Smart Women Start With Trust
Confidence Is a Hot Commodity in a Cool Market
November 26, 2008
By Angie Barnett
President & CEO
Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland
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A father, enjoying his golden years in Florida, called his daughter in Baltimore and after the usual greeting, asked her, “Tell me something good.” The daughter, knowing that her father was concerned about the stock market, unemployment and the rest of the headlines, replied that an executive from a local company he would remember had just told her the day before that his company was having the best year in its 56 years in business.
The father was surprised, but his daughter was not. As a member of my team at BBB, she was well aware of a recent BBB/Gallup poll about trust in the marketplace. The bad news is that 18 percent, or one in five consumers surveyed, had less trust in the businesses with whom they regularly dealt. Some industries fared worse than others, including real estate and car sales. The good news is that, in most cases, every business has control of its perception in the community.
While the company referenced was not affiliated with either of the two industries most impacted by the loss of trust, it was in one of the top five categories. So, how does a business earn your trust? If you’re like most consumers (and by the way since women make up the majority of the decision-makers in today’s society you probably are), you are more confident in a business that delivers on its promises, stands behind what it says, provides good service, operates under a code of conduct and has someone in the company who knows you. It’s really not all that complicated.
But one of the givens as a result of my role with the most recognized symbol of trust in the marketplace, BBB, is empathizing with victims over heart-breaking accounts of fraud, trickery, broken promises and disappointing examples of inadequate service. If you’ve had the displeasure of finding yourself in a similar position, you can help others by reporting it. But if you can think of a business that has built trust, advertises honestly, tells the truth, is transparent and does not hide policies/procedures that could affect your decision to buy, honors its promises, is responsive, safeguards your privacy and embodies integrity, please share your story. In this time of uncertainty it’s especially important to celebrate those companies and organizations that work hard to earn and keep our trust.
Angie Barnett has 17 years experience serving in executive roles for non-profit organizations. Angie made Maryland her home 20 years ago after moving “north” from her home state of Arkansas. She has advanced degrees in Sociology, is a 2000 graduate of Leadership Maryland and continues to serve on boards of community-based programs. She has one daughter who now lives in Dallas.
