BBB Customer Reviews help Accredited Businesses shine

Meet BBB TORCH Award Winners for 2015page 8

Program helps businesses stand out, attract prospectspage 6

Streampage: Customized newspage 11

www.bbb.org/stlouis Fall 2015

2015 TORCH winnerCarolyn Sandgren-Kempf,

owner, Elite Travel Co.,Cape Girardeau

Better Business BureauBetter Business Bureau Fall 2015Fall 2015

Board of Directors

The mission of Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois is to be the

leader in advancing marketplace trust.

* Chair **Past Chair ***Ex Officio

Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Missouri

& Southern Illinois211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060,

St. Louis, MO 63102Phone: (314) 645-3300

Fax: (314) 645-2666Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m.

Jerri Stroud, Editor Email: editor@stlouisbbb.org

Torchlight (ISSN 1547-2043 USPS 053-540) is published quarterly by Better Business Bureau, 211 N.

Broadway, Ste. 2060, St. Louis, MO 63102. Subscriptions are available to BBB Accredited Businesses only. Periodicals postage paid at St. Louis, MO. Postmaster: Send address changes to Torchlight, 211 N. Broadway, Suite 2060, St. Louis, MO 63102.

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BBB TORCH Awards honors all our seal holders

A message from the President

Oscar C. BerrymanMonsanto Co.

Paul BirnerRenewal by Andersen

David BreckenridgeMoneta Group

Tim CombsHelitech Waterproofing

Michelle L. Corey***Better Business Bureau

Ron CrowLaclede Gas Co.

Kevin DeptulaBuilder’s Bloc Contracting

Kevin DrollingerEpworth Children & Family Services

Darlene ElderBuild-A-Bear Workshop

Kim GarnerBEST Transportation

Robert J. Hoffmann**Hoffmann Brothers

Jim HoldenerAmeren Missouri

Steven HorstGraybar

Marlene JonesBJC Healthcare

Justin LeeRubinBrown

Tim LeonGeile/Leon Marketing Communications

Duane R. LukeEnterprise Rent-A-Car

Scott MosbyMosby Building Arts

Sean O’DonnellCharter Communications

Michael RottlerRottler Pest & Lawn Solutions

Scott SchaeferSchaefer Auto Body

Joseph W. Schmelzle**United Van Lines

Will SmithCaleres

Tom StreibStreib Electric Co.

Tom ThielChesterfield Fence & Deck Co.

Thomas B. WalshDrury Hotels Co.

T. William White*Commerce Bank N.A.

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Each year, BBB recognizes a special group of businesses, charities and high school students from across Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois.

This year’s TORCH Awards event, Nov. 13 at the Chase Park Plaza, will recognize the exceptional ethics and dedication to service of the TORCH award recipients – and a boost towards an ethical life for four students whose essays show that ethics is far from an outdated concept.

The awards to businesses and charities—stylized versions of BBB’s iconic flame—reflect their commitments to honesty, marketplace ethics and good business practices.

These honorees will stand as examples to be admired and emulated – strong role models to help make our region a better place to live, work and do business..

The awardees (you can read more about them elsewhere in this issue) are a diverse group, ranging from a bank, a travel business, remodeling companies, a plumber to a roofing contractor. The two charities – Variety, the Children’s Charity, and The Women’s Safe House – serve a broad variety of clients and causes.

Geographically, the businesses, charities and student honorees represent the City of St. Louis, St. Louis suburbs, Columbia and the Mid-Missouri region, Cape Girardeau and the Missouri Bootheel and the Metro East area of Illinois.

While the focal point of this year’s ceremony will be the 17 award recipients, the event also will offer an opportunity to acknowledge all of the accredited businesses and organizations that have contributed so significantly to BBB over the past year and throughout our nearly 100-year history. We call them seal holders, and they have built a legacy of good business-consumer relations, providing a solid foundation for our future.

As you take your seat for this year’s luncheon, know that you are taking a seat at a much larger and more significant table – one that through the passing decades has been unwavering in its support of what is right and what is fair – a table of creators, pioneers and builders.

Take a moment to look around the ballroom, at the faces of friends, associates and strangers who seem so different and yet share so much.

This is much more than an awards luncheon. It is a gathering of people who believe in eight basic business principles that remain the foundation of BBB: Build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor promises, be responsive, safeguard privacy and embody integrity.

Congratulations to our newest honorees. And congratualtions to our 7,100 BBB Accredited Businesses for their ongoing support of BBB’s mission to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust.

Michelle Corey BBB CEO, CAE

Cost of this gala luncheon meeting is $60. Go to www.bbb.org/stlouis/events

More information: executive.assistant@stlouisbbb.org

Sponsorship opportunities available 314-645-0606

St. Louis BBB TORCH awards recognize companies and charities that are committed to exceptional standards for ethical business practices and service to their customers, employees, suppliers, and communities.

BBB Student of Ethics Awards recognize students who demonstrate high ethics through leadership, community service, personal integrity and academic achievement.

FEATURED SPEAKERSBetter Life Co-founders and lifelong friends Kevin Tibbs and Tim Barklage will speak on their remarkable success story of building Better Life, a customer-forward, thriving business headquartered in St. Louis that is less about pine fresh and more about pine friendly. Barklage and Tibbs were featured contestants on ABC’s “Shark

Tank.”

Emcee: Nichole Berlie, Anchor, KSDK Channel 5’s “Today in St. Louis”

Better Business Bureau Better Business BureauFall 2015 Fall 2015

4 5

News & Notes for BBB Accredited Businesses in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois

St. Louis BBB reached another milestone in the number of BBB Accredited Businesses—7,000. Staff members celebrated with ice cream. Cheers to the bang-up job by Business Development Director Josh Kaestner and his crack team of business relations reps!

BBB Student of Ethics Winners 2015, clockwise from top: Travis Whitt, Altamount High School; Christopher Barnett, Eureka High School; Leah Krafft, Washington High School; and Jenna Liu, Rock Bridge High School.

If you want to see examples of something that’s right with the world, look no further than the four teens chosen as winners of this

year’s BBB Student of Ethics Awards.

Each of the four has written about struggling with an ethical dilemma and shown wisdom in making a decision to act ethically.

Christopher Barnett, a senior at Eureka High School who is from Wildwood, Mo., wrote that his relationship with a twin brother, who is autistic, has shaped his thinking about how disabled students should be treated. When he saw a bully at his school tormenting a disabled student, Barnett felt that he had to intervene.

Jenna Liu, a senior at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Mo., said she faced a tough decision when writing an article about racial bias for the student newspaper. She had interviewed a classmate who felt her mother had been treated poorly by police, but the student later asked that her contribution to the story be left out of Liu’s story because it could imply the classmate was involved in criminal activity. Liu came up with a solution that preserved her journalistic integrity while protecting the classmate.

Travis Whitt, a senior at Altamont High School in Altamont, Ill., said he had to decide whether to expose a friend who had offered him drugs during a summer program. He said the decision to inform program leaders about the drugs cost him a friendship, but he felt it could help his friend in

the long run by discouraging further involvement in drugs.

Leah Krafft, a senior at Washington High School in Washington, Mo., said she and her twin were in a race one day when her twin stumbled and twisted

her knee. Rather than keep running, Krafft stopped and supported her twin to the finish line.

“Congratulations to this year’s Student of Ethics Award winners,” said T. William White, BBB board chair and senior vice president of Commerce Bank. “These students set great examples for their peers and for our business leaders, and we look forward to

their continued success as they build on this

foundation for the future.” CHARACTERPlus, a program of

EducationPlus, selected these four young people from 135 applicants. In addition to essays, students submitted transcripts, letters of recommendation and information about community service and leadership activities.Each student will receive $2,500 to be

used toward college or trade school expenses. BBB will recognize the four students at the TORCH Awards event on Nov. 13 at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis. Tickets for the event are available at www.bbb.org/stlouis/events.

