This is how companies confidently handle customer ratings on Google – t3n – digital pioneers

Complain about reviews? Yes, but please be eclectic and with a sense of proportion. (Photo: Shutterstock/Sewcream)

Customer reviews on Google and Co. Something like this: if warranted, it gives other customers a good indication of whether they will feel comfortable in a restaurant, whether the service at the hotel is good or whether the retailer is service-oriented and courteous. However, sometimes they are misused or used as leverage – reason enough for many business owners and freelancers to use all possible means to counter negative reviews.

But in the past few months it has become a fashionable act that can be on the feet of many corporate operators: service companies offer their help here – for prices from 35 to 60 euros in most cases or by agreement, they question the ratings on Google in return and ask for deletion The Platform (and some other platforms such as physician reviews, hotel satisfaction portals, etc.). In this case, the platform writes to the reviewer and makes it clear that the review is in doubt. Google and some other portals then ask for proof that you have a business relationship with said company.

This is particularly difficult when – as is the case now – the said visit was several years ago. Known cases where the audit took place between five and ten years ago, which means that the corresponding receipts, if any at all, no longer need to be kept for the tax authorities, even under current German law. Hand on heart: Who always honestly takes the receipt or restaurant bill?

Many authors of these reviews are deterred by requesting deletion and simply don’t interact at all – and then the review or rating is deleted. On rare occasions, a corresponding receipt, such as credit card bills or the like, is provided so that Google will comply with the evaluation, at least for the time being.

So everything is great from the point of view of business owners? not at all. Because in many cases, angry customers write another review after deletion, denouncing the practice, which they can easily prove at this point. For some business owners, this is how the evaluation score really goes down. Deleting these reviews then would cost money again – if at all the legal service providers, who don’t just bill if successful.

This is especially annoying when — as many of these companies do — not only are defamatory comments and one-star ratings deleted, but three-star ratings and relatively inconsequential ratings and comments are recalled. An appraisal profile that most potential clients wouldn’t then attack becomes one that no owner should really be proud of. Because when reviewers see that they are not the only ones being asked to withdraw their rating, comments denouncing such behavior with a crowbar pile up.

So how should business owners act if they want to take action against revisions? The answer is first: it’s better to be more careful than the assembly line service provided, which Google rankings object to in the strings. Because that hits China with the public objection to many more revisions than the business owner would like.

However, of course, there is nothing wrong with good reputation management. And there are some ground rules for this: comment on an unfairly bad review factually and politely, explain the facts if necessary, or, ideally, offer a reasonable solution to the customer. You can also contact them directly, especially if it’s a customer you know. By the way, unlike some consultants, you don’t have to be Goethe or Gandhi to do this. Be courteous to the customer, just as you would in direct communication.

If you really want to get rid of unfair and unwarranted bad reviews, work with reasonable experts and only contest the individual reviews that are really worth it. Because everything else will return two or three times, and at worst cause more damage than the current rating (at best “only” additional additional costs that benefit the service company).

And as a final tip: build your own reputation, for example by encouraging satisfied customers to rate you on portals and platforms related to flyers or campaigns. Because if you have 50 positive reviews, you should have fewer problems with one or two negative reviews than an owner with five reviews.

And what should you do as a customer if a company changes legal club and requests that your review be deleted via Google or another service? We’ve summed it up for you here.