Trying to understand how to best map a location with one name but spanning two adjacent addresses. The two office towers are owned by one company. There are two physical structures or towers, each with a separate mailing address. The first address has already been added a year ago under the business name, as it was under construction and now open. I was trying to map the second physical address, but the UI seems to prevent adding a same name but different mailing address.
What are the best practices for adding both locations, when owned by one company?
I don’t think you need to add a new location @GrantF
Is the company managing the two buildings from two separate places, or the offices inside the two building are managed by a single office, with the same phone number, etc. In the last case the business listing that you have to contact is only one
@ErmesT , the company is managing from a single office with same phone number. So it’s one office, but two physical addresses, adjacent to one another.
@AdamGT I think that’s the best example. MacDonald’s a central business, but with many addresses. Thx. In that case then I’d add it with a separate address, but link back to the same business organization metadata.
If the office is only one, and they manage two adjacent building, where should the people go to meet them, @GrantF ?
They rent, or in any case manage the buildings, but what is important is: where is the business located?
The example of two McDonald doesn’t apply here, @GrantF . This is more like a real estate company: the location they sell, or rent, cannot be in Google Maps
That’s a very good question. Thank you for asking.
To answer your question we should first ask ourselves, are both businesses legally distinct? Are they registered separately with appropriate unique phone numbers, unique TAX ID, etc? If not, then the businesses shouldn’t have multiple listings on Google Maps.
In your reply to ermest’s question you said that both businesses share the same phone number, therefore you are ineligible to list them separately. Only legally distinct entities can be listed as seperate points of interests. You see, owners are able to create a bulk listing using the Google My Business tool for their multiple location businesses, however, they should be able to provide a phone number that connects to the individual business location as directly as possible, and/or provide one website that represents the individual business location.
@KlaudiyaG that’s the clarity that I needed. It’s up to the business owner in this case as part of the bulk listing in the Business tool. So in fact, Local Guides then need to be sensitive to this when adding missing businesses to maps. That’s a very clear delineation. Local Guides should just avoid a situation like this, as it will only cause confusion for the Business owner if they were to add the second location. In @ErmesT example of McDonald’s, as it’s a franchise, that makes the TAX ID unique, right?
@KlaudiyaG , you’ve also brought up something that I struggled with in the past. As a Local Guide, if we don’t have a business and are not familiar with the “Google My Business Tool”, how would we know about things like “bulk listing”? I believe as a Local Guide, we’re providing a value add service by adding missing business listings, but we need a certain visibility into things like the “bulk listing” or some other means to provide proper clarity and value to both the business owner and the map data.
I’m glad to hear (read) that you find my previous reply helpful.
As for the bulk listing, it was just an example that I used to support my previous thesis that even the owner(s) of a business should have a way to prove that they have multiple location businesses. They can do that by providing a unique phone number, email, and street address, just like a Local Guide should. If you look into even chain businesses such as McDonald’s, they all have a way to distinguish each other. Their addresses, phone numbers, etc., do differ from one another.
Regarding the Google My Business tool, it is not necessary nor mandatory Local Guide to be familiar with how it works. That said, if you want to learn more about how it operates for your own knowledge or because you want to help business owners manage their listings as best as possible on Google Maps, you can always refer to the Google My Business Help Center or Google My Business Community.
