Too Many Postcards Requested

[JoshuaMackens]

Hey guys,

I have a client who requested too many postcards. Apparently they never came to his address and he ran out of attempts.

After talking to a Google chat rep I was sent an email saying this:

"We noticed that you do not have option to request for new postcard as you have exceeded the postcard request limits. However we request you to please create a new listing with the same information and request for postcard."

Are they asking us to create a completely brand new listing and use that listing now instead? Or are they asking me to create a new one so they can verify the old listing (you know how creating a new listing has been their solution for things lately and they end up merging them together or something)?

 

[Cherie Dickey]

I've never seen that before, and I'd be very leary too... was the original PC sent out to reverify a listing after a NAP change? if so, I'd be worried that creating a new listing at the new location wouldn't be able to be merged unless the NAP was successfully updated on the old listing first.

Did the rep not offer a manual verification with the business owner? I guess not, huh... I think I would push back on this.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

I've never seen that before, and I'd be very leary too... was the original PC sent out to reverify a listing after a NAP change? if so, I'd be worried that creating a new listing at the new location wouldn't be able to be merged unless the NAP was successfully updated on the old listing first.

Did the rep not offer a manual verification with the business owner? I guess not, huh... I think I would push back on this.

That's what I thought too. We have pictures and everything.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@JoshuaMackens, I've never seen or heard of that before, either. I don't see a downside to creating a new listing and deleting the yet-unverified one from the GMB dashboard, unless the listing for which you've run out of postcards has a bunch of reviews or is "aged."

In any case, I'd be concerned you'll run into the same problem again, so I wonder exactly what kind of address the client is using.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Whenever GMB staff say "create a new listing" they're not telling you to create a duplicate. They're basically saying delete the record from GMB and start the process over again.

When you do this, you'll still be claiming the existing listing.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Whenever GMB staff say "create a new listing" they're not telling you to create a duplicate. They're basically saying delete the record from GMB and start the process over again.

When you do this, you'll still be claiming the existing listing.

You mean delete the record from YOUR GMB, correct? Not from GMB itself?

Theoretically we could remove all users from the listing, remove ourselves, then start the claim process over?

Also, why wouldn't they just take our photo evidence and approve us?

 

[JoyHawkins]

Correct. Google My Business is just a platform to manage listings. Deleting something from the GMB dashboard does not cause the listing/record on Maps to get deleted.

Sounds like there might be some dumb technical limitation that is holding this up.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Correct. Google My Business is just a platform to manage listings. Deleting something from the GMB dashboard does not cause the listing/record on Maps to get deleted.

Sounds like there might be some dumb technical limitation that is holding this up.

Right, I know that. Have you run into any issues removing the listing and then reverifying it? Has that reset the option for postcards?

 

[JoyHawkins]

I haven't run into that issue before. Let us know if it works

 

[BenFisher]

And after the first attempt (if it fails) then reach out to Support again and have your proof ready to go.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Will do!

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Hey guys, I did get this from Twitter support:

Thanks for reaching out about verifying your business 'Lee Brothers Construction'! In order to maintain high quality business information, the listing requires to undergo self-verification due to major changes in the business information. However, as it ran out of postcards and as we would be unable to manually verify this listing, the best solution is to create a new listing with the new information and once the listing is verified we can either merge, moved or removed the old listing.

It sounds like they do in fact want us to create a duplicate.

Any thoughts?

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Bump.

 

[MattPelkey]

Hey guys, I did get this from Twitter support:

Thanks for reaching out about verifying your business 'Lee Brothers Construction'! In order to maintain high quality business information, the listing requires to undergo self-verification due to major changes in the business information. However, as it ran out of postcards and as we would be unable to manually verify this listing, the best solution is to create a new listing with the new information and once the listing is verified we can either merge, moved or removed the old listing.

It sounds like they do in fact want us to create a duplicate.

Any thoughts?

Sounds that way to me, and then I guess just hope they properly merge it and carry over the reviews? I'm baffled that's their only resolution and there's not another way verify.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

@JoyHawkins

 

[JoyHawkins]

@JoshuaMackens sorry I missed this! I would do as they say. They often have to create duplicates for SABs and then merge them.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Should I be concerned about ranking issues from the merge?

 

[JoyHawkins]

I wouldn't think so because everything will be moved over.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Follow up on this, all I did was remove the listing from dashboard and claim again and I was able to get a postcard. Verified today and everything went smoothly.

Just wanted to let you guys know!

 

[JoyHawkins]

Great to hear! Thanks for keeping us updated.