2022
The first Local Guide to arrive the meeting room was Tandrima Gosh 5:03pm from Krishnanagar India then followed by Shola, Emeka and the rest.
Attendance:
- Tandrima Gosh
- Shola IB
- Emeka Ulor
- Fatima Abubakar
- Ayua Silas
- Juliet Chinyere
- Samson Stephen
- Stephen Aruwa Tanko
- Samson Famuyiwa
- Ogechi Ewuru (Host)
The meeting started with the host telling the local guides justification for the meet up, being a fallout from events leading to the arrest of a consumer (Mrs. Egodi) who complained of too much sugar in the tomato paste she bought from the stable of Erisco Foods.
The Presentation
- Introduction
- Case Study 1
- Issues from Case Study 1
- Case Study 2
- Issues from Case Study 2
- My Personal Experience
- Q & A , Contributions
- Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
Activities embarked on by Local Guides include Photo, Place Creation, Editing, Reviews, Road additions, etc. But today we are focusing on reviews in view of backlash from owners of businesses especially when the review in question is unfavorable. Reviews are delicate sometimes when the location is either untidy or renders poor services yet as a local guide you need to guide accurately.
- Notice that each time you submit a review Google Map will send you a message
The word “rely” places the Local Guide in the position of a “Judge” who determines the fate of the entity under review, and herein lies the challenge. According to Armstrong Legal, more than ever, consumers rely on online reviews to make purchasing decisions. Research shows that people are often inclined to rely on the opinions of others if the opinions are impartial. However, not all online reviews are genuine or unbiased.
CASE STUDY 1 (Summerfield Browne vs Mr. Waymouth)
Mr Waymouth in the UK engaged the services of Summerfield Browne to represent him in a dispute that entails court order enforcement. However, an after-service review posted on the website of Trustpilot Mr. Waymouth described his experience as “a total waste of money” and “another scam solicitor”. Summerfield Browne instituted legal action and alleged that Weymouth’s comments were untrue and defamatory, resulting in a decline in business. Master Cook, the Judge ruled in favour of Summerfield affirming that it was “beyond any dispute that the words complained of by the legal firm had a clear tendency to put people off dealing with the claimant firm”. Summerfield Browne was awarded the sum of £25,000 in damages and a permanent injunction restraining Mr Waymouth from re-publishing his review. The website was also ordered to remove the review.
ISSUES FROM CASE STUDY 1
The choice of words in this review was rather hash and defamatory “total waste” and “scam”
Learning point: As a Local Guide be tactful in choosing words. As much as possible avoid the use of extreme words. Like totally, worst, very bad, etc., punctuate well
Release, not to be executed.
Release not, to be executed.
CASE STUDY 2 (Mrs. Egodi vs Erisco Foods)
Mrs. Chioma Egodi bought Tomatoes Paste from the stable of Erisco Foods when she was not able to get her usual brand Gino or Sonia. She tastes the paste and notice that it had more sugar than the ones she uses before now. She took to her Facebook page requesting from those that have use it to confirm if the sugar content is normal. She said sugar too much. Any online Erisco sympathizer rebuked her for the comment, and she responded, “tell your brother to stop k***ling people” The next thing was her arrest in Lagos and detention she subsequently got a lawyer and was granted bail and injunction restraining Erisco foods from rearresting her.
ISSUES FROM CASE STUDY
Other brands were mentioned giving the impression that competitors might have paid Chioma to de-market Erisco.
Chioma in responding to a sympathizer used a presumed defamatory word “Tell your brother to stop K***ling people”
Nigerian system: Civil matter was initially treated as Criminal case but the intervention of FCCPC (Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council) doused the situation.
Relating these to Local Guides: business owners often feel bad when rated low and tend to react negatively.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
I once wrote a review after visiting a filling station and suggested in my writing that if the empty drums competing for space with customers is properly arranged that the station will be transformed to a standard filling station.
The owner responded “Have you been there before” apparently presuming I did offshore review.
Q and A, Contributions
Emeka Ulor.
I have seen these two case studies and the problem with Mrs., Egodi was that she mentioned competing brands in her review rather than keeping to her experience. Besides, she is not an expert and has no apparatus to determine what constitute “too much” sugar. Although, Erisco would have reacted differently just like what Innoson Motors did when someone tried to rubbish their product. The Public Relations Manager asked the online complainer for the location of the car so that it will be fixed but lo and behold the complainer deleted his tweet an indication that he was not the purchaser of the car. But after the original owner of the car was located and his car fixed Innoson got more accolades for the manner they responded. It is not only in Nigeria that business owners react negatively to reviews or ratings. In fact, in the US businesses views 4 stars rating as a bad rating and therefore prefers 5 or nothing. On personal experience, while some appreciates you others will give you knocks. I have had rough experiences in places like Hardrock, KFC and even Shoprite where I was even detained temporarily for taking a 360 picture. My advice is for us toread google guideline and be polite in our choice of words.
Guide to writing reviews on Connect
tips for writing reviews
Prohibited content.
Shola IB:
This meet up is timely and very important to our activities on Google Map unfortunately the Erisco Foods victim Mrs. Egodi is a person I know and have interacted with. I will advice my follow local guides to relate their experience only just stick to that “it is what it is” and nothing more. Be formal in your writing. In my own style of writing, I will say “there is need to improve in cleaning or parking arrangements or pricing as the case may be” rather than say the place is very dirty, parking arrangement is highly disorganized, or their prices are highly exorbitant. Again, indirect speech is better and please note that Google will not stand by you, if you play outside the rules and guidelines, not even for the Connect Moderators. Above all Local Guide is voluntary activity.
Fatima Abubakar:
Some business owners will not even want you to write a review. I had a bad experience with a transport company in Lagos who even though stands to benefit from a review resisted my attempts not minding the fact that I came along with other commuters to patronize them. In such situation my mood determines my reaction.
Juliet Chinyere:
I have encountered bad and good experiences. The bad experience was a financial institution I wanted to write a review on and needed to add pictures, but the security confronted me I had no choice but to delete the pictures. On a good note a saloon I used and later took pictures, uploaded created and did a review saw people coming to her by reason of that act appreciated my work and have never ceased to appreciate my contribution to the growth of her business.
Samson Stephen:
Having seen the way people react I choose to take pictures secretly to avoid confrontations. And when it becomes obvious that an outlet does not want a review I simply keep off. After all it is for their benefit.
CONCLUSION
In our reviews, we must balance fairness with reality and be careful in choosing words.
Happy guiding and thank you for your attention
Ogechi Ewuru
@ogewuru
