yelp story

Ill start by saying I do not trust yelp at all, but I think customers do. Like I've mentioned in other posts I do a lot of jobs and I have been like that for the past few years; however I have 14 reviews only on Yelp. One is not suppose to ask for reviews so I don't. Now, even though I try, I cant seem to hold my self from checking my profile every once in a while and every single review I have I can pin point the exact customer or job. Except for 2 terrible reviews saying im running a rip off scam of business.

So I got a call from this guy that said he was a reputation specialist, at the time it was the first time I heard that term. He said he saw that I had good reputation on yelp, with the exception of one, and that he had a program that will help me rebuild my reputation. At that time I went to yelp and saw for the first time that horrible review, and I couldn't figure out what job that was from. I made an appointment with this guy for a later date and he sent me an email with more information. I went online, I couldnt find any info on that business, but the address I had was in a residential area in Florida, I decided he didnt even deserve my time so I didnt keep the appointment and blew him off.

A few weeks later Yelp called, offering me their advertising plans and assign me an account manager, he called me multiple times and I finally told him I wasnt interested.

A few months ago I saw the other bad review on my profile, again, I couldn't tell from which customer it was, but I cant do anything about it so I let it go. A couple of days later another reputation specialist called, this time I was pissed, so I told him how he and his family would die if he called me back.
Then, yelp called again, another sales guy was assigned to my account and wanted to speak to me about the advertising opportunities they could offer.

The fact is my yelp reputation does not reflect the reality of my business, I dont understand their method, I dont believe in it, they hide some reviews and post others. I know for a fact that pissed people post more bad reviews than happy customers give good reviews, and understandably...

whats your experience with yelp?

What do you want to bet that the negative review is from Yelp?

By giving you that negative review (which you can't assign to a customer) they hoped to be able to sell you additional services. Do you think that is possible?

Just look at the computer virus game. Many of the viruses are sent out by the very companies that will sell the program to get rid of it....for a fee of course.

I remember trying a free malware program a few years ago on a monthly trial. At the end of the free trial, I decided that I didn't want it. They called me 3 days in a row telling me that there are a lot of bad viruses out there and that I really should sign up for the full membership.

On day 4, they stopped calling....and I got infected by a virus that was eventually traced back to the same company a year later. They claimed it was a rogue employee and that he was fired immediately, but I doubt that it was the actions of one guy.

Does Yelp pull tricks like that? I have no information to say that they do, but I would always be on the defensive with these companies. The mere fact that your instincts tell you that you aren't sure if you can trust them speaks volumes to me.

I dont really mess with yelp.

They call all the time probably 8-10x per year trying to get us to advertise...

My problem is nobody you talk to from yelp or anywhere can tell you how their review system works

"its a complicated algorithm made up by PHds from harvard, nobody knows the secret formula"

so I always tell them, as soon as you can tell me how it works is as soon as I will advertise with you.

Ive had countless customers leave real reviews for me and every single one gets filtered, have about 5 up there total un filtered.

The reps tell me some companies have 3-400 reviews with only 20-25 showing.

I would take a guess and say that these companies with that many filtered reviews dont pay for a yelp advertising package.

Let me guess, this "reputation specialist" name is Luke?

Have you guys been contacted by an advertizing CO. named Yodle yet?

They have been buggin' the crap outa me for a couple months now.

Yodle...yes, started in December and hasn't ended.

I think these guys would even call the numbers on the bathroom wall to try for a sale.

Had my first call this am from yodle

Once they find you they don't seem to give up. Just like Yelp and Angie.

Thank God for smart-watches, so you don't have to stop and look at the phone every time it's "them".

ACpower1 wrote:

I would take a guess and say that these companies with that many filtered reviews dont pay for a yelp advertising package.      

I have a total of 50 reviews, in which 13 are filtered.....over 1/4 of them!......Almost all filtered are from new Yelp users with only 1 or 2 reviews.......and I now pay to advo on Yelp, because it's where 95% of my biz comes from.

That filter is in place to protect against fake reviews.......So it discourages you and I to go create an account just to give our selfs a good review.

Had a robot call today.
When a live voice came on I said, "how may I direct your call?" They're "um, um"?
I say, " who would you like to talk to?"
Their fumbling around to find the name... they ask for my son. Who is in no way connected to the biz. That's puzzling they ask for him.
I reply "he's no longer with us"
They thought I was referring that they had passed away.

Yelp works, it's like bread and butter for cleaning companies but if you want to be successful advertising in there you need to have some solid reviews as well as solid advertisement budget, if you're like me, dropping the budget down to the lowest in the winter, they might screw with you in your organic placement, like what happens in the last week or so, I can't prove this so don't ask but I have a feeling that's what happens, oh well, I'm going full blast between May through December.
They went to court already regarding the accusations of filtered reviews controversy, so as much as I believe you guys, nothing anyone can do, they have expensive attorneys behind them.

stay away from yodle

be warned, that one does take over your website and its a nightmare... phone number too

dont ever mess with yodle trust me,

Yodle's annoying and unknowable sales people are enough to keep me at bay.....but thanks for the heads up! Did you already have a bad experience with them AC?

