GAC05
Quit buggin' me
This one of yours? I would have left a little more breathing room outside of that white border. Looks like it was cropped to minimize material waste.
-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
New Guy Responding to your online reviews - second in a series
- Thread starter Robert Armerding
- Start date
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
As the saying goes, there are only 2 things in texas. Steers and .......
GAC05
Quit buggin' me
Steers and guys with really nice utility bed sign trucks?
Getting back to the topic, not many customers are going to go out of their way to write a review on Yelp or a business' Google page or on a social media site (Facebook, Twitter). If they do go to the trouble they're bound to be really happy or really angry. We don't see a huge tide of reviews or comments on our pages, so there isn't any danger of one of our people losing a big chunk of the work day responding to issues.
There are two big problems with reviews however.
Problem one: some clients are going to make very unreasonable demands and be impossible to please. We've had people try to trash us online after we told them to find another sign company to do their work. This issue is a problem for many other kinds of businesses. Especially restaurants.
Problem two: some reviews are FAKE. It's actually common for some businesses to create fake online profiles or social media accounts and use them to trash the reputation of competitors with phony reviews. This is a gigantic problem on Yelp and has done much to de-legitimize that online review platform. I used to participate on Yelp when the service was new. It has been at least 5 or more years since I've posted anything there. One bright side: it's a little more difficult for people to post fake reviews about sign companies than something like a visit to a restaurant. The fakes can be revealed for who they are in just a couple responses. They usually can't provide anything in terms of specifics regarding their fake negative reviews.
There are two big problems with reviews however.
Problem one: some clients are going to make very unreasonable demands and be impossible to please. We've had people try to trash us online after we told them to find another sign company to do their work. This issue is a problem for many other kinds of businesses. Especially restaurants.
Problem two: some reviews are FAKE. It's actually common for some businesses to create fake online profiles or social media accounts and use them to trash the reputation of competitors with phony reviews. This is a gigantic problem on Yelp and has done much to de-legitimize that online review platform. I used to participate on Yelp when the service was new. It has been at least 5 or more years since I've posted anything there. One bright side: it's a little more difficult for people to post fake reviews about sign companies than something like a visit to a restaurant. The fakes can be revealed for who they are in just a couple responses. They usually can't provide anything in terms of specifics regarding their fake negative reviews.
Robert Armerding
Listen Sharp
If you receive an authentic review from a loyal client, what then?
If the review is from a real customer we'll respond directly by phone or via the platform where the review was posted. If it is a positive review we'll thank them for the positive comments. If it's a negative review we'll try to get to the bottom of why they're upset. But, as I stated before, some of the demands or expectations fall into the unreasonable category.
If the review is fake we'll contact the site administrator about it and see if it can be removed. Google is fairly responsive. I think Yelp doesn't have the manpower needed to take down all the fake reviews wafting all over the place there. However, it's not hard to tell the difference between fake reviews and real ones. The real reviews usually include some specifics. Another dilemma is businesses posting their own positive yet fake reviews under phantom user accounts.
If the review is fake we'll contact the site administrator about it and see if it can be removed. Google is fairly responsive. I think Yelp doesn't have the manpower needed to take down all the fake reviews wafting all over the place there. However, it's not hard to tell the difference between fake reviews and real ones. The real reviews usually include some specifics. Another dilemma is businesses posting their own positive yet fake reviews under phantom user accounts.
Robert Armerding
Listen Sharp
I wonder, if you receive a positive review, can you maybe imagine doing a little more than just saying "Thank you"?
Robert Armerding
Listen Sharp
I understand. My point in all of this series is to lend a helping hand to those who want to best respond to authentic reviews. As I look at sign shop listings, I see that very few respond at all. I think they are missing a great opportunity. Does that make sense?
Robert Armerding
Listen Sharp
I wonder if I could maybe ask you another question. Let me say something and then tell me what you think. I think there is a large audience that needs to be addressed when writing your response and that is the daily audience of people searching for a sign maker. I believe that your response can reasonably include something that will interest them. Now, does that make sense?
Gino
Premium Subscriber
You didn't ask me, but I don't understand this whole thread, thus far. I'm listening, but I don't hear anything that makes me wanna listen more intently. In fact, I'm getting bored to death with this one. I will watch threads and tune in every so often, but this one I lost interest on from quite a ways back. Instead of being cryptic and concentrating on such a miniscule splitting of hairs, what is the real point of this thread ?? I mean, if you're trying to help people, try putting it into plain English and perhaps stop with these riddles.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
Maybe English is not his first language.
You know all those calls we get with a recording about you "Google Business Listing". Well they must know we don't fall for that anymore and they are try new angles. Scammers are very good at social engineering. This guy has a lot of people taking the bait.
You know all those calls we get with a recording about you "Google Business Listing". Well they must know we don't fall for that anymore and they are try new angles. Scammers are very good at social engineering. This guy has a lot of people taking the bait.
Robert Armerding
Listen Sharp
If one of your very loyal clients posted a glowing review about you, then what? Are you just going to say "Thank you" and drop it?
Robert Armerding
Listen Sharp
Interesting. I am brand new to Signs101. I want to reach out and do what I can to team up with sign makers to move into a new era. I do not understand how come you have a problem with that.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
I'm on record calling you out. You never address any of the things I've called you out on. Real scammers know not to waste their time on people that figure them out, so its no surprise you don't address me. All you've done is talk about Google listing stuff...and really not making any sense whatsoever in do so. I doubt you even know anything about the sign industry.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Our customers and clients generally don't write reviews, unless we ask them to do so. They are here for product, quality and craftsmanship. In return, they receive good pricing, service and are happy to keep coming back. I've had some of our customers for over 40 years. Some are new and some have become good friends. I don't see a need to play games writing reviews. Our dedication does that for us. No need for silly word games and pasting them up on some social media score board. Things we do for our customers throughout the year show more what we're about than some write-up.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
There are 3 or 4 threads now just on google listings. You started a thread on xacto blades and told everyone the difference between the blades was the price on amazon. Then continued on with the google listing stuff.
It is becoming pretty clear that this is all you have.
Here is my main concern with all of this
What if someone takes your bait and you somehow get into doing their reviews and then hold these positive reviews for some sort of payment, a ransom of some sort? You don't pay, I screw up all of these reviews. I'm not saying that is the case but I am pretty cynical and typically do not trust many people. It all seems very strange and I hope that I am wrong here.
This stands out, maybe a typo but it sounds more like a foreigner writing one of those nigerian money scams
"If I charged a fee, then the risk entirely on your side. If I do not charge a fee, then risk is on my side. I have to deliver. Might someone take advantage?"
It is becoming pretty clear that this is all you have.
Here is my main concern with all of this
What if someone takes your bait and you somehow get into doing their reviews and then hold these positive reviews for some sort of payment, a ransom of some sort? You don't pay, I screw up all of these reviews. I'm not saying that is the case but I am pretty cynical and typically do not trust many people. It all seems very strange and I hope that I am wrong here.
This stands out, maybe a typo but it sounds more like a foreigner writing one of those nigerian money scams
"If I charged a fee, then the risk entirely on your side. If I do not charge a fee, then risk is on my side. I have to deliver. Might someone take advantage?"