High school juniors who will graduate in 2017 may find a link to an application for the 2016 Student of Ethics awards at www.bbb.org/stlouis/student-of-ethics-awards. Look for the “apply online” link.

Six Reasons to Update Your BBB Profile: Register a mobile phone to get leads from Request A Quote by text, which often is much faster than email. Be the first to respond to a

customer looking for your product or service. (The mobile phone number doesn’t have to be made public.)

Add your logo or pictures of your work. It makes your profile stand out from the competition.

Add your hours, return policies or other pertinent information.

Make sure that customers can contact you by phone, email or through your website.

Get timely e-newsletters like the Accreditation Update and Consumer eNews.

Keep your rating current by providing timely responses to any customer complaints or customer reviews referred to your BBB.

To update your information, contact Martin Burgess, BBB data quality administrator, at data-administrator@stlouisbbb.org, or call 314-584-6745.

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The U.S. Postal Service requires publication of Form 3526 annually for all periodicals. If you would like a full-size copy of the form, please send a request to: Editor, St. Louis BBB, 211 N. Broadway, Suite 2060, St. Louis, Mo. 63102

BBB Student of Ethics Winners set inspiring examples for peers and community

Cape Girardeau Students Learn About Ethics

Joey Keys, BBB’s Cape Girardeau regional director, recently presented a lesson from BBB’s In Pursuit of Ethics curriculum to students at Cape Girardeau High School. The program helps students explore making decisions and learning how their actions can lead to different outcomes.

In Pursuit of Ethics is available to schools throughout Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois at no charge. It includes lesson plans and videos to facilitate discussion in classrooms.

7,000AND GROWING!

Better Business Bureau Better Business BureauFall 2015 Fall 2015

6 7

By Shellie Kreter and Bill Smith BBB Reporters

BBB’s Customer Reviews have been helping

consumers easily find positive information about Accredited Businesses for over a year now, and by all measurements, the program is a success.

BBB Accredited Businesses tell us that BBB’s customer reviews have helped them to stand out from the competition and get more business. BBB has received 6,777 customer reviews so far in 2015, a 117% increase over 2014—and it’s only September. According to marketing firm BrightLocal, fully 88 percent of people surveyed said they consulted online reviews either occasionally or regularly. By all accounts, customer reviews are here to stay, and they’ll only get more popular.

So how can BBB Customer Reviews help your business to shine?

Reading positive BBB Customer Reviews on your BBB Business Review shows potential customers that not only are you committed to customer service, but also that

your customers are satisfied with your work. Daniel LaGarce , owner of Budget Air

Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing in St. Charles, sees BBB Customer Reviews as valuable tools for bringing in business, he said. They demonstrate to potential customers that “we’re good at what we do.”

Doc Murcelli, owner of St. Louis Leather Repair, says that customer reviews are a “huge benefit” because “they help

you to see your impact on the clients, and the benefit of our products and services as a whole.”

Customer Reviews can also help you communicate the value of your products and services. Michael Beran owns and manages Wildlife Command Center, an Accredited Business in Imperial, Mo., that conducts nuisance wild animal control. Beran calls BBB Customer Reviews critical to building a company’s positive image in the community.

“Many customers call me for service and, during that conversation, they mention that they read reviews and testimonials and say things like, ‘You’re a little more expensive, but I think you are the right company to handle my problem.’”

Aaron Eades of Elite Pest Control in Cape Girardeau, Mo., says he’s had similar experiences.

He has says that many customers specifically hire him because of his BBB Accreditation, and these customers are more likely to write a BBB Customer Review.

At CJS Roofing in Fenton, owner Chris Sielfleisch said prospective consumers put a high priority on the reviews of past customers. The reviews also offer what Sielfleisch calls “an opportunity to learn. We never think we know everything

and are always open to learn from customers.”

Daniel LaGarce agreed, saying, “By constantly receiving new reviews, it helps refine our service and products and makes sure we are remaining competitive, efficient and customer oriented.” By

interacting with your customers through the customer

reviews, you can maintain your relationship with

them and remind them that customer service is important to your business.

