Better Business Bureau announces opening of North Dakota office

Grand Opening Reception will be held in Fargo on November 9

October 26, 2010 – St. Paul, MN – The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is announcing the opening of a branch office in Fargo, North Dakota. The office officially opened in mid-October. A grand opening reception for community leaders, business owners and the media will be held Tuesday, November 9 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel Fargo. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

The Fargo office is located in Suite 505 of the Dakota Building at 51 North Broadway. BBB staff will be working to build partnerships in the region and help the BBB play a more prominent role in building marketplace trust, assisting both consumers and businesses by promoting the highest standards of business ethics and conduct.

“We’re extremely pleased to establish a physical presence in North Dakota,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “This has long been a goal of ours and will allow us to serve North Dakota – and North Central Minnesota – far more effectively.”

The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota has served the North Dakota region since 1997. Consumers in North Dakota can access company reports and helpful tips, as well as file complaints, online at www.bbb.org. Operators are also available to answer questions from the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 701-271-2855, toll-free at 1-800-646-6222.

Here are some other services and programs the BBB offers to both the public and businesses free of charge:

• Dispute resolution. If consumers have a marketplace issue with a business, the BBB will gladly work with both parties to help resolve the situation. Though the BBB is not an enforcement agency, we are able to resolve a majority of the complaints we receive.
• Advertising Review. This is a core program of the BBB. We monitor advertising in Minnesota and North Dakota newspapers, television, radio, and on the Internet each week, challenging ads that seem “too good to be true.” Any business can also send their ads (pre-publication) to the BBB to be reviewed for adherence to applicable advertising rules and guidelines.
• Industry Review. When the BBB sees complaints rise within a certain industry, we ask companies within that industry to form a committee to discuss issues and create a set of standards they can all operate within.
• Senior Program. The BBB receives calls every day from senior citizens and their caregivers regarding fraudulent offers seniors are receiving. The BBB Senior Outreach Program travels throughout Minnesota and North Dakota to talk to seniors, listen to their concerns, and educate them on consumer issues that affect the elderly.
• Integrity Awards. The BBB Integrity Awards are presented each year to Minnesota and North Dakota companies who exemplify ethical behavior and display integrity in all aspects of their operations; toward their employees, vendors, customers, and within their community. Companies must also uphold BBB standards. Up to four companies are awarded this prestigious honor each year. The BBB also awards two scholarships every year to high school seniors who demonstrate an understanding of the importance of ethics.

The BBB is a non-profit agency serving both consumers and businesses. The Better Business Bureau was started back in 1912 in Minneapolis by business owners. Ethical business owners were frustrated by having to compete against companies that were using misleading advertising to attract customers, so they banded together to challenge these unethical companies and made their findings public. This was the genesis of the Better Business Bureau. Today there are more than 100 Better Business Bureaus in the United States and 14 in Canada.

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