Fake reviews - should we out these companies?
I have come out of my cave and will start getting more active on this forum. I’m not one to write on a blog - but I do answer our contact us as I really enjoy the 1-1 dialogue with people. I have to get with program though and jump into the open conversation.
All of us at HomeStars take turns reading reviews before they are posted (ok - Andrew may need a turn ; ) ). It helps ground us in the reason we are working so hard to build this company. People use HomeStars to help them make decisions and it really brings the quality down when there are fake posts and poor quality reviews. Who cares that you bought a new widget at home depot and the staff were not so helpful. We want to know about the guy that started your basement reno, took a deposit for $4,000 for initial materials and then didn’t show up the next day (and it’s 4 weeks and 40 phone calls later). We need to shine the light where there is darkness. Our readers also want to know about the dream contractor you hired, who delivered on time and on budget.
But I’m always amazed at how companies think they can publish fake reviews. We’ve caught many, and yet some companies will try again - hoping we will be asleep at the switch (although we aren’t perfect so we do get your help sometimes).
Should we raise awareness of these flagrant fakers? Should we put them in the penalty box like tripadvisor and ban them from search results for a while? Should we post a “FAKE review removed” button on their company listing in neon? And for how long should they be in the penalty box - a month, a year, for all time?
Your suggestions are welcome.
Posted by NancyP
January 20th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Hehe, reminds me of when it was my turn to do the dishes on family camping trips. I think probably you’re right.
I’m not in favor of spreading the fakers’ dirty laundry around, for a couple of reasons, but they do need to understand that word can get around. I’m sure the folks spamming Wikipedia from government and corporate offices didn’t expect to get caught. I’m sure that big company CEO’s who instructed their VP’s to set up fake ID’s to go on Yahoo Finance to tout the stock didn’t expect to get caught. The best way not to get “caught” is to be truthful and open about your company, of course.
January 23rd, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I don’t think you should “OUT” them. On the other hand I think that it should go into a review from Homestars stating that they have been naughty and expose them for what they have done.
Homestars is a great place and am so glad that you guy’s are around. Hopefully the word will spread and more consumers can be aware of the ##>/#?? companies/tradesmen out there as well as the listing of the great ones.
January 24th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Why not “out” them? Are those the kind of people YOU want to deal with? Not me. I rely heavily on the comments posted by clients; I don’t want to find out the hard way that the companies/tradespeople can’t deliver on their promises.
Having said that, the method by which these people are “outed” should be professional and classy so as not to cheapen the Homestars’ image.
January 25th, 2008 at 1:26 am
As a general contractor that takes alot of pride in his work and goes to great pains everyday to keep things on track to deliver the quality and reliability that people deserve when they are paying for these services, I feel that this should be no different than ratting out a doctor for malpractice, a lawyer for breach of trust, or a corporate stackholder for insider-trading! It is professional misconduct that should be annunciated and there is no better place than HomeStars to do it.
If a mistake was made, honorable and reputable trades, contractors and builders will WANT to make it right and they will.
The fakers who are allowed to exist and operate just under the radar or in this case, post false or misleading referrals (if that isn’t a testimonial on thier morality in its self!) because we choose to ignore or bury our heads makes us all culpable.
It is a mark on every hardworking and honest tradesperson when we let things go by without doing something and we are making it easy for them to continue to take advantage of people that are in genuine need of quality and reliability for what is usually the most significant investment they have.
Post the fakers and let them defend themselves to the public I say.
January 26th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Peter, well said!
Some of my reservations about “outing” vendors who attempt to post fake reviews are buried in the details of specific cases. But I totally appreciate the spirit of your comments.
First of all, you’d be amazed to know that some of these were large companies. They now know they could incur serious image damage should they allow the practice to continue.
In some cases, such posts might be made by an enthusiastic office manager, brother-in-law, etc., trying to “help.” In such cases I believe in giving one second chance.
Business owners - you should tell your staff and relatives - this kind of “help” you do not need!
January 30th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Homestars value - to its shareholders and its customers alike - lies in its credibility and therefore its integrity.
There is simply no higher issue at stake for this community site. Should that credibility be questioned, the community will move on to a site that can provide it.
Issue a very public statement on the site stating how seriously you take this and how even a tiny minority of corrupt reviews stains the reputation of the whole. Maybe highlight the lengths you go to ensure your quality control.
Next lay down the challenge that from this point onwards there will be a zero tolerance policy. Anyone “caught” posting fake reviews will be exposed and offered a public forum to explain. This will surely sort the minor oversights from the cynical corruptions.
Keep up the amazing work.
January 30th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Adam, you have posted an excellent comment about a zero tolerance approach after notification to all who have signed on as contractors and service providers and the general public who will RELY on its itegrity knowing that fakers will be posted and made to answer for doing so.
HomeStars, you have an obligation to strongly monitor and aggresively protect that integrity on behalf of all of us. The higher the confidence level in the postings, the more likely the credible service providers will stay on and the users that register will spread the word of its reliability.
Truly well said Adam!