Naming Names September 2011

Naming Names is not about revenge or vindictiveness, it is about accountability. The BBB enforces Business standards and holds both accredited and non-accredited businesses accountable.

Naming Names is a monthly release of the BBB’s complaint handling activities for the previous month. All complaints that have closed out in the BBB's previous month's timeframe are utilized to compile this monthly Naming Names. What warrants companies named in this release? Those businesses that 1) don't answer complaints brought to their attention by the BBB, 2) have a complaint closed disputed, which means that, despite attention to the complaint, the company did not resolve the issue, 3) are unable to be found and have mail returned to the BBB as undeliverable, 4) have had a high volume of complaints for the month that, as a result, drove its industry to the top ten (whether they resolved the complaints or not, and whether they are accredited or not).

PLEASE NOTE: Companies named in the top ten monthly categories can be both accredited and non-accredited businesses. BBB Accredited Businesses can be cited for having a high volume of complaints for the month, but can't have unanswered complaints, a pattern of complaints, nor be "unable to be pursued" and still maintain BBB accreditation.

If any BBB Accredited Business fails to comply with BBB standards, their accreditation is suspended and sent to the Board of Directors for review.

NAMING NAMES SEPTEMBER 2011

(Click on Company Name that is active, and it will take you directly to their BBB Business Review)

TOP TEN COMPLAINT INDUSTRIES

1. GENERAL CONTRACTORS took the number one slot last month. For this category, we take into account those contractors who offer repair and labor contracting services, such as electrical work, plumbing, roofing, etc. All but the following complaints were closed resolved in this category: Melton Homes, Inc. of Dalton Gardens, ID, Doug's Remodel of Richland, WA, Columbia Custom Renovations of Kennewick, WA, Home Equity Builders of Bozeman, MT, J & H Contracting, Inc. of Coeur d’Alene, ID, FCR Enterprises of Tekoa, WA, Good Roofing of Billings, MT, Nu-View USA of Billings, MT, Sagetree Electric Inc of Kennewick, WA, JMG Electric, Inc. of Sagle, ID, Team Construction, LLC of Butte, MT, Classy Pools of Spokane Valley, WA, Lake City Pool & Spa, LLC of Coeur d’Alene, ID, RCC Sprinkler LLC of Missoula, MT, Rick's Painting of Yakima, WA, Pennington Concrete Construction of Wenatchee, WA, LT Construction, LLC of Pasco, WA, Tri-Cities Landscaping of Benton City, WA, AAA Movers of Spokane, WA, and ABC Seamless of Helena, MT each had one complaint closed unanswered. D W Burns Plumbing of Emigrant, MT, M A Smith Construction of Oroville, WA, Lyman Dust Control, Inc. of Hayden, ID, Mill-N-Ette of Missoula, MT, and IBEX Construction, Inc of Spokane, WA each had one complaint closed disputed. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned service/ workmanship, contract, refund, and guarantee/warranty issues.

2. RETAILERS with everything from driving accessories to building supplies, curtains to sewing machines, we got the complaints last month at the Regional BBB, allowing retail to take the number two slot last month with all but the following complaints closed resolved: Blue Glass Enterprises, LLC of Butte, MT had two complaints closed unanswered. The Buggy Lady Driving Accessories of Lacrosse, WA, SCS Distributing-Kirby Company of Spokane Valley, WA, Viking Sewing & Vac Center of Spokane Valley, WA, The Huckleberry People of Missoula, MT, A Superior Install of Leavenworth, WA, Michael Gordon, Ltd. of Spokane, WA, B Seamless Raingutter, Inc. of Billings, MT, East Slope Building Supply of Twisp, WA, RPM by Sledhed of Coolin, ID, Dependable Appliance Company of Pasco, WA, and True Step Shoe Repair of Moses Lake, WA, each had one complaint closed unanswered. Ellabella Limited, Inc. of Kennewick, WA, Upscale Home Furnishings of Spokane, WA, and K & R Cabinets of Spokane Valley, WA, each had one complaint closed unable to be pursued. Grassi Refrigeration Inc. of Walla Walla, WA, Irrigation Parts House of Townsend, MT and Midway Building Supply, Inc. of Tonasket, WA each had one complaint closed disputed. BBB NOTE: It PAYS to check up at BBB.org for online retailer reviews. Some of these companies are well-known to BBB for not answering complaints brought to their attention. Complaints for this category mostly concerned delivery, product, service, and contract issues.

3. AUTO SERVICES AND REPAIR took the number three slot last month with all but the following complaints closed resolved: The Battery Store & Auto Electric of Kennewick, WA, Ed's Premier Auto Body, Inc of Spokane, WA, Specialty Auto of Spokane Valley, WA, Trans Pro Industrial Inc of Spokane Valley, WA, and Auto Lights Unlimited of Moses Lake, WA, each had one complaint closed unanswered. A-1 Automotive and Repair of Kennewick, WA, and Vern’s Mobile Auto Repair & FI of Wenatchee, WA each had one complaint closed disputed. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned billing, repairs, delivery, and service issues.

4. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES from alcohol counselors and marketing consultants to precious metal dealers and estate appraisers took the number four slot last month with all but the following complaints closed resolved: CoiNuts of Coeur d’Alene, ID had 3 unanswered complaints. Law Office of Paul A. DiNenna Jr. of Spokane, WA, Keith Hilde Attorney of Richland, WA, Celine Michelle Photography of Bozeman, MT, Inspire Portraits and Design of Great Falls, MT, ABC Back to Basics, LLC of Spokane, WA, FireCommunications Network of Juliaetta, ID, More Than a DJ of Pasco, WA, Coeur d' Alene Monument Company, Inc. of Coeur d’Alene, ID, Riverriders of Leavenworth, WA, and Joie N. Hall Paralegal Services of Spokane Valley, WA each had one complaint closed unanswered. Bark Ave. of Spokane, WA and Redwing Hound Haulers of Sagle, ID each had one complaint closed disputed. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned service, contract, billing and customer service issues.

5. REAL ESTATE AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT took the number five slot once again last month with all but the following complaints closed resolved: Northwest Property Management of Coeur d’Alene, ID had two complaints closed unanswered. R W Dickerson Management and Company, Inc. of Spokane, WA, Zanco Properties of Spokane Valley, WA, Heritage Realty of Pullman, WA, Homesource of Yakima, WA and The Buyer’s Agent of Yakima, WA each had one complaint closed unanswered. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned contract, deposit/billing, service and product issues.

6. FINANCIAL SERVICES took the number six slot last month last month. Again, the BBB wishes to note that all collection agencies in the area that received complaints in September responded to and resolved them all. Kudos to this industry for continuing to be responsive and resolute with BBB complaints. All but the following other complaints in this category were closed resolved: Little Loan Shoppe of Spokane, WA had one complaint closed unanswered. BBB NOTE: The SEC took action against this company on late September, and BBB President, Jan Quintrall, wrote this informative Spokesman Review piece about this payday loan company that consistently generates unanswered complaints.

Due to volume, BBB calls out Payday Financial, LLC of Timber Lake, SD (aka PDL Ventures using box drops in Elder Box, MT), which had five complaints closed unanswered. BBB NOTE: This BBB was handling complaints for a company called PDL Ventures for nearly three years until the FTC issued this order against a group called Payday Financial, LLC of Timber Lake, SD, linking them to the activities of PDL Venture in Box Elder, MT. The BBB of South Dakota now handles complaints against this company, and is deemed HQ.)

Potlatch No. 1 Credit Union of Lewiston, ID had one complaint closed unanswered. Urgent Tax Care of Post Falls, ID had one complaint closed disputed. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned billing, service, and contract issues.

7. MAGAZINE SALES took the number seven slot last month mostly due to two Montana magazine sales companies consistently on BBB’s radar: U.S. Magazines of Lolo, MT, which had a total of 22 complaints, all closed resolved, and Countrywide Periodicals of Hamilton, MT, which had 5 complaints, all closed resolved. All other complaints for this category have been resolved. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned billing, refund, customer service, and selling issues.

BBB NOTE: Check first with BBB about any telemarketing magazine sales company pitching to you at: www.bbb.org prior to signing. Do the real MATH before you agree to sign up for magazine sales pitches via random calls, and be wary of too good to be true incentives to try to get you to sign up.

8. HOTELS and MOTELS took the number eight slot last month with Motels being the biggest single unanswered complaint category in this Naming Names. All but the following motel complaints were closed resolved: Comfort Inn of Coeur d’Alene, ID, Juniper Inn of Billings, MT, Perry Hotel of Pullman, WA, Econo Lodge of Yakima, WA, Shangri-La Motel of Spokane, WA, Sleep Inn of Billings, Cedar Motel and RV Park of Coeur d’Alene, ID, Value Inn of Wenatchee, WA, Traveler’s Lodge of West Yellowstone, MT and Sleepy Hollow Lodge of West Yellowstone, MT each had one complaint closed unanswered. All but the following hotel complaints were closed resolved: Howard Johnson of Billings, MT had two complaints closed unanswered. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned billing, product, and customer service practices.

9. AUTOS-NEW took the number nine slot last month with all but the following complaints closed resolved: Camp Automotive of Spokane, WA had two complaints closed unanswered. Lithia Honda of Great Falls had one complaint closed disputed. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned contract, service and selling issues.

10. ELECTRONICS took the number ten slot last month with all but the following complaints closed resolved: US Online of Wenatchee, WA, Stupid Phone Store of Yakima, WA, and Strong Solutions of Spokane, WA each had one unanswered complaint. Complaints for this industry mostly concerned service and repair issues.

CLEARING THE AIR

If there is a correction to make with any previous Naming Names releases or if there is an error that needs clarification or re-address, our policy is to post it and make it known in the next month’s Naming Names. We call this “clearing the air.”

BBB REGIONAL TOP TEN INQUIRIES VIA INDUSTRY, SEPTEMBER, 2011