BBB Customer Reviews Help Accredited BusinessesAttract ProspectsCustomer reviews have increased by 117% since last year —and it’s only September

You worked hard to earn your BBB seal. Make sure it's working as hard as it can for you.

SIGN UP TODAY!For more program and pricing information,

contact Josh KaestnerPhone: 314-584-6750

email: sem@stlouisbbb.org

Special service for eligible BBB Accredited Businesses:

SidingRoofing Plumbing

Windows & Doors

Remodelling ElectricalContractors

Mid-MissouriRoofing

Home Health Care

Landscapers

Masonry & Tuckpointing

Auto Repair

Moving & Storage

Gutters

Tax Services

Concrete & Asphalt

Mid-MissouriRemodelling

CarpetCleaning

HVAC

Attorneys

Patios & Sunrooms

Real EstateServices

Waterproofing

Homebuilders

Painting

SEARCHENGINEMARKETING

Whencustomers

search, help them find

YOU.

BBB Search Engine Solution combines consumers' trust in BBB with the power of Google search to put your business near the top of the search results page—where consumers are far more likely to click.

Customer Reviews can enhance the appearance and quality of your BBB Business Review in online search results. Accredited Businesses with Customer Reviews have their customer review star user rating displayed beside the link to their BBB Business Review in search results for their business. Your star rating, which is calculated using your BBB rating and your Customer Review average, will give Internet users a quick and easy visual indication of the quality of your work.

Accredited Business owners also say that the process of leaving a review can be as easy as finding the reviews. Many businesses make sure to provide their customers with a direct link to the web page where customers can write a review for their business.

Carolyn Sandgren-Kempf, owner of Accredited Business Elite Travel, says that she loves “the ease of taking a few seconds to click a link from our web page to say

something great.”Chuck Easter, president of Easter Fence,

Deck and Renovations of South St. Louis County, agrees that people searching for reputable businesses want to be able to

access information quickly. Online reviews offer an ideal way to do that. Even the occasional poor review is beneficial, he said, because it alerts the company to an area needing improvement, and it offers an opportunity to turn a negative customer experience into a positive one.

Accredited Business owners tell BBB that they have found that all customers, and younger customers in particular, depend on BBB customer reviews.

Today’s Internet-savvy consumers expect customer reviews, and BBB’s customer reviews provide the great information and user experience that they’re looking for. The

information in Customer Reviews will help your business show off your great work and display the strong values that make your businesses succeed. So ask your customers to get reviewing today! BBB

How to get your customers to leave a reviewIt’s easy to get more customer reviews. Let these Accredited

Businesses tell you how.GO AHEAD AND ASK!—Daniel LaGarce said the best way to get

customer reviews is simply to ask. “When they’re happy with the service, they’re more than willing to say something nice about us.” Patty Vergano of County Cottage Realty says, “I try to make it a practice – to ask customers to write a review if it was a positive experience.”

MAKE IT PART OF YOUR CLOSING PROCEDURE—Robert Bynum, owner of Like New Construction, based in St. Louis County says that as soon as his business finishes a job, “we ask customers to submit reviews.”

ADD IT TO YOUR SURVEY —Veterans United Home Loans has added a request for customer reviews to the survey it sends to customers after they close on their homes, said Matt Polsky, client experience manager for the company.

GIVE THEM THE LINK—Make it easy for customers by emailing them with the link to submit a customer review. Kenneth Miller with Classic Buildings, LLC says that if customers are happy, he sends them an email with a link to BBB’s customer review page.

PICK UP THE PHONE—Michael Beran from Wildlife Command Center actively solicits reviews from customers during a follow-up phone call and then emails then a link to the review site.

MOTIVATE YOUR EMPLOYEES—Chris Gianino, owner of Simple Moves, a moving and storage business that serves the St. Louis area, says they also send survey cards to their customers. He said they use customer reviews to identify employees for a variety of reward and incentive programs. Carolyn Sandgren-Kempf agrees: “It’s very encouraging for our staff when people sing our praises: It makes us want to do more.”

