The Trust Foundation Understanding trust issues in the digital era.

“Steve Clark had had enough. Weeks after spending $2,500 on a new bedroom set, the bed broke. Workers repaired the bed two months later. Then it broke again. For six months, Clark spent his days leaving frustrated messages with the shop and spent his nights worrying the mattress would crash to the floor. Eventually, one of the managers came to Clark's home in Yakima and successfully fixed the problem.”

“According to a national survey commissioned by the Better Business Bureau, furniture stores, auto dealerships, and cell phone and wireless companies are ranked as the most untrustworthy by consumers. Grocery stores and pharmacies earned the most trust.”

“Zan Deery, spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau out of Spokane, said there are many factors that can explain the results, from bad experiences to national headlines. But what outweighs the complaints themselves is how businesses respond to them.” Customers can be easily frustrated when the companies they frequent do not respond to their concerns. Responding promptly to customer questions and distresses helps establish a caring and trustworthy relationship.