We all have reasons as to why we choose to connect with our fellow human-beings. We have different mechanisms and methods of outreach. For me; I prefer all avenues available to us in present times with transparency, effectiveness, and pertinence being the cornerstone. Google’s Local Guides program allows that to occur and it assists how we plan our visits to locations on a daily basis. Reviews that are from real people, defining the way we choose; where we will purchase that first burger, that special restaurant for a special occasion where we may be surprising our significant other, or that hair salon to colour our hair for the first time. The Local Guides programs allows a public member to access valuable insight on the decisions they make. It’s incredibly useful and holds businesses, corporations accountable for their actions as the reviews provided by guides have a genuine impact on the operations and success of a business. I’ve personally had restaurant owners and business executives become further geared towards customer service delivery upon being prompted that I am a local guide on google and that I will be reviewing them. I’ve had owners–after leaving a review where the service was lack luster–reach out to try and ask for a second chance with them with the promise of better service (I’ll refrain from sharing the name of this famous restaurant. Hint: it involves cheesecakes). I’ve had another sportswear company’s managerial team reach out to me along with their staff on how much they appreciated my reviews for their locations and that it motivated their entire teams across the country to continue to pursue customer service in the manner they had with me. The assistance they offered to me was incredible and the feedback they received in the form of my google reviews for them was invaluable and they were quite thankful for it. (Hint: that business has three stripes 
). All of this was not possible before and it’s only becoming better. The Local Guides program is a blessing because it rewards not only the general public, but also the guides themselves for their dedication towards an insightful world. I truly believe the Local Guides program, its rewards/ level rating system, along with the ecosystem it offers to it’s users/ the public is revolutionary. It genuinely shapes the way we travel and where we eat, workout, purchase, dress etc. It shapes our lives as it offers us the hope for a better experience at our next outing; whether it be with each other as local guides or with our significant others when we plan personal outings! …And THIS, my friends, is what the Local Guides program means to me. I would implore you all to become a part of this phenomenal community.
-Oscar Kilo