Chris Sielfleisch, owner of CJS Roofing, says BBB customer reviews are “an

opportunity to learn.”

Aaron Eades of Accredited Business Elite Pest Control.

Better Business BureauFall 2015

Fall 2015 Better Business Bureau

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Presenting this year’s winners of BBB TORCH Awards

Continued on next page

Mosby Building ArtsMosby Building Arts provides

custom remodeling and room additions in the St. Louis area. Scott Mosby, the second generation of the Mosby family to own it, is gradually handing day-to-day management to Mark McClanahan.

“A driving part of our mission is to make a positive difference in people’s lives every day.” —Scott Mosby, CEO.

Pulaski BankPulaski Bank operates 13 retail

bank branches in the St. Louis area and loan offices in Kansas City, Southwest and Mid-Missouri; Wichita and Lawrence, Kans.; Omaha, Nebr., Council Bluffs, Iowa and Chicago.

“We’re here to help. We’re large enough to matter to St Louis, but we’re small enough to care.” —W. Thomas Reeves, president

Padgett Building & RemodelingPadgett Building &

Remodeling does custom home building and remodeling from its home base in Swansea, Ill. Its owners include twin brothers Ron and Don Padgett and Ron’s son, David.

“It’s not the quality of the work we do, but the quality of our clients that has made us who we are today.” —Don Padgett, president

Renewal by AndersenRenewal by

Andersen sells replacement windows and doors in the St. Louis region.

“If something’s not right, we make it right, period. We tell our customers: If something doesn’t go right, let us know.” — Paul Birner, owner

Mosby McClanahan

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Elite Travel Co.Elite Travel provides

travel services to customers within a 150-mile radius of Cape Girardeau, but through referrals, it has served customers in all 50 states. The company specializes in destination weddings, anniversary tours and other special trips.

“My goal was that whatever challenge came, I would rally a

team that could stay progressive and keep our long-term customers happy.” —Carolyn Sandgren-Kempf, owner

Frederic Roofing Co.Frederic

Roofing has a jingle that most St. Louisans know: “For a hole in your roof or a whole new roof, Frederic Roofing.” The 86-year-old company provides commercial and residential roofing of all types – flat, tile and asphalt shingles.

“It’s all about the customer. From start to finish, it’s 110 percent about the customer.” —Gene R. “Bob” Frederic Jr, president

General Grant Car Wash & Detail Center

At General Grant Car Wash & Detail Center, the goal is to always do a better job cleaning a car than an owner could do – and to provide cheerful, friendly service from the greeter to reception desk to the hand-dryers at the end of the line.

“The customers are entitled to the best service every time they come in.” —Rick Barthelmass, owner and president

The Gutter Cover Co.

The Gutter Cover Co. of St. Charles is a 15-year-old dealership for a gutter covering manufactured in Springfield, Mo.

“We present ourselves with honesty and integrity. These are key values that we take very seriously.” —Jim Maneage, president

O.J. Laughlin Plumbing Co.O.J. Laughlin Plumbing Co. is a 64-year-old

company that is being run by the third generation of the Laughlin family. It offers residential and commercial plumbing, remodeling and custom work.

“We credit our success to two simple principles that were always stressed by our founder, Oliver Laughlin. Treat people like you want to be treated and do the work for someone else the same way you would do it for yourself.” —Dan Laughlin, president

BBB TORCH awards recognize companies and charities that are committed to exceptional standards for ethical business practices and service to their customers, employees, suppliers, and communities. Nominees must show creativity in their ability to manage customer expectations, provide excellent customer service and resolve disputes. They must demonstrate the ways they inspire their workforce to adopt and communicate their ethics and further their mission. And they

COVER STORY

must embody truth in advertising and help foster ethics within their industry and community. This year’s winners will be recognized at a luncheon on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Chase

Park Plaza in St. Louis. Reserve a seat or a table at this year’s awards by visiting www.bbb.org/stlouis/events. For more information, email executive.assistant@stlouisbbb.org or call 314-645-0606.

