This is How Online Review Websites Really Work!
Online review websites can make or break a business. Some of the UK's most amazing, hardworking and dedicated business owners often feel frustrated, when operators of online review websites don't treat them fairly.
We are here, to fix the unjust imbalance between UK business owners and unaccountable operators of review websites.
Should You Care About Online Reviews?
You can choose to either ignore or embrace online reviews
When was the last time you searched for information about your own company? If the answer to this question is “never” then you are not alone.
Many organisations spend little or no time in researching themselves on the internet.This makes sense on the face of it; what could you possibly learn that you don’t already know? But it is precisely this subconscious dismissal of the notion that you could find something out that you don’t already know that enables negative ‘information’ from going undetected for so long and causing so much damage.
Fake Reviews by Disgruntled Customers
Do you suspect that a disgruntled customer is posting fake online reviews?
Negative reviews by unsatisfied customers are now an accepted aspect of our digital age. However, some customers are extremely unreasonable
Fake Reviews by Ex Employees
Fake reviews by former employees are the most common type of fake online reviews
Principally this will be former employees, for obvious reasons. However, current employees can be a source if they have a grudge and are looking to leave in the near future. Here are some important steps you should take as a precaution.
While you can’t entirely eliminate the possibility of breach of trust by former employees or business partners, you can reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim to online defamation. Always remember that employees and business partners come and go. Someday they will no longer be with your company, but their memories of you will not end with their employment.
Read the article below
9 Steps to Avoid Defamation by Employees and Former Business Partners
Fake Reviews by Competitors
Do you suspect that your competitors have been posting fake online reviews?
This is industrial sabotage in the digital age. It is far more common that one might imagine and new enterprises are particularly vulnerable as they are at their weakest. The culprits will normally be more established operators in their field and are seeking to ‘smother them in the cradle’ or perhaps stifle their growth when they begin to feel the effects of the competition on their own business.
It might also be from established entities who are retaliating to what the incorrectly perceive to be similar behaviour on the part of others.
Restaurants are especially vulnerable to fake reviews. A recent study from Harvard University entitled, "fake it 'till you make it" shows that independent restaurants are much more likely to post fake reviews about their competitors than any other sector. Equally, the are quite fond of making up good ones about themselves. National or Chain restaurants are far less likely to engage in such practices.
It is estimated that 16% of all restaurant reviews are fraudulent, and that is after many have been filtered out (Yelp have sophisticated algorithms to achieve this - many sites do not).
If you own a new business, especially a restaurant, be on your guard!
Fake Reviews by Former Business Partners
A falling out with a business partner could result in the appearing of suspicious online business reviews
Former business associates/partners know everything about your business. This category have been responsible over many centuries of being guilty of just about every offence, both civil and criminal.
Business partnerships rarely end gracefully and frequently there is resentment on one or both sides. Let your imagination run wild…
Fake Reviews by Suppliers
A dispute with a supplier or a service provider could result in the posting of fake online reiviews
This is not as rare as some would think. Culprits could be suppliers who have been spurned and gradually replaced with better ones. Alternatively, they could be looking to push out competing suppliers where the products are not supplier specific.
They can also be service providers who belief that the best way to resolve business disputes is by posting fake online reviews. In some cases the fake online reviews come alongside a civil claim for damages.
The idea is that unless the victim business pays up, they will continue to suffer from scores of fake online reviews. The leading case in this category of fake online reviews is the case of the web developer and his web design company Origin Design who created scores of fake online reviews about one of their clients, whilst pressurising him to settle a court action for less than £200. Mr Britton was convicted of harassment and both him and his company were then successfully sued for defamation by their former client. More details about the case can be found here https://www.defamationlawyer.co.uk/defamation-on-the-internet-could-result-in-a-prison-sentence
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