Vendetta

No matter what kind of business you’re running, negative listings and comments online can do serious damage. The reason is that so many people are searching for services and products online using search engines such as Google and Yahoo. When someone has posted something negative, this negative content may appear on the search engine’s results page. It does not have to be truthful or accurate at all; it will still be there for your potential customers to see. And it’s posted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Even if you have an offline business, you can still suffer greatly from negative comments posted online. With the rise of mobile devices such as iPods and iPhones, more people are on the go looking for local businesses. Furthermore, increasing numbers of people are consulting review sites like Yelp and Trip Advisor, and using them to make plans. If there is a negative review of your company there, it can really hurt your business.

Whether you’re a pizza shop, hotel, law office, wedding planner, car repair shop, dental clinic, hardware store, plumber, HVAC repair contractor or any business at all, you can be sure that people are searching for you online.

But who would go out of their way to damage your reputation? After all, your business may provide excellent service and outstanding goods, and you may have a spotless record when it comes to your business ethics. Where do these negative posts come from?

• Disgruntled ex-employees. Have you had layoffs recently? Ex-employees are especially dangerous because they may be carrying around internal company secrets with them which they can easily publish online. The search engines will not penalize them for doing this.
• Your competition. It’s a dirty tactic but one that is often used by companies trying anything possible to get an edge over the competition. If your competitor is internet savvy and resorting to desperate measures such as these, it can really hurt you.
• Unreasonable customers. Although we like to think of our customers as wonderful people who make our business what it is, there are those who have unrealistic expectations of the goods and services we offer. And to put it somewhat bluntly, some people are never happy unless they’re complaining!
• Someone who doesn’t understand your business practices. It’s not in any business’s best interest to mislead customers, but it’s possible for there to be a misunderstanding. This could result in a major disappointment for a customer who expected something different than what you delivered.
• Personal vendettas. It’s unfortunate but true that some people have personal issues against you. It is also unfortunate that the internet allows these people to have a voice. Your only means of protection is to fight back.

Even though you’re doing your best to provide great products and services, and even though you know that you do your absolute best to keep your customers happy, these things can happen. The internet gives everyone a voice, and this is not always a good thing! If you’ve been slandered, negatively reviewed, talked badly about or inaccurately represented by inappropriate postings online, we’re here to help. We can make them disappear.