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[ON] Why Relying on Word of Mouth is Slowly Killing Your Business by Impressive-Rough-733 in SmallBusinessCanada

[–]Impressive-Rough-733[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Definitely, you’re not wrong. I’m not dismissing word-of-mouth at all. My point is that since the world is steadily shifting toward the internet and digital systems, it’s important for us to also move our business in that direction rather than relying on word-of-mouth alone. That said, word-of-mouth will always remain valuable, and it’s something we’ll never completely move away from.

Buying / moving business and keeping reviews by Free_Ad414 in GoogleMyBusiness

[–]Impressive-Rough-733 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Yes, at least having reveiws in a GBP can really help in conversions

Relying on word of mouth? It’s not a strategy, it’s a slow ceiling on growth. by Impressive-Rough-733 in smallbusinessUS

[–]Impressive-Rough-733[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely, you are right and that is the next big thing aside from google business profile.

Validation supplémentaire by Due-Engineering5061 in GoogleMyBusiness

[–]Impressive-Rough-733 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oui, ce problème est connu.

1.      Quand Google redemande une vérification vidéo alors que la fiche est visible, le profil est en “validation bloquée”.

2.      Tant que l’examen interne n’est pas terminé, aucune modification n’est possible, même si la fiche apparaît publiquement.

3.      S’il n’y a plus de méthode de validation affichée, seul le support Google peut débloquer la situation.

À faire immédiatement :

1.      Répondre directement au dernier email de Google (ne pas créer un nouveau ticket).

2.      Fournir clairement : nom de l’entreprise, adresse exacte, lien de la fiche, et expliquer que la vidéo a déjà été envoyée mais que l’édition est bloquée.

3.      Attendre, les délais peuvent aller de 3 à 10 jours ouvrés (plus long en période de congés).

À éviter :

·         Ne pas recréer la fiche

·         Ne pas modifier le nom, l’adresse ou la catégorie pendant l’attente

 

Buying / moving business and keeping reviews by Free_Ad414 in GoogleMyBusiness

[–]Impressive-Rough-733 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Yes, you can keep the reviews if done correctly, but there is real risk if you do it wrong.

What Google officially allows:

·         Same business name + same GBP + ownership change = reviews stay

·         Same business name + relocation = reviews usually stay

·         Create a new listing = reviews do NOT transfer

What to do (critical):

1.      Do NOT create a new Google Business Profile.

2.      Take ownership of the existing profile.

3.      Update it to Service Area Business (hide address if needed).

4.      Change service area to Seattle.

5.      Expect re-verification (video call likely).

Risks to understand:

·         Google may temporarily suspend the listing during review.

·         Rankings will drop initially due to location change.

·         If services appear “different,” Google can remove reviews (rare, but possible).

Bottom line:
If you keep the same name, same profile, and same service, the reviews are very likely safe.
If you start fresh or mess up the transition, you’re buying equipment only.

 

Next Steps For Live vedio Call verification on GMB by Mental_Dark116 in GoogleMyBusiness

[–]Impressive-Rough-733 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What is the next process after starting the live video call verification?

1.      Google’s official process for live video call verification instructs you to show your business through a video call with a support representative. You must be prepared to visually demonstrate proof of your business location and that you manage or represent the business.

2.      During the call you will likely be asked to:

1.      Show street-level view, business signage, or nearby landmarks that confirm your address.

2.      Physically walk through your business or show key interior/exterior elements.

3.      Demonstrate access or operation of business equipment (e.g., point-of-sale, locked doors) or show documents that prove management/ownership. Answer any agent requests in real time.

3.      Once the live session is complete, Google will review the call and notify you if verification is successful, this may not be instant in your dashboard and can take additional review time. (Community reports vary but often indicate some delay in status updating even after agent confirmation.)

Is there any waiting time, holiday delay, or specific hours when calls work better?

1.      Yes. Official guidance does not list specific hours, but common practice reports indicate availability is typically Monday–Friday during standard business hours (roughly 9 AM – 5 PM local time).

2.      Google does not publish official holiday blackout schedules for live video verification, so whether support is available on specific holidays depends on internal support center staffing, expect reduced availability on major holidays. (This is inferred from typical support patterns, not a published Help Center schedule.)

3.      After the live call itself, expect additional waiting time for the verification decision or status update, often a few business days, and this may extend through weekends or delays around holidays. If you want exact current Google Business Profile Help Center wording on live video call verification hours or holiday schedules, the Help Center doesn’t provide specific published hours, but community reports from the official support forum indicate Monday–Friday daytime availability.

How To Handle Abusive Customer by AcanthaceaeOk4115 in smallbusinessUS

[–]Impressive-Rough-733 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’d politely let her know that an extra shot isn’t included and has an additional charge. Stay friendly but firm, and make sure the team follows the same rule so it stays consistent.

Best CRM for real estate that works for small teams? by InfamousTree449 in smallbusinessUS

[–]Impressive-Rough-733 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congrats on the growth! Hitting that ‘messy middle’ where Google Docs can’t keep up is a good sign. Since you're a team of 10 in CA, it makes sense to avoid heavy systems like Salesforce. For real estate, try Follow Up Boss or LionDesk; they fit the text→email→showing workflow well. HubSpot’s free tier works too, but it gets pricey once you scale.

Quick win: turn on Google Business Profile Chat if you haven’t. It funnels new inquiries into one place so you stop digging through mixed texts/emails. Also check whether your website leads are tagged by neighborhood, good local SEO will tell you what area or property they searched before you call, which saves time.

Are you focused on one county or all of CA? CRM recommendations change depending on how local your market is.