We all get complaints. How those complaints are taken care of is what separates good business from the rest.

In order to achieve the Verified status with Ripoff Report, be able to advertise that they are Ripoff Report Verified™, and be able to remain a member of the Program, business program members must do the following:

1. Allow a third-party verifier, at the beginning of program membership, to conduct an on-site inspection, to ensure that the company is actually operating as a business.
   • The verifier may take pictures and conduct an interview with one or more staff members to learn about how the business operates in general.
2. Participate in an electronic interview (online or by phone) and answer questions about the business, how it operates, customer service policies, etc.
3. Make a written commitment to providing superior customer satisfaction regarding their products and services; and
4. Make a written commitment to addressing any and all customer complaints made to Ripoff Report (whether in the past or in the future) promptly (typically within 14 days), and fairly; erring on the side of the consumer when reasonable to do so.
   • If the Program deals with past Reports/complaints, that business allows Ripoff Report to e-mail every individual who wrote a Report about them prior explaining that the member business wants to make things right with them.

Ripoff Report's Verified™ membership status benefits consumers by helping to increase satisfaction and confidence with member businesses knowing that the business has committed to taking care of their concerns.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU THE CONSUMER?

When a company or individual joins a program wherein they take the steps necessary to earn the Ripoff Report Verified™ status, that member individual or business makes a commitment to us, and to the consumers that they will take the following action in response to a complaint:

• If a consumer complains about the member business to Ripoff Report, that member business will review and respond to ALL customer complaints promptly (usually within 72 hours or less).
• Due to the requirement that the member business take care of issues timely, there isn’t much room for gamesmanship. A consumer doing business with a member business can anticipate that their complaint will be taken seriously; they will be treated fairly and with respect; and the complaint will be reviewed and handled by someone with authority to fix the problem.

If a customer did not receive what they were promised, or what they expected, the company will work with that customer, within reason, to fix the issue. Why? Because every member business knows that all business will get complaints; we all make mistakes; misunderstandings happen; and the member business has committed to addressing consumer concerns with compassion, fairness and customer satisfaction in mind.

TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF THE CUSTOMER

When a company is a member of our programs that earn the Ripoff Report Verified™ status, it means that Ripoff Report will help work as a liaison between the customer and the business. If a customer requests a refund and if there is any reasonable basis for that request, we expect the business will err on the side of customer service and will provide a prompt refund. Of course, some refund requests may not be reasonable, so this does not mean a refund is guaranteed in every case, but Ripoff Report will always strive to help customers obtain a refund whenever possible or, they will do whatever is fair to make it right, even if it means doing something more than just a refund. Going beyond the call of good customer service is a must. It's good business practice.

'Making things right' can mean lots of different things to different people, but our point is this—by working closely with the company or individual to resolve any disputes, Ripoff Report can track the footprints of customer service to ensure that our members are doing everything they can to treat customers fairly and to increase their customer satisfaction.

As managers of these paid programs, we are committed to follow up with our members where warranted. The Customer Satisfaction Team understands that despite their best efforts, some companies may not find a resolution for every client complaint. However, we are always looking for the commitment, effort and willingness to satisfy clients that are reasonable in their request. Going beyond the call of good customer service is an important part of the criteria for earning the Ripoff Report Verified™ status, and that's what we expect from our members!

WE ALL GET COMPLAINTS. HOW THOSE COMPLAINTS ARE TAKEN CARE OF IS WHAT SEPARATES GOOD BUSINESSES FROM THE REST

Read about the Guardian+ Program. A Program for businesses that have not received complaints on the Ripoff Report website and are committed to keeping it that way by making the written commitment to customers that is required to earn the status of being Ripoff Report Verified™. These businesses are committed to your satisfaction.

Read about the Corporate Advocacy Program. A Program for businesses that have received complaints on the Ripoff Report website but have vowed to take care of past complaints, have made changes to their business practices and have made the written commitment to customers that is required to earn the status of being Ripoff Report Verified™. These businesses are committed to your satisfaction.

Want to know what businesses have made the written commitment required to obtain the Ripoff Report Verified™ status? Search our Ripoff Report Verified™ Business Directory. Many of our Verified members are listed there!

HAS ONE OF OUR PROGRAM BUSINESS MEMBERS NOT TAKEN CARE OF YOU?

We take a member business’s commitment to customer service and satisfaction very seriously. While we don’t condone individuals or competitors of a business taking advantage of businesses to gain some sort of advantage in the marketplace, blatant failure for a member business to live up to their stated commitments to their customers will result in a member business being kicked off the program and stripped of their program benefits. It wouldn’t be the first time we have removed a member business from a program for not living up to their commitments. We don’t tolerate businesses taking undue advantage of their customers and neither should you!

If you feel that the member business is not "making things right" with you, and your voice has not been heard, please take the following steps:

1. Consider the nature of the situation (and possible perceptions from both sides) and be prepared to work with the business in a courteous manner and with a fair (for both sides) resolution in mind.
2. Contact the member business’s customer service department via e-mail about your problem. You should be as specific as possible with the details about your situation so that the person working to assist you can better understand the situation.
3. Copy Ripoff Report at ([email protected] or [email protected] – whichever program the business is a member of as listed on the subject Report or Verified status listing) on all of your correspondence with the member business so that your efforts to resolve your problem, including information on any resolution that you came to, can be documented for our files. It’s important that you make sure the Member Business name is in the e-mail subject box so we can keep track of the company you are having issues with.
4. If you continue to have issues with the member business, and someone from Ripoff Report has not already interjected in the dialog, send an e-mail to Ripoff Report at ([email protected] or [email protected] – whichever program the business is a member of as listed on the subject Report or Verified status listing) explaining the situation to date for personal assistance with resolving the matter.