Article 16 min

How to Earn and Maintain an A+ BBB Rating

An A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) can be a powerful trust signal for customers, but it isn’t something you set and forget. BBB grades are tied to a 100-point scoring system, and an A+ generally requires at least 97 points—meaning small missteps can have an outsized impact. The good news is that you can strengthen your score by focusing on the areas the BBB weighs most heavily, especially how quickly and consistently you respond to and resolve customer complaints.

Summary

📌 What an A+ BBB rating means

A Better Business Bureau rating is designed to reflect how confident the BBB is that your business operates in a trustworthy way and will make a good-faith effort to address customer concerns. BBB ratings are tied to transparency and integrity, and they align with a set of principles that emphasize honesty, responsiveness, honoring promises, and acting with integrity. In practical terms, the BBB rating system is a structured way to show customers whether a business tends to handle issues fairly and consistently—especially when something goes wrong. An A+ rating sits at the top of that system, and it signals that your business has a strong track record of responsiveness and resolution, not just a low number of problems. In fact, a key theme is that the BBB doesn’t necessarily expect perfection; it expects a professional, timely, and cooperative approach when complaints happen. If you want to earn and keep an A+ rating, it helps to think of your BBB profile as an extension of your customer service operation—your response time, your follow-through, and your willingness to work toward fair outcomes matter just as much as the complaint count itself.

Takeaways:

• An A+ BBB rating is a trust signal that reflects confidence in how your business operates and resolves issues.

• BBB ratings focus heavily on complaint handling, not just whether complaints exist.

• Treat your BBB process like a customer service workflow: quick responses and fair resolutions matter.

Key Terms

• BBB rating: A letter grade based on a 100-point system that reflects the BBB’s confidence in a business’s trustworthiness and responsiveness.

• A+ rating: The highest BBB grade, typically requiring at least 97 points out of 100.

• Code of ethics: A set of principles the BBB uses to evaluate business conduct, including honesty, transparency, and responsiveness.

🧮 How BBB scores your business

The BBB uses a point-based system that leads to a letter grade. Think of it like a report card: the closer you are to 100 points, the stronger your rating. To reach an A+ rating, you generally need at least 97 points, which leaves very little room for missteps. The BBB evaluates multiple elements—often described as 13 categories—but not all categories “earn” points in a positive way. Many categories function more like compliance checks: you don’t receive bonus points for meeting basic standards, but you can lose substantial points if you fail them. This is why staying compliant is essential even though it doesn’t feel like it “raises” your rating. What truly pushes your score upward is how you perform in a handful of complaint-related scoring areas and a time-in-business factor. A helpful way to understand this system is to separate it into two buckets: (1) compliance items that can trigger serious penalties if mishandled, and (2) performance areas where you can actively protect or build points—especially by being responsive to complaints, resolving them, and avoiding delays. Because an A+ threshold is so high, even one unanswered complaint can become a major obstacle. That’s why the businesses that do best tend to have clear internal processes for monitoring, responding, and documenting complaint handling quickly and consistently.

Takeaways:

• BBB ratings are tied to a 100-point scoring system, and A+ typically requires at least 97 points.

• Many BBB categories don’t “award” points—you simply avoid losing points by staying compliant.

• Complaint handling is central, so having a repeatable process matters.

Key Terms

• Point system: The BBB scoring method where categories add up to 100 points and determine your letter grade.

• Compliance penalty: A scoring reduction that occurs when licensing, transparency, or other required standards aren’t met.

• Complaint handling: The combined actions of responding, communicating, and working toward resolution for customer complaints.

🧾 The key factors that impact an A+ rating the most

Although the BBB references a broader set of evaluation elements, only a smaller group tends to drive the points you need to reach an A+ rating. The most influential categories relate to complaints—especially whether you respond and whether you resolve issues in a timely, cooperative way. The big takeaway is that the BBB is heavily weighted toward your actions after a complaint is filed. Complaint volume matters, but it’s not the whole story, and it’s often less controllable than your response behavior. The categories that typically play the largest role include complaint volume (weighted by how recent complaints are), unanswered complaints, unresolved complaints, whether resolution is delayed, and how long you’ve been in business. Together, these form the core of the practical strategy: keep complaints as low as reasonably possible through solid customer service, but more importantly, make sure none of them are ignored and that each one is handled with consistent follow-through. If a customer files a complaint, the most important first move is to acknowledge it quickly and professionally. After that, staying engaged—both with the customer and with the BBB when needed—helps protect your points. This is also where internal patterns matter: if the same issue keeps showing up, or if a specific process or employee repeatedly triggers complaints, the BBB expects you to address the underlying cause. In other words, the strongest long-term approach is not only resolving individual complaints but also improving the systems that led to them.

Takeaways:

• Most points that drive an A+ rating relate to complaint response speed and resolution.

