| Business news you can use from your Better Business Bureau® |  |
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| Top Stories |  |  |
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- Philanthropist-turned-banker hopes to rebuild trust
Phyllis Campbell, a former bank president who was focused on philanthropy but has now returned to banking, aims to help JPMorgan Chase regain trust from disgruntled Americans. Campbell's experience as a former philanthropist and businesswoman puts her in an unusual position to restore trust and confidence. The Seattle Times
(11/8)
    
- Research debunks myths about "homepreneurs"
Research from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business indicates that home-based companies employ more people than venture-backed businesses. Researchers culled data from the recent Network Solutions Small Business Success Index, which debunks some myths about so-called "homepreneurs." Among the findings: 75% of homepreneurs work full time in their business, half have been in business for more than 15 years and half have employees. Small Business Trends
(11/10)
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- 5 ways to improve the customer experience
Stuart Kiefer, division manager for Loyalty Solutions at
First Data in Atlanta, offers five tips for improving the customer experience to make a small business more competitive. Among Kiefer's tips: Offer real-time incentives, track spending behavior and customize communications. BusinessWeek/Today's Tip
(11/10)
- Firms say goodbye to drama of high-maintenance clients
Many small service providers are cutting loose demanding, resource-draining customers who want deep discounts or pay their bills late. Dropping "high-maintenance" clients allows entrepreneurs to devote more time to more profitable clients and reduces their frustration. Experts recommend that businesses check first-time clients' payment records, establish a payment policy upfront and handle breakups professionally. The Wall Street Journal
(11/9)
| Weekly Poll | | |
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Is your business woman-owned?
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No. |
50.81%
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Yes, but it's not certified. |
28.48%
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Yes, and it's certified. |
20.71%
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Has your business introduced any "green" initiatives?
 | Yes, and we found they saved us money. |
| Yes, but they didn't save us any money. |
| No. |
| Best Business Practices | | |
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- How 1 company has streamlined to survive
Greg Kitson, founder of Mind's Eye Graphics in Decatur, Ind., talks about steps his custom screen-printing shop has taken to cope with the recession. The company shortened its work week, scrutinized its consumables, introduced cost-saving green initiatives, tackled marketing aggressively and ultimately laid off some employees. Manage Smarter
(11/9)
- Balance keeps "homepreneur" work from being overwhelming
"Homepreneurs" need to be careful to maintain a balance so that work activities do not overshadow home responsibilities, Gladys Edmunds writes. "Danger exists when we take our lives and break it into little parts and give more attention to one part and not pay attention to the others," Edmunds writes. USA TODAY
(11/10)
| Security & Privacy | | |
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- Does Microsoft's small-office server fit the bill?
Microsoft last week added small-office and home-office users to its list of potential customers for Windows Home Server, bundling applications appropriate to likely needs. The biggest differences between Foundation and WHS are the number of users supported (up to 15 for Foundation and up to 10 for WHS) and the media-serving capability of WHS. ZDNet/All About Microsoft blog
(11/9)
| Fraud Watch | | |
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- Survey scam echoes Nigerian prince e-mails
Twists on the infamous Nigerian prince e-mail scam are running rampant on the Internet, offering fake employment opportunities to desperate workers. The scams run through surveys. When people complete the surveys, which ask for personal information on job sites, that information is stolen by scammers. ClipSyndicate/WFLD-TV (Chicago)
(11/9)
- Shell scams become more frequent
Manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors are vulnerable to a rising trend in shell-company fraud because credit agreements usually do not require the buyer to make payments until some time after a sale. Experts say the payment window gives a shell company plenty of time to run a scam. BusinessWeek
(11/5)
| BBB in the News | | |
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- Fort Hood tragedy brings wave of charity scams
Scammers have moved fast to try to take advantage of Americans looking to do a little something to help the victims of the recent tragedy at Fort Hood in Texas. BBB recommends people check out charities before they donate and has tips and information on how to do so. KEPR-TV (Pasco, Wash.)
(11/11)
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| About BBB® |
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BBB is the leader in advancing marketplace trust - it is an unbiased, non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Across the U.S. and Canada, 125 BBBs
serve communities by evaluating and monitoring nearly 4 million local and national businesses and charities. Learn more at www.bbb.org.
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| | Recent BBB TrustBrief Issues:
- Thursday, November 05, 2009
- Thursday, October 29, 2009
- Thursday, October 22, 2009
- Thursday, October 15, 2009
- Thursday, October 08, 2009
| | | Lead Editor: Brooke Howell
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