Hoax client, now leaving me bad reviews - what would you do?

[joingram87]

Hi geeks

Please forgive me if this isn’t in the right place but I was wondering what you would do in this situation….and sorry for the long thread.

I started being official (part time mobile as still have a full time job) at the end of February and have a small but lovely clientele.

I had a web based email enquiry from this man, Stewart Cole, asking me to go round to his house for a surprise gift for his gf, and that I was recommended from one of his gf’s clients. The emails all seemed very genuine and he said that he would like to organise by email so he doesn’t give the game away to his gf. His 1 email said that he lives in a new build house so when I asked for a room that wasn’t in direct sunlight for me to set up my products he said 'no problem, we live on a corner apartment'. He actually lives outside of my set radius (16 miles away in Stratford – and I don’t know anybody else even my clients in this area.) but I said for an additional charge of £15 for my extra time and travel I would make an acception (kind of secretly hoping he would say no!)

Anyway it was all organised and I turned up 10 minutes early and knocked on the address he gave me. A lady answered the door and didn’t know who he or his gf was. I waited 45 minutes and attempted to call him numerous times and each time it didn’t ring and said to me 'the person is unavailable' and they didn’t ring me either to see where I was. While I was there I knocked on a few other doors just in case he had put a tpyo in his email (maybe me being a little naive there!) but to no avail.

Anyway. My business is listed on free index and he has left me a nasty review saying that I am rubbish and that I ruined his Gf's night (I thought it was a surprise so surely she wouldn’t have known any different?!)

his review was

DO NOT USE* Really rubbish , didnt show up - ruined my girls day,Stick with the full time professionals!
Vicky the second comment is her friend!PLEASE RING FOR MY EXPERIENCE-07765258955

My reply was

Unfortunately this gentleman gave me an incorrect address, the poor lady I disturbed had no idea who he or.his girlfriend was. I waited 45minutes in the hope that he would call me to ask where I was as he gave me a mobile telephone number that did not work. I’m sorry to say that I have passed the details that have onto the police. I find myself in a fortunate position where I have valued and repeat clients. This is all I need to know and I will not re responding any further to these false allegations.

I got someone else to leave me a review, which they have, and now she has edited his review saying to call him (and listed a number) for his experience with me...I tried to ring the number and surprise surprise it doesn’t work.

I have not yet reported him to the police but I now have every intention of doing so. a few people have suggested that this person may be a rival or someone I know?! My friend has just txt me and said that she checked the Electoral roll and this man isn’t on there in Stratford!!!

I don’t feel upset, I feel angry and a little sad for them as they are clearly getting a kick out of trying to ruin someone’s business.

What would you lovelies do?! one thing is for sure...I will always confirm an appointment by phone every time I get a new client!

thanks geeks xx

 

[TracyS]

Bloody time wasters!

Fwiw, I think your reply is spot on. If I was looking for a therapist and read his feedback and your response I'd think he was a chancer and ignore it tbh.

If you have his email address, did you try emailing him for an explanation? If you were recommended by one of his gf's clients... what does she do??

Not sure the police would be too interested, unless you put it too them that this could be a guy getting therapists out to various locations with who knows what intent.... my mind running into overdrive a bit there :smack:

 

[joingram87]

Yeh i tried searching on Facebook with the email he gave and the number on his enquiry is different to the number he left on the review and can't find diddly squat on him!

This is exactly what he said:

'She is a regional NHS consultant who travels all over the district visiting hospitals inc private care for cosmetic surgery etc kind of stuff'

I did think that about the police...but if i report it, its then on record if anything else was to happen, but hopefully it won't

 

[becky30]

google the email address that he contacted you on and see what it brings up, also do the same with the phone numbers you have for him. it might take some searching!

 

[joingram87]

Hi Becky,

I missed that bit out-I have done that and nothing for the email and the first mobile number he gave me brought up 1 page in Google al with Chinese/Japanese symbols and when I clicked on 1 of the Google searches it just brought up pages and pages of mobile numbers and no other info!

 

[treasure]

It all sounds very dodgy to me!! It wouldnt surprise me if this girlfriend doesnt even exist and he is just someone strange, a trouble causer or perhaps someone with problems? It does sound more like someone near to you trying to cause you trouble.

Have you contacted free index to see if they will remove it? Im sure when i set up a listing on there it said that negative reviews can be removed if they are false? And this one clearly is so It may be worth contacting them and explaining the situation?

Try not to let it get to you, speak to free index and try and get it removed. But even if they wont, i think your response to the comment is perfect and very professional.