• Complaint volume matters, but how you handle complaints often matters more.

• Repeated complaint themes can hurt you if you don’t address the root cause.

Key Terms

• Complaint volume: The number of complaints filed over a set period, often weighted by how recent they are.

• Unanswered complaint: A complaint with no business response within the BBB’s process and timelines.

• Unresolved complaint: A complaint that has not reached a resolution or outcome within the BBB framework.

📉 Managing complaint volume without obsessing over it

Complaint volume typically looks at how many complaints your business has received over the last few years, and the BBB also considers how recent those complaints are. A complaint from yesterday usually carries more weight than one from two years ago. Company size can also be factored in, which helps keep the scoring from unfairly penalizing larger businesses with more customer interactions. Still, complaint volume isn’t the easiest lever to pull because it’s influenced by many variables, including customer expectations, industry norms, and the kinds of products or services you provide. The most practical way to improve this metric is not to chase a perfect “zero complaint” record, but to build strong habits that naturally reduce friction. That can look like improving your onboarding process, setting clearer expectations, training staff on communication standards, making billing and cancellations straightforward, and solving small issues early before they turn into formal complaints. If you treat customer confusion and frustration as signals—rather than nuisances—you can often prevent repeat problems and lower the chance that customers escalate to the BBB. And even if complaint volume isn’t your strongest scoring category, lowering it helps because it reduces the number of situations you must manage and resolve under time pressure.

Takeaways:

• Complaint volume is weighted by recency, so newer complaints can affect you more than older ones.

• Prevention comes from clear communication, smooth processes, and early problem-solving.

• Lower complaint volume reduces pressure on the areas that matter most: response and resolution.

Key Terms

• Complaint age weighting: A scoring approach where newer complaints may influence your score more than older complaints.

• Customer expectations: What buyers believe they are getting, which can shape satisfaction and complaint likelihood.

• Process improvement: Updating workflows (billing, support, cancellations, fulfillment) to reduce confusion and issues.

⏱️ Answering complaints quickly to protect your score

Unanswered complaints are one of the most important categories to manage because they can directly block you from an A+ rating. In real-world terms, it’s very difficult to maintain a top rating if even one complaint sits without a response. The BBB complaint process generally includes a timeline for business responses, with an initial window to reply and a follow-up extension if needed. The most effective strategy is to treat every BBB complaint as time-sensitive, even if the underlying issue will take longer to resolve. Your first goal is acknowledgement: confirm you’ve received the complaint, state that you’re looking into it, and share a clear next step for the customer. This approach protects your standing because it demonstrates responsiveness and good-faith engagement. It also tends to de-escalate tension, since many customers want to feel heard before anything else. A helpful internal habit is to set up a process where BBB notifications are flagged immediately and routed to a specific owner, manager, or customer service lead, so nothing gets lost in day-to-day inbox traffic. Even businesses with strong customer service can stumble here if complaints are scattered across teams or if responsibility isn’t clearly assigned.

Takeaways:

• Unanswered complaints can quickly derail an A+ rating, so responsiveness must be non-negotiable.

• A prompt acknowledgement response can protect your score even if resolution takes longer.

• Assign ownership and create an internal alert system so complaints don’t get missed.

Key Terms

• Acknowledgement response: A first reply that confirms receipt and outlines the next step, even before full resolution.

• Response timeline: The timeframe in which the BBB expects a business to reply to complaints.

• Escalation: When a customer moves from direct support to formal channels like the BBB due to unresolved concerns.

🤝 Resolving complaints fairly and consistently

Unresolved complaints are the next major piece of the puzzle. This category goes beyond simply replying—it evaluates whether the complaint reached an outcome. The most effective path is always to try to resolve the issue directly with the customer first, because it’s usually faster and less complicated. But if you and the customer can’t reach an agreement, the BBB can act as a facilitator and help move the conversation forward. The goal here isn’t to “win” every dispute or to satisfy every request no matter what; it’s to show that you approached the situation fairly, cooperated in the process, and worked toward a reasonable solution. In many cases, resolution is about communication and documentation as much as it is about the final outcome. If the complaint points to a legitimate service breakdown, the best approach is to fix it and prevent it from happening again. If the customer’s expectations were unrealistic, you still benefit from responding calmly, providing clear evidence and policies, and cooperating with mediation when appropriate. The BBB also pays attention to patterns: if a recurring issue shows up, you’ll want to address the root cause—whether that’s a confusing policy, a billing practice, a quality control issue, or a staff training gap. Showing that you improve your operations based on feedback can support long-term stability in your rating.

Takeaways:

• Unresolved complaints focus on outcomes, so follow-through matters just as much as response speed.

• Aim for fair, well-documented solutions and cooperate with BBB processes when needed.

• Fix recurring complaint themes to protect your rating over time.

Key Terms

• Resolution: The outcome reached after a complaint is handled, which may include refunds, repairs, clarifications, or policy-based decisions.

