Former Business Partner Holding Google Maps Listing Hostage - How to Resolve?

[Travis Van Slooten]

I'm working with a client who's former business partner has ownership and control of the company's Google Maps listing. My client has reached out to his former partner for the login information to the listing but he won't respond. As a result, we have a Google Maps listing that is claimed and ranking well but we don't have access to it.

Since the former business partner is no longer with the company, is there any way we can get control of the listing? My client obviously owns the business and can easily prove it via phone and/or mail verification but I have no idea how to approach this with Google.

Thanks,

Travis

 

[James Watt]

This is your first step. As long as the previous owner is as uncommunicative with Google as he's been with you, you'll have control of the listing in two weeks. If he does write back though, and tells Google that he's the real owner, then things will get a little more hairy. Unless he's actively malicious though, the above should work just fine.

 

[Travis Van Slooten]

James:

Thanks for the awesome reply! I appreciate your help!

I submitted the form with Google so we'll wait and see what happens.

Travis

P.S. It's been a while since I've had to deal with any difficult Google Maps listings but not too long ago there was a way to get phone support with Google. I hunted through the Google My Business dashboard and couldn't find an option for phone support (you used to find it buried in the help menu). Is phone support no longer available?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Here it is Travis - https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_c2c_m?rd=2

There is also Twitter and Facebook support cooking these days:

http://twitter.com/googlemybiz
http://www.facebook.com/googlemybusiness

 

[JoyHawkins]

Phone support still exists, but I never use it. You can get to it here: https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_c2c_l?hl=en&rd=2#cft=5

I'd personally go with social media instead and contact them on either Twitter or Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/googlemybusiness/
https://twitter.com/googlemybiz

 

[JoyHawkins]

Good grief Colan, we're like clones.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Good grief Colan, we're like clones.

According to SnapChat, our hybrid clone would look something like this:



It needs a little more flowing red hair though...IMO

 

[cdawg2610]

James:

Thanks for the awesome reply! I appreciate your help!

I submitted the form with Google so we'll wait and see what happens.

Travis

P.S. It's been a while since I've had to deal with any difficult Google Maps listings but not too long ago there was a way to get phone support with Google. I hunted through the Google My Business dashboard and couldn't find an option for phone support (you used to find it buried in the help menu). Is phone support no longer available?

Travis -

I'm about 2 weeks into this battle of a listing being held hostage and Twitter is the way to go.

 

[JoyHawkins]

LMAO Colan that thing is hideous.

 

[Travis Van Slooten]

I just wanted to update this post. Thanks to James' reply I was successfully able to get the listing released and then claimed by my client! It was a huge win for the client so thanks again to James for providing that link.

I also want to thank Colan and Joy for the links to the various Google support channels these days. Thankfully I didn't need to use any of them but I'm definitely keeping them handy for future reference.

Travis

P.S. Love the new clone Yes it's hideous but it sure looks smart