Problems With GMB Suspension Appeals

[Sarah FBM]

I've had this recurring issue recently with GMB suspension appeals. I fill out the form directly from the link they provide in the management page, and I get the following auto e-mail response:
"This email is no longer monitored. If you have privacy related questions, please refer to this page. For any question related to the consumer Google+ shutdown, please refer to Google+ Help Center page. We apologize for the inconvenience."
The "refer to this page" and "Google + Help Center page" are links, but don't provide any help regarding this.

So it seems my appeal request is going to nobody, and I can't reply to the e-mail because it goes to nobody. I've asked for help on the forum, messaged them through their Facebook, and there doesn't seem to be any resolution, meanwhile I have three very angry clients with suspended GMBs (one which has been live without issue for ~5 years) that don't understand this is a Google issue, not a Sarah issue.

Has anyone else come across this recently and, if so, have you found a solution?

 

[JoyHawkins]

Hey Sarah,

I was bringing this up to Google yesterday because I keep hearing this. They need Case IDs to help isolate the issue. Can you give me yours? It's usually a long number in the subject of the email.

 

[Sarah FBM]

3-4150000026780 is my most recent one.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Thanks Sarah. I sent it to Google. In the meantime, I'd suggest I'd you get in contact with Google My Business directly on social media for the reinstatement since the form might not be working. You can tweet to them at @googlemybiz or message them on Facebook at Google My Business. Usually they respond in 1-5 business days.

If you have any other case IDs that got this auto-response, please post them here so I can add to the thread with Google and hopefully they can identify the issue faster.

 

[Sarah FBM]

I don't have Twitter, but I did message them on Facebook yesterday as well. Thank you for the suggestions.

 

[kathleen.rhodes]

I have a verified listing that has been suspended too and I have no idea why.

1-5848000026648

While it was a relatively new listing, it was verified and fully optimized, and the client had gotten several Google reviews. The only thing I did, after being added as a Manager, was to edit the url to include https (instead of http), although I'm not even sure that's what triggered the suspension.

It's a listing for a landscape contractor, and the "friendly folks in India" said they needed something like a tax document. They couldn't accept the URL from the California Contractors State Licensing Board but needed a "picture" of the license number, which I sent.

Although it's only been 3-4 days, since I sent the picture, it's incredibly frustrating that the India folks cannot provide any info as to when this might be resolved. It's not reassuring at all that they've "escalated" the issue.

 

[Tscplumbing]

I have a verified listing that has been suspended too and I have no idea why.

1-5848000026648

While it was a relatively new listing, it was verified and fully optimized, and the client had gotten several Google reviews. The only thing I did, after being added as a Manager, was to edit the url to include https (instead of http), although I'm not even sure that's what triggered the suspension.

It's a listing for a landscape contractor, and the "friendly folks in India" said they needed something like a tax document. They couldn't accept the URL from the California Contractors State Licensing Board but needed a "picture" of the license number, which I sent.

Although it's only been 3-4 days, since I sent the picture, it's incredibly frustrating that the India folks cannot provide any info as to when this might be resolved. It's not reassuring at all that they've "escalated" the issue.

Our listing was suspended after updating our address to a new location - did the post card thing, everything was updated and was fine for a week. Then BOOM! hard suspended for no reason. Filled out their reinstatement form, called India idiots numerous times, tried Twitter, email support- we either get no response at all, or unhelpful responses after a week. Our company has lost tens of thousands at this point. Here's the helpful tip I got today via Twitter after waiting 7 days for a reply ....

 

[kathleen.rhodes]

Hey Sarah,

I was bringing this up to Google yesterday because I keep hearing this. They need Case IDs to help isolate the issue. Can you give me yours? It's usually a long number in the subject of the email.

I have a verified listing that has been suspended too and I have no idea why.

1-5848000026648

While it was a relatively new listing, it was verified and fully optimized, and the client had gotten several Google reviews. The only thing I did, after being added as a Manager, was to edit the url to include https (instead of http), although I'm not even sure that's what triggered the suspension.

It's a listing for a landscape contractor, and the "friendly folks in India" said they needed something like a tax document. They couldn't accept the URL from the California Contractors State Licensing Board but needed a "picture" of the license number, which I sent.

