How to request: Dealing with Google Business Profile Support team

[SandmanT]

I've been encountering repeated frustrating and negative experiences in my "journey" in dealing with the  Google Business Profile Support team.

While I can't confirm the team's location, their names sound Indian, and they struggle to comprehend English with the simplest issues. 

In my most recent interaction, I'm facing significant "challenges" in explaining a simple issue: the business name is incorrect and doesn't match the signage or business license registration. Trolls or whoever controls the business profile revert the name back each time it's changed by map editors.

I've made it clear multiple times to the GBPST that I'm not the business owner, but rather a Local Guide and Map editor. They keep on wanting me to log into my business profile and delete the business which is not the solution I am asking for. Nor is it the appropriate solution.

Unfortunately, reporting or addressing businesses that violate or don't follow Google Guidelines to the GBPST has been a futile merry-go-round. It's enough to give-up and not help out the Google community and Google Maps users to make it better.

[WorkPics360]

This is an ongoing issue for many businesses.  Are you in a position to request to be a manager on the business profile?  At least that way you can raise a case with trackable case number (if you don't already have that). 

There's  a consistent lack of transparency with respect to decisions that Google takes. I do wonder if they are trying to have be all 'hands off' and AI driven. That would explain many of the misunderstandings, errors and inability to fix issues such as you have outlined. 

Maybe it's best to ask questions around that and find out the why so that you can eventually figure out the 'who and how' to fix it.

Keep us posted!

[SandmanT]

@WorkPics360 

Thanks for sharing your insights. Unfortunately, I'm not in any position to be a manager of the business profile. For all I know, it could be a member of the business' family who now controls their business profile and is trying different ways to increase exposure.

Additionally, I am having difficulty in marking a business as "temporarily closed" that is a brand new business — Gordon Ramsay's Steak House. It's not even opened yet, it even says so in one of the descriptions. I examined the physical location with my sources and confirm it's not open. Despite this, there have been fake positive reviews for the last 3 months boasting about how good it is. One reviewer (most with few reviews) posted pics, but it was of another Ramsey restaurant, a burger location. 

It's mind-boggling. And Google's AI, coupled with their Gen Y staff in developing or third world countries are trying my patience to the brink of no longer contributing. 

[WorkPics360]

This is why I only work with paid clients and follow the strange and strict guidelines that Google has since I am a Google Trusted photographer and can't really afford to loose that status as it forms a core part of my business.

[SandmanT]

@WorkPics360 Great point. Google can remove our status at any time.

[Mmm888]

The avenues provided by Google for redress, such as their redressal form [https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_redressal_form?authuser=0] and the common link [https://support.google.com/maps?authuser=0#topic=3092425], appear to offer little practical recourse unless one holds ownership or curatorship of the Google Maps business profile.

In my experiences, I've encountered instances where Google Maps has inexplicably approved new listings containing only a fabricated street name, such as "Main Street," paired with a corresponding but accurate zip or postal code.

This phenomenon suggests a significant glitch in Google's algorithm that permits the inclusion of such obviously false addresses. The ingenuity with which individuals exploit this loophole remains a perplexing mystery.

Furthermore, your astute observation regarding the efficacy of Google Business Support is not unwarranted. It does indeed seem that their staff often struggle to comprehend the essence of the issues we attempt to convey through our communications with them. I doubt they actually have any competency in English. 

[PaulPavlinovich]

@SandmanT let me start off that your racism isn't appreciated or tolerated on this forum. Singling people out by their origins and ability to speak English is not ok.

Secondly a Local Guide should NOT be helped by Google Business Profile team as they are there to support business owners not Local Guides. They are correctly not able to help you.

If you have particular businesses where you have supporting evidence that they violate the Google Business Profile policies then you can report them here.

Paul

[SandmanT]

@PaulPavlinovich 

Let me be clear: suggesting language barriers doesn't imply racism. That assumption is misguided. If language isn't the issue, then other factors like inadequate training, poor communication, or systemic issues might be at play.

Instead of jumping to accusations, let's focus on identifying the root cause and improving support.