Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland's Market Monitor Newsletter for February 2014. Includes articles about the BBBASAP program, Request-A-Quote Service, and special promotional rates for billboard advertisements. The newsletter also includes articles about where to go to get free model labor issues posters for company workplaces, scam e-mails about domain names from China, and local companies that are "On Our Radar' for their pattern of consumer complaints (Shelf Wizard, Handicraft, LLC, AAA Appliance, and American Asphalt Sealcoating). In this edition, BBB also welcomes new Board Directors, Greg Rosenberg of Business Communication Solutions, Inc. and Bill Palliser of The Sherwin Williams Company.
BBB Serving Greater Cleveland - Market Monitor, February 2014
1. MarketMonitor
the
®
News for Better Business Bureau Accredited Businesses
BBB Serving Greater Cleveland February 2014
INSIDE: Our Year in Review Your Name in Lights◊
Free Workplace Postings E-Mail Scam
On Our Radar BBB Welcomes New Directors◊
(Continued on Page 2)
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◊
Is Your Data Secure?
As hard as you’ve worked to earn your customers’ trust in you and your business, it
can take just one trigger to break that trust. Your ability to keep your customers’
sensitive data secure is one of those make-it-or-break-it triggers. Customers
expect that every business — large or small — that collects their sensitive
personal information will protect it. Beyond customer expectations, there’s the
law. Depending on your type of business and the states in which your customers
reside, you may be legally required to protect the personal information you
collect.
If the recent data breaches at Target, Neiman Marcus, and the most recent
suspected breach being investigated by Michaels craft store chain have you
wondering how to keep your records secure, BBB can help.
Here are four minimum things a small business
should be doing for data security:
• If you don’t need it, don’t collect it...and don’t store it. If you
have it and don’t need it any more, destroy it — responsibly.
• Restrict and limit access to sensitive data. Use locks on doors and
file cabinets. Limit employee access to data to those who need it to
do their jobs. Take precautions when mailing records. Encrypt sensitive
electronic information in every site it is stored — on computers, on laptops,
on PDAs, iPhones and iPods, on USB drives (sometimes called “thumb” drives”).
Transmit data over the Internet using secure connections (SSL technology).
• Use effective passwords...and issue a unique password to every employee. Never use
the default password that comes from another product or service provider. Never use
obvious passwords, such as your name, business name, family member’s name, “12345,”
“ABCDE,” “password,” or your user name. Change passwords every 45-60 days.
• Block potential intruders. Protect your IT systems from viruses and spyware by using
antivirus protection and firewalls. Make sure these protections are up-to-date.
BBB has more tips and tools to help you keep your data secure. Go to bbb.org/data-security.
BBBASAP and Request a Quote Service
Valuable Lead Sources from BBB
BBBASAP – BBBASAP is a member-only program that delivers real-time sales
leads directly to your smartphone. This free program uses a geo-locating app
to deliver motivated customers’ requests directly to the smartphone of the
Accredited Business working in closest proximity.
The newly rebranded program, formerly ABConnect, offers a simpler registration process for
members and is easier to use.
®BBB
ASAP
The Short List
Totally meaningless (but
impressive-sounding) buzzwords
randomly generated from sweary.
com/business-buzzword-generator/
“bleeding-edge
enterprise-wide no-downside
leverage”
“social currency domestic toss
networks”
“macro dynamic feedback matrix”
“tactical globalised e-tail
mindshare”
“challenging principle-
centered economic loop”
“micro future-proof partner
leverage”
“client-centric marketing
competence channels”
BBB ROI
Are you:
• Using the BBB logo
in your ads?
• Asking customers
to post reviews at
BBB?
• Signed up for
BBBASAP?
Need info?
Call Brigid at
(216) 623-8964
x206
2. Follow Us On:
and Tire Centers
Mark Your Calendar
What: BBB Shredding Event
When: June 14th
10:00 AM-2:00 PM
Where: RadAir Complete Car Care
27051 Detroit Rd, Westlake
6221 SOM Center Rd, Solon
February 2014
BBBASAP and Request a Quote Service (Cont. from Page 1)
BBB Serving Greater Cleveland’s Year in Review
Your Name in Lights
Have you seen the billboards
promoting BBB Accreditation?
Take advantage of an exclusive
offer from Clear Channel Outdoor
for BBB Accredited Businesses.
Get eight premium Digital Freeway
Bulletin locations at less than half
the usual rate. You can also save
50% off the rate card price on the
Digital Posters. There are over 20
different Digital Billboards and Digital
Posters to choose from at this special
BBB pricing. Call Mike at 216-676-
4321 or Brigid at 216-623-8964 x206.
Pre-Employment
Background Reports -
Instant online criminal
checks for under $10
each. Other reports also
discounted. Monthly
fee waived (save
$120 a year!), $100
enrollment fee waived.
Call IntelliCorp at
(800) 539-3717.
Document Shredding
- All Ohio Secure Shred
will shred documents
on site for $25/month
for one container. Also,
one-time bulk purge
for 10 cents/lb. $50
minimum. Call (330)
659-0840 or (888)
747-3394.
Phone Service - Easton
Telecom - Rates ranging
from 2.5¢ - 3.5¢/minute
for long distance calls, toll-
free lines as low as 1.79¢/
minute. 5% discount off most
retail services. Contact Jim
Butler at (800) 222-8122.
Payroll Service - Heartland
Payroll Co. - Savings of as much
as 50% on payroll fees. Call Brian
Nelson at (440) 371-5245.
Some member discount programs
generate revenue which BBB reinvests
into the organization’s operations.