• Mediation: A structured process where a neutral party helps both sides work toward an agreement.

• Complaint pattern: A repeating theme across complaints that suggests a systemic issue in the business.

📨 Avoiding delays by improving communication

Complaint resolution delayed is a smaller scoring category, but it’s still meaningful when you’re aiming for an A+ rating because every point matters at the top end. This factor often comes down to your communication habits—how quickly you start working toward a solution, how promptly you respond to messages, and how well you keep both the customer and the BBB informed throughout the process. A complaint can become “delayed” not only because the fix takes time, but also because updates are missing and the customer feels ignored. That’s why proactive communication is one of the easiest ways to protect these points. Even if the underlying issue involves shipping delays, vendor dependencies, or a multi-step investigation, you can usually prevent the complaint from stalling by sharing timelines, confirming next steps, and documenting progress. Internally, it helps to create a simple system for tracking complaint status—such as a shared spreadsheet, CRM workflow, or ticketing tool—so you always know what stage each case is in and what the next action should be. When businesses struggle here, it’s often because complaints are handled ad hoc, with no consistent follow-up cadence.

Takeaways:

• Delays can cost points, especially when communication breaks down.

• Regular updates help prevent complaints from stalling even when resolution takes time.

• Track complaint status internally so follow-ups happen automatically.

Key Terms

• Follow-up cadence: A consistent schedule for updates and check-ins while a complaint is being worked on.

• Documentation: Notes, receipts, policies, or communication records that support your actions during a complaint process.

• Ticketing workflow: A system for tracking issues from intake to resolution so nothing slips through the cracks.

🏢 Time in business and why documentation matters

Time in business is one of the few categories that can add positive points based on longevity, and it can be especially helpful once you’ve been operating for several years. The BBB generally does not rate businesses that have been operating for less than one year. After that, you may earn points as your time in business increases, up to a maximum once you’ve been established for a certain number of years. The practical takeaway is that longevity helps—but only if it’s documented properly. If the BBB can’t verify when you were founded, it may default to using the date you joined the BBB, which could effectively shorten your recorded history and reduce points you might otherwise receive. To avoid that, keep clear documentation available that supports your founding date, such as business registration records, incorporation documents, state filings, or other verifiable proof of operations. While this category won’t compensate for poor complaint handling, it can make a meaningful difference at the margins—especially when you’re aiming for 97 points or above.

Takeaways:

• Time in business can add points, helping established businesses strengthen their BBB score.

• The BBB may rely on verifiable records, so it helps to keep documentation ready.

• Longevity supports your score best when complaint response and resolution are already strong.

Key Terms

• Time in business: A rating factor that can award points based on how long your business has been operating.

• Founding documentation: Official records that prove when a business began operations (registrations, filings, incorporation records).

• Verification: The process of confirming business information using reliable supporting documents.

✅ A practical checklist to improve and maintain an A+ BBB rating

If your goal is to reach or keep an A+ BBB rating, the most effective plan is simple—but it does require consistency. First, stay compliant with licensing, advertising standards, and transparent business practices, because the BBB can deduct large chunks of points for noncompliance. Next, treat complaints like a priority workflow: respond quickly, keep your communication clear, and make sure nothing goes unanswered. Then focus on resolution: work directly with customers first, cooperate with the BBB if needed, and aim for fair outcomes that address the real issue. Also, watch for patterns—if the same complaint theme repeats, fix the process that’s causing it so you don’t keep taking the same hit. Finally, monitor your standing and keep internal tracking so you know what’s open, what’s resolved, and what’s at risk of becoming delayed. The theme across all of this is customer service: the BBB scoring system heavily rewards businesses that show they are responsive, cooperative, and committed to resolving issues in good faith. If you build those habits into your normal operations, you’re not only protecting a rating—you’re building a stronger reputation overall.

Takeaways:

• Compliance prevents major point losses, but complaint handling is what drives an A+ rating.

• Respond fast, resolve fairly, and communicate consistently to protect the points you need.

• Track complaint patterns and fix root causes to keep your rating strong long term.

Key Terms

• Compliance: Meeting required standards (licensing, transparency, advertising practices) to avoid point deductions.

• Root cause: The underlying reason a complaint occurs, which can often be addressed through process or policy changes.

• Monitoring: Regularly checking your complaint status and operational practices so issues don’t accumulate unnoticed.

Conclusion

Getting to an A+ BBB rating usually comes down to doing a few things exceptionally well: staying compliant, keeping complaint volume as low as reasonably possible, and—most importantly—responding to and resolving complaints promptly and fairly. Because the A+ threshold is high, small delays and missed responses can matter. If you build a reliable system for tracking complaints, communicating clearly, and fixing repeat issues at the source, you’ll be in a strong position to earn and maintain a top BBB rating over time.