Isnt it sad that people do things like this. I hope you get it sorted xx

 

[treasure]

Actually just looking again, the comment 'stick with the full time professionals' makes me think its very likely a competitor. Its like theyr'e trying to make a point, I really dont think any potential client would say something like that xx

 

[joingram87]

Hi treasure

I won't let them get the better of me and will rise above it. It just makes me sad to think that someone is taking the time to do.this deliberately! And for what? I don't quite know.

I have contacted free index and they will only remove negative reviews if it goes legal.

I really hope that it isn't someone I know personally though, can't think that it would be.

Has anyone had a similar situation where someone has left a bad/negative review on every web advert they have listed?

 

[joingram87]

Actually just looking again, the comment 'stick with the full time professionals' makes me think its very likely a competitor. Its like theyr'e trying to make a point, I really dont think any potential client would say something like that xx

That's true actually.

And being part time doesn't make you any less of a professional at all.

 

[treasure]

No it doesnt at all, being part time or full time is irrelevant and its just not something a client would make anything of. I dont think they would anyway. Perhaps its just a competitor local to you who you dont know. If they feel the need to do things like this it says alot about their business!!

To be honest on your free index they just come across like a weirdo, who leaves their phone number on the internet for all to see!!! Lol xx

 

[joingram87]

To be honest on your free index they just come across like a weirdo, who leaves their phone number on the internet for all to see!!! Lol xx

And even more so as the number doesn't even work lol!

 

[becky30]

I think someone was out to try to ruin your day/business! :hug:

Rise above and take it as a lesson learned. If it happens again, ask who has recommended you to them and see if you recognise a name, if not tell them its not your patch that they are asking you to go to and tell them they will have to find someone else closer to them, unless they are willing to come to you, which is safer and easier and cheaper for you anyway!

 

[xxclairexx]

How awful, its just plain nasty if it is a competitor messing you about. Just a thought for future appointments, you could take their number and call on The morning of the appointment to confirm to save you a wasted journey, if they are hoaxing you it is unlikely they will answer.... xx

 

[Dolly6410]

thats so upsetting that someone would do that to you??? i agree with the above though that it sounds like a competitor because why else would you put that? and why would you go straight onto a website and slag them off? surely you'd contact them first? its obvious that was their intention. personally id phone my insurance company, i'm with babtac and they cover slander. its really out of order and pathetic, what is wrong with some people?!

 

[Tigan]

yeah i think it sounds like a competitor, dont worry if they're like that with you, then theyre like that with everyone else, maybe a couple of their clients drifted towards you and they are mad. i dont understand how anyone could be like this, its stupid, would they not be better putting their energy into finding out where they are going wrong, instead of plotting and scheming all day long, hahahaha, just leave them to run around in circles chasing their own tail and you carry on doing a good job, they cant change the way you do your work, so therefore they cant hurt you, they've obviously got problems and they're not your problems !

 

[Tigan]

ive met the type, they are the type of people who go around telling everyone they dont get messed about, no-one gets away with doing this or that with me, you know the kind, but, lol they spend all their waking hours thinking up ways deliberately ruin things for people and all the while everything around them just crumbles down. id just leave them to get on with it, and take it as a sign that you must be doing something right.

 

[shedunlop]

Never, ever, ever go to an address where you haven't got a telephone number that you have contacted the client on. You could have been in a very dangerous situation here, doing all the arranging by email?

I am not having a go at you my darling, I was mobile for 10 years and it is difficult when you have problems like this or if you turn up and they are not at home.

I am not sure that there is a lot you can do about this other than learn from the situation but you must think about your own personal safety now and in the future my darling. :wink2:

 

[british.jem]

Thats crazy that this would happen! I agree it must be someone close to you! Did you tell the 'guy' that you were part time? Im just wondering because that comment about stick with the full time proffessionals or whatever it said just makes me think that they would have to have known you were parttime. And if its a new customer they dont usually know much other then being recommended. Also, next time you have a client ask them if they have recommended you recently. Im guessing even though some might of, they wouldnt have been to that one person..

 

[hippy-chick]

It sounds very much as if it was done intentionally. If you had ruined his gf night, why did he not ring?

Learn from it, put a procedure in place, ie send them a request for deposit for a party or a biggish booking.

I had a competitor ring me once and literally beg me to go to her house, it was out of my area, but she was pleading so much I agreed. Turned up to an empty house with a For Sale outside.

 

[*sarah*]

omg jo! what a wee shame! Does sound like a competitor, what a mean horrible thing to do! and sending you all that way aswell!
As said above never go to a house for an appt that a man has arranged or woman you have'nt spoken too. I usually give a freind the address if its a new client and say if I've not txt in 15 mins call the police! lol extreme perhaps but few bloody weirdos out there!
I had txts last year asking me to wax a lady naked!! did'nt quite get what the txt meant to start with doh! lol could have been a man or woman being a perv tbf! lol xx