B2B Discounts for
BBB Accredited
Businesses
The new name assures consumers that they are working with a BBB Accredited Business.
To find out more about BBBASAP or to register your business go to www.bbbasap.com or
call Brigid at 216-623-8964 x206.
Request a Quote – Potential customers have been able to send quote requests to you
via email from your BBB Business Review and a link on the BBB website for several
years. NEW! Now – you can get these quotes sent via text messaging to
your cell phone. To make sure you don’t miss these leads, send your cell phone
number and the name of your provider (Verizon, AT&T, etc) to mybbb@cleveland.
bbb.org or call Sue at (216) 623-8960. You can continue to receive leads by email.
Last year, nearly 1,600 quotes were requested.
3. @
E-Mail from China is a Scam
On Our Radar
Required Workplace Postings Available Free
Shelf Wizard – Operating from a PO Box in Willoughby, this online seller of
shelving has an “F” rating and a pattern of consumer complaints. Consumers
report non-receipt of ordered merchandise. Shelf Wizard also fails to provide
promised tracking numbers on orders they claim to have shipped.
BBB recently learned that HandiCraft, LLC, a manufacturer of products sold by Shelf Wizard,
suspended production and shipments when it didn’t receive payment. BBB has alerted Postal
Inspectors and the Ohio Attorney General.
AAA Appliance – This business has four locations throughout the Cleveland area. Consumers
who have purchased used appliances from AAA Appliance tell BBB of numerous problems with
the products, dissatisfaction with repairs, and lack of response from the business to correct
issues. AAA Appliance has an “F” rating and unanswered complaints. BBB has alerted the
Ohio Attorney General and Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs.
American Asphalt Sealcoating - Twenty six unanswered complaints concerning shoddy
workmanship have placed this company “on our radar.” Owned by Todd Tornstrom, this
Chesterland business has generated complaints about sealcoating, failure to honor
warranties, and poor performance. Ohio Attorney General has been advised of BBB
concerns.
BBB Welcomes
New Directors!
Greg Rosenberg
is President and
Principal of Business
Communication
Solutions, Inc.,
which focuses on B2B
marketing. Greg has
worked in corporate
marketing and
communications since
1987. Before that, he
served in the Navy
and retired with the rank of Commander.
Bill Palliser is
Cleveland District
City Manager of
The Sherwin
Williams
Company. Bill
is responsible
for 27 area
Sherwin
Williams
stores
and is involved in industry
associations such as NARI,
REIA, PDCA, and NOAA.
His hobbies include golf
and riding ATVs.
As an employer, you are required to post notices regarding several federal and
state labor issues at your workplace. You may need to update your current
posters, especially in light of the recent increase in the Ohio Minimum Wage.
Beware: Private companies are mailing solicitations to businesses which often
appear to be from an official government agency. These mailings use warnings
of substantial fines and other consequences for failure to post the required
notices as an enticement to sell you posters.
You can download FREE model posters provided by Ohio’s Department of Job &
Family Services at the following website: bit.ly/1caAoUC
A copy of your Bureau of Workers Compensation paid premium certificate must
also be posted. You can reprint a copy here: 1.usa.gov/1fDJGuN
P.K. Wadsworth Heating & Cooling
(Wadsworth) contacted BBB after
receiving an e-mail from Amanda Jin.
Amanda’s e-mail indicated she was
with the Department of Asian Domain
Registration Service in China. According
to Amanda, someone was trying to
register a domain name already in use
by Wadsworth. If they objected, they
needed to contact Amanda within seven
days.
BBB has been able to determine that the
e-mail is an attempt to panic recipients
into purchasing domain names, often at
an inflated price. There have been no
attempts by a third party to register the
name and the same e-mail is sent to
thousands of other website owners.
If you get such an e-mail, do not respond
to it. Do not click on any links or open
any attachments or attempt to pay for any
registrations. If you are concerned about
others registering your .com domain name
using other registrations such as .net and
.biz, you can shop around for services
from which to purchase them.
®
Sign Up For Free
BBB Scam Alerts!
Text SCAM
to 24587
There is
no fee to
sign up for
BBB Scam
Alerts,
but your
carrier’s text
messaging
rates do apply.
4. The Market Monitor
Better Business Bureau
2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Fl.
Cleveland, OH 44115-2408
The Market Monitor (ISSN 1085-5122). February 2014. Volume 9 No. 1. Published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December by the Better Business Bureau, Inc. 2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Floor,
Cleveland, OH 44115-2408, Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Market Monitor, 2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Fl, Cleveland, OH 44115-2408.
Periodicals Postage Paid
February 2014
Coming Soon: BBB Member Webinars
The Challenge: Reach as many BBB Accredited Businesses
as possible with valuable tips to help them run and grow their
businesses.
The Solution: Brief, information-packed member-only
webinars.
Beginning in April, BBB will be presenting monthly webinars
on topics of key interest to smaller businesses. The first two
webinars will involve Google Analytics and LinkedIn. Webinar
invitations will be sent to you by email, but if you want to be
sure you’re on that list, or want to add others to the invitation
list, please call Brigid at (216) 623-8964 x206. Be sure to
let us know if there are topics you’d like us to consider.
The convenient BBB
webinars, which
will be archived for
future viewing, will
take the place of
BBB’s Connection
Groups. More
information about
the webinars
can be found at
bbbtoolbox.groupsite.com.
BBB Thanks Booth Sponsors!
“Thank you” to the following
sponsors of our booth at
the recent NARI Home
Improvement Show and the
upcoming Cleveland Home +
Remodeling Expo, March 14 -
16th at Cleveland Convention
Center.