OurLocalExpert is advertising by invitation only – we reserve the right to decide who we invite to feature in the guide.
We aim to celebrate local independent businesses who provide good quality service at fair prices. Readers of OurLocalExpert are asked to contact us with feedback about the businesses we feature.
When we receive negative feedback we try to listen to both sides and make a fair judgement. We hope complaints can be resolved by the business in question, and sometimes our involvement can help a resolution to be reached.
We encourage readers to provide their contact details and to provide evidence to accompany the complaint. We ask readers to let us share their feedback with the business in question so that we can hear both sides of the story, but this isn’t always possible.
As well as customer feedback and feedback from the business in question, we also consider feedback from previous customers, and anecdotal feedback from other businesses in OurLocalExpert.
We understand most complaints arise from incorrect expectations from one or both parties, or from a breakdown of communication.
We understand there are such things as bad customers.
We understand there are times when things go wrong, but we believe a business proves its commitment to good customer service by how it reacts to these circumstances.
We will feature a business in OurLocalExpert when we believe the next customer will receive good quality service at a fair price.
We will exclude a business from OurLocalExpert when we aren’t confident that the next customer will receive good quality service at a fair price.
If we receive a complaint or poor feedback about a business in OurLocalExpert:
- We consider the severity of the complaint. A business may be removed from the OurLocalExpert website with immediate effect.
- We contact the customer and ask if they are happy for us to discuss their complaint with the business. If the customer gives us permission, we discuss the complaint with both parties. We encourage communication between both parties to achieve resolution.
- We consider if our understanding of the feedback justifies removal of the business from our guide. If we have any doubt we are more likely to favour the side of the customer and remove a business from the guide. The negative review will not be published.
A business will be removed from OurLocalExert if we believe:
- There has been any malpractice, such as harassing a customer for cash payment, suggesting further work that is not necessary or asking for full payment up front.
- The customer has been overcharged (we expect all businesses to provide detailed estimates for any major work).
- There has been poor workmanship or demonstrable incompetence.
- There is a pattern of poor customer service demonstrated by the business.
If we have good faith that a business usually delivers high levels of customer service and workmanship, we ask for three recent customers to speak to by telephone. We have more confidence in businesses who already have a high number of reviews, and with businesses who have featured in OurLocalExpert over a number of years without complaints.
Where a business continues to feature in the guide despite negative feedback, we like to publish the original complaint with a summary of our investigation.
We explain why we continue to feature the business in question. This reassures our readers that we act on their feedback. This also demonstrates our commitment to the quality of service provided by the business in question.
