Contract disputes are one of the most common types of complaints received by BBB. Often, consumers believe a business has not fulfilled its end of the bargain or they are unclear about

a section of the contract. Because many contracts can be worded in a way that may be confusing, BBB recommends business owners make sure all terms and conditions in their contracts are easily understood.

Take a look at the way your contracts are written. BBB provides these tips to help keep your customers and your business on the same page.

1. Keep the language simpleLegal jargon can confuse many consumers. Use short sentences, small paragraphs and clearly labeled headings that highlight what is in each section of the contract.

2. List every detailInclude every task that is to be performed, no matter how long it will take to be completed. This allows your customers to know step-by-step what is being done, how it is being done and what materials are being used to get it done. It may be wise to leave space in the contract for items that are negotiable with your customers, or items that can be customized. This ensures anything that is verbally agreed upon will also be in writing.

3. Be specific about the timeframeYour customers need to know when to expect your work will be completed. Some projects can be time consuming, but putting an expected timeframe for each phase of the job in the contract can help keep you and your customers on the same page throughout the process. Be sure to communicate with your customers should anything fall behind schedule. If the completion date is delayed, make sure it is communicated to your customers in writing.

4. Itemize all costs involved Include the specific materials used to complete the job, the labor costs, taxes and any discounts you may have offered. Make sure to set a timeframe for when payment is due if the customer can pay in installments. List the types of payment you will take, whether it is check, credit or debit card. Consider using an escrow company for larger jobs.

5. Include any warranties or guarantees Your business should stand behind its work, so make sure to include information about warranties, as this is a common consumer complaint. Specify what is covered under warranty, such as materials and/or labor. Make sure your customers know if they should contact you or the manufacturer for repairs or replacement parts.

Austin • Centroplex • Corpus Christi • Laredo

Permian Basin • San Antonio • Victoria • Waco

June 2012

VOL

62 No. 6

How to Avoid Contract Disputes with Your CustomersBBB has advice to help make the details of your work clear

For more tips you can use, visit: centraltx.bbb.org/Business-Resources

NewAprilAccreditedBusinesses

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AUSTIN78 PaintingA + Water ConditioningA+ Federal Credit UnionAbout Smiles Family and Cosmetic

DentistryAffordable Insurance of AustinAkimbo CardAllstate Insurance Company -

Catherine MurphyAlterra Inc.Arbor Pointe Event CentreArtisan ExteriorsAusTex AC ServicesAustin GalleriesAustin Machine ShopAustin Pain AssociatesAV Connect, LLCBlackhawk EnterprisesBlue Dragon PlumbingBlue Marble DesignCapital Benefits Group & Capital

Wealth ManagementCapital Commercial Cleaning &

ServicesCapital of Texas StoneworksCapital Risk ManagementCapital Supply CompanyCaptivating WeddingsCentex ShredCen-tex TowingChevy’s Complete HandyMan

ServicesClampitt Paper CoClear Solutions Pool ServiceCND Signs and PrintingCompassionate Care Veterinary

HospitalCool Cat A/C Heating & RemodelingCosmetic & Holistic DentistryD&R RemodelingDevout DesignsDeWitt Heating and Air

Conditioning LLCDouglas LandscapesDrolette Construction IncEdge Roofing & RemodelingElegant Interiors IncElias Electric LLCElma Fine Art Portrait PhotographyFiat of AustinFineLine Custom Homes IncGlenda Smith DDSGray RenovationGunsch Insurance Agency, Inc.HB Green Star RoofingHighland Lakes Real Estate Inc

Home Theater StoreIT Data Recovery LLCJB RemodelingKristen Joy PhotographyLa Bella BasketsLaw Office of Farren SmithLawnScapes of TexasLenny Schwartz & AssociatesLone Star TransportMaster Paster Custom Paint &

DrywallMichelle’s PatisserieMidnight Fantasy PhotographyNetWorth Realty of AustinNuArtisanNurturMePalm Valley Auto SalesPatriot FencePowersport Superstore, Inc.Primrose School Vista RidgeReliant Pest ManagementRunkle’s Custom HomesSentinel Roofing & Sheet MetalSolar Royal, LLCSouthwest Design GroupStarbird Jewelry DesignTatra Metal Roofing SupplyThe Art of SubtractionThe Boutique Real EstateThe Wedding ShoppeTop to Bottom Roofing and General

