PRESS RELEASE
On March 21st, The Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan (BBB-WMI) held a private luncheon to announce the winners of its second annual Integrity Award. Three Rivers’ own Safety Glasses USA is the proud winner of this prestigious award for 2007.
All businesses within BBB-WMI’s service area of 38 counties were eligible to submit entries, providing they did not have an unsatisfactory record with any BBB. Entries were then reviewed by a panel of judges from the BBB-WMI Board of Directors.
Safety Glasses USA and other businesses were asked to provide specific examples and documentation relevant to standard business areas, including Management Practices and Policies; Customer and Supplier Relations; Marketing, Advertising, Communication, and Sales Practices; and Reputation within the Industry and Community.
Safety Glasses USA Marketing Manager, Jeff Squiers, highlighted that its documented 99.2% customer satisfaction rate was much higher than the average, particularly for an internet-based company. He also added that it was a personal honor to be involved with a company recognized among many qualified applicants for integrity and solid business practices.
Said Ken Vander Meeden, BBB-WMI President, “we always like to recognize a few of the many reputable companies we have located within our region. Too often, we only hear about the negatives of business leadership, and it is rewarding for the BBB to be directly involved in recognizing the positive contributions of these fine organizations.”
Vander Meeden also noted, “companies of integrity exist throughout our region; we encourage the general public to proactively nominate reputable firms from their community on our website throughout the year. As our local winners are eligible for the CBBB’s International Torch Awards, our hope is to have a community be recognized within the global marketplace as a business community of integrity.”
When asked what winning this award meant to her business and local community, Safety Glasses USA Vice President, Kendra Eldridge, stated, “this award is something we proudly share with our employees. Every day they help to uphold our firm beliefs in fair and ethical business standards through communications with customers and vendors alike, and also among each other. I think this also speaks to the way both Three Rivers as a small community and West Michigan as a whole view the traditional values of customer service and honorable business practices.”
She added, “I also believe that it is extremely important in this new frontier of e-commerce for consumers to be able to search for and recognize businesses that continually strive to operate in a conscientious manner.”
Locally owned and based since its startup in 2000, Safety Glasses USA is an international distributor of personal protective eyewear and equipment. An internet-based business, its offices, warehouse, and retail showroom reside at 1501 KDF Drive. With safety and sports eyewear as its core products, they currently carry over 1,500 styles and are continually adding more to its website, SafetyGlassesUSA.com.