Wonder where the thread starter went?

I never did but I know someone who did. They redirect your website, and then your company contact info is posted all over with a yodle 888 number.

Its really a bad one to get involved with

BuSoCoro wrote:

A couple of days later another reputation specialist called, this time I was pissed, so I told him how he and his family would die if he called me back.

Dang Bus sounds like they really pissed you off.  I don't blame you though sounds like they are extorting you'

Last week I got a message from Angies telling me that the link to my website on my profile did not work. Yeah right another ploy to try and get a return phone call.  I was going to call them and give them a piece of my mind until I checked my site and saw that it was down. I forgot to pay my monthly fee for my website

Mo wrote:

BuSoCoro wrote:

A couple of days later another reputation specialist called, this time I was pissed, so I told him how he and his family would die if he called me back.

Dang Bus sounds like they really pissed you off.  I don't blame you though sounds like they are extorting you'

Last week I got a message from Angies telling me that the link to my website on my profile did not work. Yeah right another ploy to try and get a return phone call.  I was going to call them and give them a piece of my mind until I checked my site and saw that it was down. I forgot to pay my monthly fee for my website

LOL Mo.
Busocorp, be careful my friend, that is considered a real and serious threat, if they had you recorded, they may press charges against you

well I felt they were extorting me.. threatening someone is really a crime?

I guess I would be the unluckiest man on earth if something happened to him and his family...

Yup, it's a federal offense.

And yes, yelp is good at extortion........play their game or get screwed.

or just dont play their game,    I have 5 star rating on there and if I get more good ones then great if not no big deal.  

I just let it be,    not going to chase reviews for yelp and not going to exclude it...   get occasional calls from it so its whatever        

definitely never doing their paid ad program again,   just doesnt work here because theres so many cheapo 3 room 60$ guys on there with like 200 good reviews and maybe a few bad ones.      cheap customers like their cheap pricing and I guess the encap in and out cleaning comes out okay so they like it.

they are just new companies going hard with groupon/yelp, wont be in business long.

I only really want more business in the slow season, busy season I cant keep up with 2 trucks need 3. Slow season is just one truck full time with about 1-2weeks (christmas/new years) where it gets slow.

"Don't play their game" Yep that's one way to avoid them, if you want to pass up on several thousand dollars a month in work.

Yelp doesn't seem to work for those who don't yet have enough reviews, 6 isn't enough to compete with co's that have a lot like AC said....it was 12 or 15 I'd guess before it really started working for me,..once I hit that mark it's been non stop calls.  
And I have plunty of cheap competitors on there, I just run a different angle then they do, offering great work at high prices, it works once you get it out of your head everyone is cheap and no one is willing to pay for great service.

Yes, down here in LA, unfortunately you need to play their game, like Dave said this is valid for companies that have minimum 15 reviews or more, I used to show up in the top 3 organic listing in my area, well not anymore now, depending on which device you use and whether you use the "current location" or type in the city, they switched things in the last few weeks, that's why the phone calls have been a little scattered and sporadic than last few winters.
Plus now they put 2 ads on the top to accommodate the extra advertisement spots they sold, more competitions.
There's always different market for everyone, when I need auto glass for my wife's minivan, I went on Yelp and found prices from $ 150 - $ 300, the $ 300 offer lifetime warranty but excluding accidents or break caused by foreign objects, lol, so what's the lifetime warranty for then ? I honestly have no idea, I didn't ask and didn't want to spend $ 300 on bogus lifetime warranty, so I went with a company that offered an OEM tinted glass for $ 200 which I think it's the best deal because the glass is in the back which has the defroster lines and I want to avoid problems with aftermarket glass.
Just to show you that every customer is different, I believe my prices is pretty high and I want to keep it that way due to my reviews supported it and customers feel safer hiring me and my techs servicing them inside their home and inside their private bedrooms, I can't tell you how many times I've seen wallets, jewelries, rolexes, money laying around on their dressers in their master bedroom, I always tell my techs, get in and get out quick, eliminate looking around cause you never know they might put cameras that you don't know about.
The point is every area is different, in LA yelp works but they're getting a little expensive, that's why you should charge accordingly.

I am so glad that I operate in a small market area....all that marketing crap would drive me to drink.

Seriously!....I can only wish I only had a handful of competitors.
But instead I have a dozen within a one mile radius!....and that is no exoneration, really........

Luckily there's nothing but houses for 30-40 miles in about any direction from me.

Davey Cracker wrote:Seriously!....I can only wish I only had a handful of competitors.
But instead I have a dozen within a one mile radius!....and that is no exoneration, really........

Luckily there's nothing but houses for 30-40 miles in about any direction from me.

Probably make more money if you all formed a single business instead of paying advertising to beat each other....just a thought.

That's so true Rob, and the truth is it doesn't have to be all, just companies on the top 10 of the search result but there's always one or two that are not going to be happy with it even though the pie is sliced evenly due to the total invoice is going to be different no matter what, I thought of that and the first company I talked to already very skeptical about it, I stopped asking, I know I shouldn't have and should've keep trying, but I'm never good in persuading people about something, that's why I don't consider myself a good salesman, which is very important in this industry.