Although it's only been 3-4 days, since I sent the picture, it's incredibly frustrating that the India folks cannot provide any info as to when this might be resolved. It's not reassuring at all that they've "escalated" the issue.

It has now been 8 days since Google first asked me to provide a picture of the landscape designer's license, which I provided before I was even off the phone with Google the first time.

I have called Google multiple times about this case, replied to emails they've sent me, sent a message on Facebook, and reached out via Twitter. I keep being told that the issue has been escalated to their "engineers" and that it should be fixed in "48 hours."

This is totally unacceptable - Google is harming my client's business as well as mine (given that he thinks I caused this problem)!!!

 

[Sarah FBM]

I took them 7 full days (which I guess is 5 business days) to respond to my Facebook question. I expected it would be awhile. The response was canned and generic, I provided case ID, and and now I am waiting some more. I am used to the waiting game with these cats.

My main concern for now is that the form they provide to appeal suspensions doesn't seem to go to anyone anymore. I never had any problems trying to contact Google or giving my clients instructions to do so on their own. But obviously the easier option is always preferred, and with this weird change, the easy method is gone.

 

[keyserholiday]

I had a listing that I filled a reinstatement request for on Mondy, did not get an email reply. I spoke with support and was promised a call back on 24 hours, which would have been yesterday. Today I am trying social support. Something is broken.

 

[Sarah FBM]

Possible update. I had another company suspended, filled out the regular form, did not receive the auto-response with the case number at all... Been refreshing my inbox for 5+ minutes and usually it arrives within seconds of the form being sent. Trying to decide if I should give it more time or assume this means it hasn't gone through and try again.

 

[Sarah FBM]

I was successful with this one. I did not get the regular auto-response but did get the usual reply that it has been reinstated. So it looks like they have indeed fixed the problem with the appeal form not making it someone. Woo hoo.

Possible update. I had another company suspended, filled out the regular form, did not receive the auto-response with the case number at all... Been refreshing my inbox for 5+ minutes and usually it arrives within seconds of the form being sent. Trying to decide if I should give it more time or assume this means it hasn't gone through and try again.

 

[Cordell Crowley]

We've got a large handful of listings in our account suspended right now, and all seemed to get suspended for different reasons. It's been 14+ days since we provided Google with the storefront photo on some of them and there is still no sign of them being reinstated. 2 or 3 were unsuspended in just a couple days though, so not sure what was different about those.

 

[j_holtslander]

Subscribing to the thread.

 

[kathleen.rhodes]

It took a good 3-4 weeks before the suspension for my client was fully lifted - it was a nightmare experience. Facebook and Twitter support each took over a week to get back to me and the unsatisfactory response that I received was: "The specialist team responsible for reviewing and reinstating listings is currently facing a backlog and responses may be delayed for up to 2-3 weeks. While the team works through this backlog, we suggest refraining from submitting duplicate escalations if you have already sent in a request and have not yet heard back from the team. We appreciate your patience while the team works through these requests."

 

[Link Rep]

I had a listing that I filled a reinstatement request for on Mondy, did not get an email reply. I spoke with support and was promised a call back on 24 hours, which would have been yesterday. Today I am trying social support. Something is broken.

Just curious - how did you get a support number......or did they call you?

 

[JoyHawkins]

You can get to phone support here.

 

[Link Rep]

Unfortunately, I chose to email in my appeal and apparently, there are no do-overs.

 

[keyserholiday]

Google has changed the process for reinstatement requests and you can only do it in GMB. Support is no longer helping with reinstatement requests.

 

[DavidH]

Our listing was suspended after updating our address to a new location - did the post card thing, everything was updated and was fine for a week. Then BOOM! hard suspended for no reason. Filled out their reinstatement form, called India idiots numerous times, tried Twitter, email support- we either get no response at all, or unhelpful responses after a week. Our company has lost tens of thousands at this point. Here's the helpful tip I got today via Twitter after waiting 7 days for a reply ....

Same experience here.

This is madness. That an entity can have such total and absolute power over a companies visibility then literally make that visibility disappear without any recourse or warning is an absolute scandal.