Contracting LLCTriStar EquityV R Business BrokersVictory Cleaners

CENTROPLEX/WACOBlackwell PhotographyAll American AuctionC Ford TransportCCC ConstructionJose Hernandez - General

ContractorLone Star Pin-UpLucio’s Roofing & Construction CoMartin’s Rod and CustomMH Hill Sheet Metal & ACOrlowski & Hansen HomesSta-Dry RoofingSteel Fitness Gym, LLCSteel Oilfield ServicesStoneCoat SolutionsStump GrindersSturdivant Automatic Transmission

Service, LLCSuperior Glass & Aluminum, IncThe Money Investments

Wiltin Machine ShopYanez Tree Services

CORPUS CHRISTI/VICTORIAAlice Pest ControlCoastal Bend ApplianceC-Scapes Coastal Landscape

Specialist IncDone Right A/CEdlin ElectricHome & Garden Pest ContolJBS ConstructionMacareno Signs & GraphicsPro Drive Brakes & ServiceSinger Sewing CenterVictoria Iron Works

PERMIAN BASINArmstrong Backus & Co., LLPB & B Wrecker & Recovery, Inc.Barreno InsuranceBruce Story RoofingChloe Parker Senior Home CareJonezy Hot Shot ServiceKC ConstructionLone Star Roofing and ConstructionLori’s CafePaperWerks, LLCRoss HotshotTown & Country DrugWoody’s Advanced Fabrication &

Truck Repair, Inc

SAN ANTONIO/LAREDOAA Tex Air Conditioning, Heating &

Commercial RefrigerationAC One FreedomAlamo CNCAll Project ConstructionAllinnia Creative GroupAllstate Auto SalesArrow Moving and StorageBarlyn Custom HomesCamargo’s Custom Machining &

WeldingChildren’s Dentistry of Hausman

VillageCinderella PoolsClair Booth, CLTCComfort ConnectCorridor Equipment Co Inc.Cox Design/Build LLCCS Total Services LLCDan Corrigan Insurance Agency,

Inc.DeWinne ConstructionDixon Plumbing

Dynamic Car ServiceEd Grams Custom Pools, LLCEmpire EnterpriseEuropean Car PartsGlobal Security SolutionsGreenville Custom Homes &

ConstructionGreg Brown Home and Termite

InspectionsGVS Ideal Management GroupHonest MechanicsHRH Carriage CompanyInnovative Grass TechnologiesJeff Crumrine Air Conditioning &

Heating Inc.Marhofer Homes and RemodelingMario’s Electric Motor ServiceMasonry & Glass Systems of Texas

IncMy Cinderella CreationsNelson Skinner Attorney at LawNo Limit PaintingOn the Move Insurance AgencyOn The Move, IncOne-to-One Reading TutoringParadise Lawn & Maintenance, IncPerez Home ImprovementPerformance Automotive &

TransmissionPete Narvaez House Painting and

Custom MuralsProfessional Lawn ManagementReeso Tiles Inc.Roger Perez ConstructionSA RoofMasters LLCService Uniform RentalSisters Boutique & GiftsSouthern Comfort Construction,

LLCSpring Creek Animal HospitalStudio J The Salon & SpaSuburban Child Care Center, Inc.Sub-Zero Air Conditioning &

Heating, L.L.C.The Lawn BarberTrotter and Morton Facilities

Services of Texas, Inc.Vanhemelrijck Law Offices, L.P.Ware Roofing & ConstructionYellow Rose Carriage Co

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Special thanks to our Corporate Partners!

