Every time I visit a place, specially for eating, I pick up my phone and check others’ comments in Google Maps in order to get an idea of what to ask or what to expect from that place; how good the service is, how long would you stay in line, how kind the servers are, how delicious the dishes are, and even watch real photos of them, real ones taken by consumers, not the classic fake pictures the restaurants use to attract eaters.
As a marketing student, it’s really interesting to check how some business owners actually take care of their places in the map, write responses and appreciate customers comments, creating engagement, and also improving their services this way; following the customer care guidance.
At the beginning, many years ago I didn’t care a lot about giving my opinions, but now as a business manager I realize how important the customer´s opinions are. It´s part of the market research field; for a business to succeed, it´s absolutely important to listen to the customers and there isn’t a simpler and cheaper way than using Google My Business.
Local Guides make their own, acting out as the flagship of consumers community, demonstrating that opinions can be heard and wide spread creating collective advice that is easily found on the net.