Truthful Reviews

I've always left honest reviews - fair, but honest - on Amazon, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews etc. Sometimes this does involve saying that I was disappointed by the quality of the product or the standard of workmanship.

On Amazon, the seller has sometimes contacted me to offer a sum of money if I'll change my review. My reaction has always been to edit my review, adding "The seller has now offered me a sum of money if I'll change this review". I think people need to know what to expect when they are spending their hard-earned money.

I posted a negative review about something I bought online back in April. (I had previously contacted the company without any success). Had a look at the site this morning and it states "review awaiting approval"!

I always try to be truthful if I leave a review. Just stick to the facts but it is better not to leave a review than give a false one as others may suffer due to inaccurate reviews.

I try to use [honest] word of mouth only, if I possibly can. [one has to read the person who is talking to us - too much flattery is probably a bit dodgy!]

I would urge everyone looking for workmen to take their on line reviews with a pinch of salt and always check their credentials. Trusting glowing on line reviews has resulted in my employing a cowboy to work on my roof and a nightmare situation. Reviews are subjective, they can be written by people with a vestige interest in the workman you are employing as I've found to my cost. I would like to warn people about this firm, but am unsure of the repercussions.

I would perhaps seek the opinion of another professional before I put my 'poor' review to paper. Sometimes we don't explain ourselves clearly and end up with a result not exactly as we had hoped for. I've had this misfortune in the past.

If a tradesman submits their business to a site that invites reviews they must be prepared to accept that not all will be glowing. Providing you are not submitting a vexatious review they should accept the gift of feedback and, where perceived as negative, use it to improve their business practices.

If you were honest with your review, leave it as is. I would definitely leave a bad review if the work wasn't up to scratch, after tackling the workman or his boss at the time.

We had an extension built a few years ago, and while the work was fabulous and the job done really quickly, the actual workforce behaved badly during their lunch breaks leaving my garden in a disgusting state - one even did a 'number 2' in the garden!!! The boss asked me to leave him a good review, and I explained that I had a bit of a problem with it, as although the work was good, I wasn't happy to recommend the actual workforce, so in the end we agreed that it would be better if I didn't leave a review at all. He was really disappointed, as the extension was something a bit different, and he really wanted to show it off as part of his portfolio, but his staff let him down, and ultimately he paid for it.

Hi Izzywizzy. I do understand you don't want the stress of all this but you should stand by your comments. If only to save someone else going through the same. As many have said your review could not possibly ruin his business particularly if as he says all the other reviews are good. Trading Standards are very helpful. I have called them in the past. I'm sorry you have to pay someone else to put things right. It is very upsetting. Good luck and I hope things are sorted for you soon

You haven’t ruined his business - he has: by poor workmanship. People like this tend to rely on soft hearts to continue poor working practices. And those people who leave glowing references for work that is unsatisfactory are duping future customers. If you cannot rely on the truth of reviews the whole charade is pointless

There is nothing wrong with leaving an honest review. As someone who checks reviews of tradesmen in advance, I would be disappointed if I had hired someone and reviews were not honest. Had bad experience in the past also and was very honest (otherwise unsuspecting friends may have used the guy). Don't be intimidated to change or delete your review if it's an honest experience.

away - not ways...

Depends. I try to be diplomatic [hard for me] and fair. We went ways recently and the hotel wasn't up to standard, so I gave them a middling review.
I also gave a damning review on a tour company. I didn't write on Tripadvisor, feeling that it would be kinder to tell the company first. They called me almost immediately and asked what had gone wrong. They thanked me very much, both for my candour and for not slating them "in public".
So I do and don't write bad reviews, if you get my drift.
I do feel that the tradesman in question is blackmailing you and agree completely with M0nica

Yes I would and did. It has got me nowhere. He blocks phone calls, texts, refuses to speak if approached directly and I have to live with the results of his poor workmanship everyday.

Sorry to hear your going through a rough time at the moment. I think in future if it’s bad don’t give any review at all, silence speaks for its self.

Why leave a reiew at all if you are not going to be honest?

Other people rely on those reviews as being impartial and honest.

Don't let him harass you but think next time before you take on the responsibility of writing something others may well rely on. Having your review removed makes you look like alir and he will mke the most of that.

Have you spoken to the tradesperson and let them know you are not happy with the work - perhaps give them the opportunity of putting it right. You shouldn’t have to pay for something you are not happy with.

Yes I would be totally honest. I had a very expensive kitchen fitted and the installer was a very poor workman, I let rip and sincerely hope the man is no longer employed.

If this man's work was so bad that you have to pay someone else to redo it, you most definitely should not withdraw your review. He is harrassing you, and you should make this clear to the company, send copies of his emails and ask that they don't endorse recommendations for him in future. Otherwise, other customers will be duped, just as you have been.

I got caught in a friends triangle a few years ago when I recommended a friends husband to do decorating for another friend, it was terrible and they hated result as he didn't stick to the plan, decided to be honest when recommended friend asked etc, I said very gently that they weren't happy, was very diplomatic and again didn't say how furious they actually were. Well it was the beginning of the end of a good friendship which I do regret but what on earth should I have said, why should I lie for them, I felt really stuck in the middle and tbh she could tell from my face before I even said a word. ( I don't expect anyone to keep up with which friend is which but you get the drift!)

Totally agree M0nica.
I wrote about his good points too trying not to be overly critical about someone. Agree about not having him back as I've done that years ago with another workman and the only way I got him back to finish something (that I spotted by luck but if left til the winter would have caused major problems), was to persistently phone and eventually point out how long he had been making excuses etc! I think the organisations should do their job properly so you could trust reviews then maybe members would only be those who really know their craft/skill. Ok they might cost more but it would be cheaper for us in the long run. It makes me so cross that our hard earned money is swiftly taken by someone who doesn't do a proper job. Sorry izzywizzy I've gone on rather haven't I !

I agree MOnica, one bad review won't ruin his business but I hadn't thought about it being emotional blackmail which I now see it probably is.
I really don't want him back partly because I think if he couldn't do it right the first time then he probably won't do a good job the second time otherwise he'd have done it properly the first time plus I don't feel up to confrontation at this moment.
It's the first time I've written a negative review and I don't think I will bother writing any reviews again.
Also I did write about his good points,polite,tidy,on time.

One bad review will not ruin anyone's business. He is using emotional blackmail to lose a bad review.

If he is upset there is a simple solution: come back and do the job properly so that you write a review saying how quickly he came back and remedied a few problems.

I have just sent an email to the company asking them to remove it. I wouldn't mind but I was so careful with my words and could so easily have said more. He's sent me another email but I just don't want to read it,maybe read it tomorrow. I think your right,they don't want honest reviews. This mans reviews were very good which is why I chose him but now I'm having to pay someone else to re do it all.

I'm very sorry to hear that izzywizzy. Is it possible to have it removed? Just to stop him from causing you upset? For a few weeks, I nearly asked to amend/remove mine for the same reason and it wasn't anywhere near as bad a review as it could have been. All these organisations don't really want honest reviews it seems to me.