How to handle complaints with confidence

One of your consumers has reached out to BBB for help resolving an issue they experienced with your product or service. This doesn’t mean BBB has taken sides — just that we’re here to help both parties find a resolution.

BBB has not judged the validity of the claim. If the complaint has met BBB's Acceptance Guidelines, we ask for your perspective through a written response. You'll use our secure, private online portal to share your side and work toward a solution directly with your consumer. For a quick visual tutorial on how to navigate your online response portal, please click here.

Refer to our step-by-step response guide for best practices.

Your response should directly address the concerns raised. Please include:

• Your account of what took place
• Any resolutions you're offering
• If the issue is already resolved, share that information

Note: Avoid sharing personally identifiable information. Use terms like “consumer” or “client” instead of names.

Your response will be shared with the consumer and posted publicly when the case is closed. This is your chance to show your commitment to resolving concerns and rebuilding trust.

The fastest way is through the private complaint portal. Just follow the link in your complaint notice email.

Having trouble? Email your response (with the complaint ID) to your assigned case manager or Resolutions Specialist Team at resolutions@thebbb.org.

If you need extra time to review the complaint or gather information, email your request (including the complaint ID and reason for delay) to your assigned case manager or the Resolutions Specialist Team at resolutions@thebbb.org.

Your response will be sent to the consumer to either accept or decline.

• If accepted, the case closes as Resolved.
• If declined, BBB will review the case to determine next steps:
  • If further action is needed, you’ll be asked for another response.
  • If no further action is required, the case closes as Answered.

BBB considers whether your business acted in good faith and took reasonable steps to address the concern.

When reviewing, the Resolutions Specialist Team considers:

• Did your business act in good faith to address the concerns?
• Did you take reasonable steps to resolve the issue?

If you have any questions, you’re encouraged to reach out to your case manager or contact the Resolutions Specialist Team at resolutions@thebbb.org.

Not responding or failing to address the core concerns will result in a case closure as Unanswered or Unresolved, which can lead to:

• A negative note on your BBB Business Profile
• A lower BBB Rating
• Risk to your BBB Accreditation (subject to review and potential suspension or revocation)

Once the case closes, the following will appear on your public BBB Business Profile:

• The original complaint and your response
• Any follow-up responses
• The final outcome

To protect privacy, BBB may edit responses and reserves the right not to post content that violates our policies.

What do the complaint statuses mean?

• Resolved: The consumer confirmed the issue was handled to their satisfaction.
• Answered: You responded, but the consumer either didn’t accept or didn’t respond.
• Unresolved: You replied but didn’t make a good faith effort to resolve the issue.
• Unanswered: No response was received from your business.
• Unpursuable: BBB couldn’t reach or locate your business.

BBB Accreditation signals your commitment to trust and transparency, which can be beneficial when resolving disputes. As an Accredited Business, you are held to higher standards, including a commitment to fully address consumer concerns and, when possible, create a resolution that works for your consumer.

Learn more about how BBB helps protect your reputation.