ServiceMaster of ColumbiaServiceMaster

provides cleanup and remediation for water, fire and mold damage to homes and businesses in a 16-county region in Mid-Missouri.

“We stay until the job is stabilized. It’s our job to save whatever we can, not replace it.” —Adam Kinser, owner

Better Business BureauFall 2015

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Better Business BureauFall 2015

10

The Women’s Safe HouseThe Women’s

Safe House provides emergency shelter and other services for women and their children who are victims of abusive or violent relationships. The nonprofit serves 400 to

600 women and children each year.“We want everyone in St. Louis to know

about domestic violence and to know that we can change that,” she said. “We want to end violence against women and girls.” —Sylvia J. Jackson, executive director

Variety, The Children’s Charity of St. Louis

For 83 years, Variety, The Children’s Charity, has been providing medical equipment, therapy and other services to children with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Its programs are organized under the acronym TREES, which stands for therapy, recreation, education, equipment and 100 Sunshine Coach vans that its 60

partner agencies use to transport children to doctor appointments, therapy sessions and outings.

“Our vision statement has the aim to reach all the children in our service area. Because we have that vision, we keep growing.” —Jan Albus, CEO

By Jerri Stroud BBB Editor

Better Life was born out of frustration for two young St. Louisans who found that the so-called environmentally safe cleaning products they were using didn’t work very well – and weren’t very safe.

About a year and a half after Tim Barklage and his wife Nancy had their first child, they started worrying about keeping cleaning supplies locked up and out of their toddler’s reach. Barklage’s childhood friend Kevin Tibbs and his wife had children about the same age, and they shared those concerns. A doctor had advised Tibbs and his wife to clean when their daughter was out of the house because of her asthma.

“The reason behind all of the products was our kids,” said Tibbs, a formulation chemist. He advised the Barklages to lock up the environmentally friendly products they had because they were just watered-down versions of other chemical cleaners.

Nancy asked him, “Why don’t you come up with something better?”

A couple of weeks later Tibbs brought over a mason jar filled with a cleaner he’d made from plants.

“We said, ‘Wow! This stuff works. We should make a business of it,’” Barklage recalled.

Tibbs’ experience formulating skin and personal care products had taught him to avoid ingredients that irritate skin. He also knew about ingredients that were good

cleaners but that normally wouldn’t be used in household cleaning products.

The business became Better Life, which makes about 20 products ranging from all-purpose cleaners to laundry soap and compostable dryer sheets. Each product is designed to work while being safe for the environment. Better Life products are available at grocers, including Schnucks and Whole Foods, as well as at major retailers like Target.

“We strive to exceed customers’ expectations of the product – to marry safety and performance,” Barklage said. The products are all derived from plants, including natural ingredients for fragrances.

Barklage (top left) and Tibbs’ concern for their kids inspired them to start a business that so impressed the investors on ABC’s Shark Tank that they got offers from all five of the “sharks.”

CHARITY WINNERS

TORCH AWARDS FEATURED SPEAKERS

Better Life Promises Safe Products That Work

BBB’s Streampage emails give your business a customized blend of the information that is most important to you. Our monthly updates report how many people have looked at your Business Review, how many requests for quotes you’ve received, provide tips on using BBB services and give you the latest news from your industry. By providing you with this key information, Streampage emails help you use your Accreditation to get more business and to sharpen your skills.

So what can you do with your StreamPage report? Follow these steps to use Streampage to maximum effect:

> Make sure that you’re subscribed. Check your email inbox to see if you’re getting your Streampage updates. If not, call us at 314-645-3300 or email us at bbb@stlouisbbb.org and we’ll get you signed up. Emails can be sent to as many of your staff as you would like, and each can select the news that is most relevant for them. (If you aren’t getting it, check your spam folder. Mark it as safe to get future issues in your inbox.)

Personalize your account. One of your first Streampage emails invites you to customize the content that you receive. Take the survey and pick what information will help you the most. You can choose articles based on your role at

your business, the industry you’re in, and other categories.