Local Custom Sign Company Fails to Deliver a Quality ProductBusiness owners complain they have nothing to show for orders with Everything Neon

COVERT AUTO GROUP

As a business owner, nothing is more important to your storefront than an eye-catching sign. Signs can help attract new customers and strengthen your brand. Unfortunately, BBB

continues to receive complaints from business owners across the country regarding custom neon and LED signs from Austin-based Everything Neon. Specifically, business owners complain they purchased a sign online for several hundred dollars from Everything Neon and received a broken or defective product, or a product that did not match their order. Other business owners complain the sign they purchased was not delivered on time, if at all. The company has failed to answer or resolve numerous complaints received by BBB in the last three years. BBB contacted Everything Neon in March to request the company address its pattern of complaints and substantiate “best quality” and “lowest price” claims on its website. The company has yet to respond. Dan Yarbrough, owner of WineStyles Montgomery Plaza in Fort Worth, has yet to get his $475 back from Everything Neon after the company sent him the wrong sign. “The company promises to send a refund after the product is returned, but the refund doesn’t come,” Yarbrough said. BBB reminds business owners to keep the following advice in mind when making expensive purchases online: Use other BBB Accredited Businesses Start your search with BBB to check for companies who are BBB Accredited. All BBB Accredited Businesses agree to meet and maintain high standards for trust. Always look for the BBB seal and click to confirm the company’s Accreditation status.

O�cial variations of the Castle & Cooke Mortgage, LLC logo:

Confirm your online purchase is secure Always look in the address box for the “s” in “https://” and in the lower-right corner for the “lock” symbol before paying. If there are any doubts about a site, right-click anywhere on the page and select “Properties.” This will let you see the real URL and the dialog box will reveal if the website is encrypted. Pay with a credit card Under federal law, you can dispute a charge if you do not receive the item. You also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges on your credit card. Keep documentation of your order After completing the online order process, there may be a final confirmation page or confirmation e-mail. Save a copy of the webpage and any e-mails for future reference as a record of the purchase. Know your rights The Federal Trade Commission’s Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule requires that orders made by mail, phone or online be shipped by the date promised. If no delivery time is stated, the order must be received within 30 days. If the goods aren’t shipped on time, you can cancel and demand a refund.

Better Business Bureau, Inc.1005 La Posada DriveAustin, TX 78752

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BetterBusinessBureau Trust Talk | June 2012

Trust Talk is published by Better Business Bureau 1005 La Posada Drive, Austin, TX 78752. Trust Talk is published for executives and employees of BBB Accredited Businesses in its 79-county service area. All rights reserved: the contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part without written consent of the publisher. References to or mention made of any company, product or service herein is not to be interpreted, per se, as statements derogatory of such company, product or service, but as information obtained from sources believed to be reliable for the use of BBB Accredited Businesses and subscribers. Because the matters contained in this Trust Talk concern matters of the utmost public importance and concern in providing a free flow of information to our companies concerning business enterprises in the Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin area, BBB encourages BBB Accredited Businesses to contact their local BBB with any follow-up material concerning the reports in this newsletter or any other matter to assist BBB in fulfilling its function of improving the economic system through informed decision-making.

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How to Avoid Contract Disputes with Your Customers ....

New Accredited Businesses …….…...............................................

Local Custom Sign Company Fails to Deliver a Quality Product ................................................................................................

April Activity Report ..............................................................................

In April 2012, your BBB...Increased total Accredited Business locations to 11,007Provided customers with 144,418 BBB Business ReviewsHandled 1,799 disputesAssisted 5,832 people over the phoneHosted 433,262 website page viewsSent 797 Request a Quote customer referrals to Accredited Businesses

In April 2012, your BBB was mentioned 477 times by 55 local media outlets including…

Get news as it happens! Join BBB’s press release list at centraltx.bbb.org/press.

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RevocationsMontelongo Inc: Failure to respond to one or more customer complaints filed with BBB

A-1 Collision Super Center: Unresolved complaint(s)

Appliance Specialists: Failure to respond to one or more customer complaints filed with BBB

Law Office of Gordon Hardin: Failure to eliminate the underlying cause of complaints on file with BBB, failure to maintain required licensing and failure to respond to BBB requests for further information to evaluate compliance with BBB standards

MB Construction: Failure to respond to one or more customer complaints filed with BBB

All Around Fencing: Unresolved complaint(s)