D&B WARNING

[Tim Silvers]

The D&B operation is a joke. If you apply for a free DUNS #, it will take over a month and you will NEVER get any support to help navigate your account once you get one. The customer service is deplorable and all they are trained to do is sell you a service YOU DON'T NEED. Anyone who doesn't agree to pony up the $$$ for their services gets routed to customer svc reps in India that are completely inept at handling your concerns. Just be forewarned if you're starting out getting a free DUNS #.

If anyone has sone shortcuts to getting around their BS, please share!

[Scott Hubbard]

You should be able to get your D & B file started using their government contractors program with minimum headaches. The last one I submitted took 24 hours.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

From there, you start applying to creditors like office depot, staples, quill.com, grainger, as well as others. Of course, many of these may require a personal guarantee from the owner.

If enough creditors report to D&B (usually 3 minimum), then you will get a paydex. This can take quite sometime as creditors do not report to d&b as often as they used to. This is becuase d & b charges the credit to report.

Anyway, keep applying for credit accounts as a creditor will eventually order an investigation and this is where d&b makes most of the money.... from credit report and profile building.

Do not buy the credit bulider unless your an established business with credit accounts from several companies. Chances are, if you have not already been around for a couple of years, the credit builder is a waste of money as there will be no credit experience to report on a new company.