Press enter to see results or esc to cancel.

Understanding Google My Business & Local Search

Google Finds it Lost Homework – Raises its BBB Grade to a -A

Update: Apparently over the past day or two, Google’s grade has moved up another notch to an -A since I wrote this article earlier in the week. Nothing has changed in the complaint closing statistics that I can see.

When my son hit middle school something happened. Each report card was worse than the one before and often they would show up “missing” just like his homework. The more I griped about the need for his good grades, the more he seemed to “freeze” and loose more of his homework.

We had a huge blow out fight one day, one that risked our relationship and made us both assess our position. He agreed to do his homework and I agreed that I would stop looking at his grades and insist, not that he get an A, but just that he turn in his homework. I decided that turning in his homework at least demonstrated a modicum of respect for his teachers. I realized that it wasn’t the love of learning that I had hoped he would have, but it was something.

A reader inside of Google recently has pointed me back to the Google BBB rating. It seems that Google found that homework that was lost in their locker and turned it in…. they went from their mediocre C– to a B+ -A apparently just by responding to, if not solving, every complaint. I have noted before that the BBB ranking in and of itself is of little import… more to the point is the reflection of the lack of process for Google’s handling of complaints.

I am glad, though,  that Google found their homework and turned it in. For my son it was the start of a long and successful climb to academic success. He learned that he actually enjoyed being prepared for class and after a year or so, came to the realization that he actually loved learning. Now as a junior in high school he is a wiz.

Sometimes just going through the motions starts a process that can lead to good outcomes. I am convinced that good customer service is a critical part of good marketing. I am hopeful that Google is learning that as well. We can only pray that they manage to get there before the tarnish spoils what is otherwise a great product.

BBB Screen shot from earlier in the week: