key number,

BBB's "The Review

your customer's first name,

Solution -ABs" App will

their cell phone number and

bring more traffic to

hit "Send." Your customer will receive a text message with a

your business!

link that provides the BBB Customer Review Form. They fill

it out, hit "Submit" and their review goes directly to BBB for

verification and posting on your BBB Business Profile.

FOR MORE INFORMATION & ASSISTANCE CALL THE REVIEW SOLUTION'S SUPPORT TEAM AT 888-649-6140

2016 Statistics

Instances of service

2016 3,947,425

2015 3,114,541

2014 2,940,851

2013 2,768,341

Millions 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Instances of service breakdown

1,761,057 Unique Website Visitors/Users 4,357,103 Website Page Views 2,272,671 Website User Sessions 2,656,730 (99.2% online) Business Profiles Searched (not on

mobile devices) 75,258 Company URLs on Business Profiles Clicked

7,392 Request-A-Quote Buttons Clicked on Business Profiles

8,244 eQuotes Claimed 31,430 eQuotes Sent 56,362 BBB Online Dynamic Seals Clicked 265,760 Type of Business (TOB) Accredited Business Lists

Requested 234 Ad Reviews & Logo Violations Challenged 11,299 Complaints Closed

$24,558,009.55

Amount Involved in Closed Complaints

BBB'S MISSION:

To be the Leader in Advancing Marketplace Trust

Top 10 inquired about industries

Internet marketing Service Roofing Contractors Construction & Remodeling Services Insurance Companies Heating & Air Conditioning Contractors--General Plumbers Collection Agencies Home Builders Concrete Contactors

184,239 131,294 96,667 85,588 55,818 55,634 54,834 50,712 47,520 42,532

Top 10 complained about industries

Credit Cards & Plans

590

Security Control Equipment & 283

System Monitor

Auto Dealer--New cars

263

Collection Agencies

258

Scholarships & Financial Aid

224

Furniture--Retail

188

Internet Shopping

184

Banks

162

Roofing Contractors

154

Insurance Companies

135

788,690 Business Profiles Searched (on mobile devices)

Droid/Other 318,673 iPhone 295,830 iPad 155,253 Kindle 18,934

Give Your Organization

USE BBB'S ACCREDITED

Accredited Business (AB) Seal

You can increase the power of your status as a BBB Accredited Business by using BBB's Accredited Business Seal in all of your off-line marketing and advertising: newspaper ads, handouts, direct mail, vehicle signage, business cards, annual directories, invoices, phone book ads, TV commercials, etc.

Additionally, you should be using BBB's AB Dynamic Seal. When you participate in this program, you are able to display the seal on your company's website or any place you control and do business online (such as Facebook or email). The online seal links directly to your BBB Business Profile; providing your company the instant reliability consumers are looking for by ensuring your accreditation is legitimate. It will also help increase your website's search engine optimization (SEO).

If you would like to receive electronic copies of BBB's Accredited Business Seal for your offline marketing or would like to add BBB's approved Dynamic Seal to your website, please call 402-898-8521 or 800-649-6814 #8521.

Business Profiles

BBB's new Business Profiles, formerly called Business

Reviews, have been redesigned to optimize the user's

experience--whether they are using a mobile device,

tablet or desktop computer. The new design puts more

of the information consumers

are seeking front and center.

Customer engagement is encouraged with a "Submit A Review" button that is easily accessible. Also, easyto-use tabs allow customers

A+

simple access to general

business information, as well as

complaint history, the Request

a Quote button and information about BBB Accreditation.

Each Business Profile clearly delineates if a business is

BBB Accredited by having the Accredited Business Seal

displayed on the top-right of the page on its Business

Profile. Check out your Business Profile at .

Request-A-Quote System

This popular service is designed to connect consumers with Accredited Businesses. It allows prospective customers who are interested in your products or services to connect with you directly from your Business Profile. These valuable leads, delivered to your email or texted to your cell phone, are only generated for BBB Accredited Businesses. Consumers can request a quote from the homepage of our website at or from your Business Profile.

Stars

Stars have been added to BBB Business Reviews, and they also show in Google searches. Stars will appear (1-5) at the bottom of your Business Profile once your company receives a Customer Review. The higher your BBB rating and the more positive reviews submitted, the more stars you receive. Advertisers in BBB's

Accredited Business

Directory also have stars on their colorsponsored listings. Stars are very important to consumers when choosing a company from an online/mobile search, and Google keeps highly rated companies more relevant--so having more stars is a key element for companies and their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) programs. If you have stars, use them in your marketing. If you don't have stars, urge your customers to submit reviews!

Google keeps highly rated companies more relevant--so having more stars is a key element for companies and their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) programs. If you have stars, use them in your marketing. If you don't have stars, urge your customers to submit reviews!

n The Competitve Edge

ED BUSINESS BENEFITS!

Scam Tracker

Online BBB Accredited Business Directory

Whether it's a fake check scam, a phony IRS call, a lottery

Our online directory, "The Solution," is also mobile-friendly!

scam or something else, BBB has an online tool called Scam

Features on the search page include:

Tracker to let the world know about it. It's designed to monitor

?Rotating images of the most recently searched Type of

and track fraudulent activity, both locally and across North

Business Categories

America. Go to scamtracker to report a suspect offer

?Listing of the top 15 categories searched daily

or to get more information about scams targeting your area.

?Listing of recently Accredited Businesses

People have the option e

of filing a report or

?Accreditation application information ?Video about BBB

learning about scams

?Information pages from the printed edition of the directory

or suspicious activity other people in the region have reported to us. BBB staff review all submissions to the site in order to watch for patterns of a problem and ensure the submissions are authentic. In 2016, 42,602 scams were found on BBB Scam Tracker.

All BBB Accredited Businesses in our service area have their company's name, address and phone number listed, at no cost, under their main Type of Business (TOB) category in the online "Solution" at . Every listing has a link to the company's BBB Business Profile. Accredited Businesses can be easily accessed on the home page of our website at by clicking on "The Solution" icon or by clicking the link "BBB Accredited

Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Solution Marketing

Only" and filling out the information in the search bars at the top

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is provided by BBB to all

of the page. In 2016

Accredited Businesses to generate higher ranking results on

the online "Solution"

major search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. SEO

was clicked on over

is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web

550,000 times.

page in a search engine's unpaid results--often referred to as "natural," "organic," or "earned" results. In general, the higher ranked on the search results page and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine's users.

Additionally, organizations that were BBB Accredited Businesses as of December 1, 2016 have their organizations listed for free in the printed

Search Engine Solution

directories that will be

(SES) Marketing is

distributed across our

an exclusive program

service area in 2017.

for BBB Accredited Businesses in specific industries that have purchased an eighth of a page display ad or larger in our Accredited Business Directory, "The Solution." SES is designed to directly increase your visibility in the online marketplace and drive consumers searching on Google for your products and services directly

Affordable opportunities to advertise are available. Besides having an ad in the printed version, the ad also appears in the online "Solution" along with a map to the company's place of business, its phone number and a link to its website. For more information about advertising in "The Solution," contact 402-898-8538 or 800-649-6814 #8538.

to you by connecting your company to BBB's trusted brand.

The SES program provides an affordable opportunity for

your company to achieve higher rankings in Google searches.

Participating ABs are experiencing fantastic results. For more

information, contact 402-898-8531 or 800-649-6814 #8531.

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