> Make friends with your rep. Streampage emails reply to the BBB representative who handles your Accreditation. His or her picture and name will be at the top of the email—just reply to get in touch with him or her. Your representative can then help with questions about your bill or with updating your business information.

> Check your traffic. Streampage updates report how many people have visited your online BBB Business Review. You can also see how many of those people then followed the link on your review to your own website. Make sure that these users are seeing the best side of your business by updating your Business Review with your current contact information and photos of your work.

> Check your detailed report. View your detailed report to see Google Analytics information about traffic to your site from BBB. This information will help you compare your business to other businesses in your industry and optimize your website as well as your BBB Business Review.

> Check your quote requests. Streampage will show you how many requests for quotes your business has received. You can compare this number with your own records to make sure you’re taking advantage of all of the opportunities you can. Make sure your cell phone and email address are current so that you get all requests for quotes in a timely manner. Call us at 314-645-3300 or email us at bbb@stlouisbbb.org to update your information.

> Check the news. BBB includes news about customer service best practices with your emails. Check these articles to stay up to date.

Enjoy your newfound knowledge! Let this extra information help you sharpen your business’s online message and show that your business is trustworthy. BBB

STREAMPAGE: Customized BBB News For Your Business or Nonprofit

Weinhardt Party Rentals

Weinhardt Party Rentals is a 69-year-old company providing party planning and rentals. On a typical summer weekend, Weinhardt provides rentals to as many as 400 events, delivering tables, chairs, linens and dishes to between 50 and 60 of them.

“We make sure that people do know that we’re a reputable company and that we have been in business a long time and do support having good business practices.” —Dawn Weinhardt, co-owner

A couple of years after starting the firm, the ABC reality show “Shark Tank” approached Barklage and Tibbs about appearing on the show. Entrepreneurs who appear on the show make a live presentation to five investors —the ‘sharks’—who may then offer to invest in and become partners with the entrepreneurs.

“We were able to get offers from all five of the ‘sharks,’” Barklage said. The exposure helped propel sales on Better Life’s website. It also helped earn space on store shelves.

But it hasn’t changed the company.

“Our mission over the years hasn’t changed any: We’ve always focused on creating the best quality product that we can.

“If it’s not outperforming the conventional products,” Barklage said, “we won’t release it.”

Tibbs said Better Life is unusual among cleaning products manufacturers in listing the ingredients on all of its products.

“We want to be transparent,” Tibbs said. “We want to help educate the consumer so they become fans.”

Want to hear more about Better Life? Barklage and Tibbs will be featured speakers at this year’s TORCH Awards event on Nov. 13. To sign up, go to www.bbb.org/stlouis/events.

TORCHbearers

Continuedfrom page 9

Streampage emails provide valuable data and key information specifically tailored for you and your business.

Better Business BureauFall 2015

Better Business Bureau®

Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois

211 N. Broadway, Suite 2060St. Louis, MO 63102

Start With Trust®

A new way to get even more out of your BBB Accreditation.

<“Employees love having the opportunity to come and support (charity) events. It’s a great team-building activity, and many of our

people feel fortunate in their lives. To give back to the community and provide support for people who are in need is important for them.”

—Oscar Berryman, corporate services director at Monsanto Company, at Gain By Giving partner St. Louis Area Foodbank

FIND OUT MORE! Contact Carole Bellman Phone: 314-584-6735 Email: charity@stlouisbbb.org

Selecting a BBB Accredited Charity as a partner ensures that

it, too, adheres to high standards of ethics and honesty

as Accredited Businesses do and that any donations received will be used responsibly. In turn,

Gain By Giving enables Accredited Charities

to know what companies are BBB Accredited Businesses

worthy of their patronage and support.

Is your business looking for a charity to work with

in giving back to the community? How about joining a nonprofit board?

Raising money for a specific cause?

Or encouraging your employees to volunteer their time or services? Choose a trusted BBB Accredited Charity and GAIN BY GIVING.GAIN

GIVINGBY

Co

nnect

ing BBB Accredited Businesses

with BBB Accredited Charities