Society is facing a substantial lapse in trust. Institutions — including the government and the media — are looked upon skeptically. People are even finding it hard to trust one another. But there is a silver lining. According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report, business is the only institution that the public views as both competent and ethical.
Businesses have the opportunity — and the power — to break this cycle of distrust and continue to deliver positive impacts on society. People want to work for, and buy from, companies that are committed to operating with integrity, honesty and excellence. But companies cannot just say that they believe in doing business better; they must prove it.
Trust begins from within
A company’s mission and values provide the guidelines by which leadership and employees operate and act. That means they must be more than simple words on paper or a poster hung on a wall. They must be embedded into the company culture. By living and breathing your mission and values, you gain an ethical foundation that will help guide you through uncertainty, weather economic challenges and position you for long-term success.
Trust grows with authenticity
Everyone has likely been in a position where it’s easier to just agree than to stand up for what you believe in. It may be easy, but it’s not necessarily right. Staying true to yourself takes courage — and it’s no different for a business.
Make sure that everything your organization does is authentic and genuine. The statements you make and initiatives you take should not be for the benefit of marketing; they should all be rooted in what you believe in as a brand and a business.
Trust isn’t about always being right
No company is perfect. Mistakes and miscommunications happen, which means every business is bound to receive a complaint from time to time. What matters is how complaints are addressed and resolved.
BBB was founded on the principle of self-regulation in business. Of course, we want businesses to follow the law, but we also want them to self-regulate. One of the ways to do this is by being responsive, honoring promises and working to solve issues that arise.
As an impartial third party, BBB helps businesses and buyers find fair solutions, while avoiding costly litigation. In addition, we can help companies identify the underlying issue of a complaint or pattern of complaints, so they can take steps to resolve issues and demonstrate to customers that they’re important to their business.
Make trust a differentiator
By earning BBB Accreditation, businesses can demonstrate their unwavering commitment to upholding high standards and best practices in customer service, sales, advertising, data privacy and ethics. BBB Serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming independently vets businesses against our eight Standards for Trust. Those that uphold these standards earn the respected designation of a BBB Accredited Business and the right to proudly display the BBB Accreditation Seal.
BBB Accreditation will not only give you a competitive edge by showcasing your commitment to operating with honoring promises, telling the truth and acting professionally — it also increases credibility with customers and gives them confidence that they’re making a smart buying decision.
Finding businesses to trust
There’s so much information available today. That’s the blessing and the curse of the internet. But how can people tell if the information they’re reading is accurate and unbiased?
Every week, millions of people visit BBB.org to find trusted businesses and nonprofits. The information they find is accurate, up to date and reliable because BBB is an independent organization. Our team takes great steps to make sure that background checks are completed and information is correct before anything is made public. Company ratings and accreditation status are not — and will never be — based on popularity.
Through the use of a proprietary algorithm that aids in identifying fake reviews, BBB makes every effort to verify that submitted reviews are based on real marketplace interactions. This means that buyers can be confident that reviews are legitimate, and businesses can trust that the reviews they’re responding to are from their customers.
Let’s put an end to the distrust
Over the last 40 years, BBB Serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming has built strong partnerships with local business leaders and consumers. We listen to the needs of our community, call out and address substandard behavior and offer the marketplace something it desperately needs — trust. With the help of our partners — the local business and nonprofit leaders who believe in doing the right things for the right reasons — we will show people that ethics, competence and truth still matter. And society will be able to start trusting again.
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