Overall Numbers Up 10 Percent—

Most BBB Complaints In 2009

Filed Against Cellphone Industry

WALLINGFORD — Consumers filed nearly ten (9.7) percent more complaints in 2009 than the previous year, according to an annual report released by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Not only did the bureau receive nearly 1 million complaints filed by disgruntled consumers last year, customers also turned to BBB more than 65 million times for help researching businesses across North America.

Many businesses believe that a troubled economy is responsible for the increase in consumer complaints. Connecticut BBB finds that struggling families are relying on BBB reports to find businesses they can trust.

According to Connecticut Better Business Bureau President Paulette Scarpetti, BBB’s Reliability Reports are an increasingly popular tool for consumers researching the trustworthiness of businesses.

“Aside from the number of complaints, the number of inquiries is significant in that it reflects a growing consumer trend toward researching companies in advance to avoid problems,” Ms Scarpetti said.

BBB Reliability Reports — which are available online — contain information on a business’s accreditation status, letter-grade rating, and marketplace history.

The cellphone industry received the largest number of complaints in 2009 with 37,477, a 2.1 percent increase over 2008. The cable and satellite TV industry ranked second with 32,616 complaints, an 8.7 percent increase over the previous year.

Rounding out the top three, banks received 29,920 complaints, a 42.3 percent increase over the previous year.

For the second consecutive year, there has been a significant increase in complaints against banks coinciding with 140 bank failures in 2009. Trust in the financial sector is already extremely low and the dramatic increase in BBB complaints against banks reflects the growing discord between consumers and the industry.

While the cellphone industry, cable and satellite TV industry, and banks received a high volume of complaints, two of the three industries saw improvements in their resolution rates over the previous year.

Cellphone companies resolved 97.4 percent of complaints; the cable and satellite TV industry resolved 97.2 percent. The resolution rate by banks declined slightly to 95.2 percent.

Following are the top ten industries by volume of consumer complaints filed across North America with BBB in 2009 by rank, industry classification, and number of actual complaints

1. Cellular Telephone Service, Equipment & Supplies, 37,477

2. Television / Cable, CATV & Satellite, 32,616

3. Banks, 29,920

4. Auto Dealers / New Cars, 26,888

5. Internet Shopping, 21,494

6. Collection Agencies, 15,797

7. Auto Dealers / Used Cars, 13,686

8. Telephone Companies, 13,470

9. Furniture / Retail, 13,158

10. Auto Repair & Service, 12,736

Following are the top ten industries by volume of consumer inquiries filed across North America with BBB in 2009 by rank, industry classification, and number of actual inquiries:

1. Roofing Contractors, 235,0344

2. Contractors / General, 148,7326

3. Mortgage Brokers, 128,6841

4. Movers, 115,3842

5. Construction & Remodeling Services, 114,0470

6. Auto Dealers / New Cars, 113,6505

7. Auto Repair and Service, 997,463

8. Plumbing Contractors, 966,218

9. Heating and Air Conditioning, 935,486

10. Auto Dealers, Used Cars, 873,435