How to finally get great customer service with Google Local Services…
and reduce your cost of leads!
In the English language, when conflicting and contradictory ideas are expressed as a single concept we call it an oxymoron. Terms like ‘Deafening Silence’, ‘Virtual Reality’, ‘Original Copy’, and the old stand-by ‘Military Intelligence’ are classic examples. However, for anyone who has ever attempted to directly call Google looking for help, the term ‘Google Customer Service” has become the new ‘gold’ standard when it comes to oxymorons. It’s not just that the one hand may not have a clue what the other is doing. The company is so big, the right hand typically may not know that a left hand even exists!
Unfortunately, with Google now requiring all they do for companies wanting to participate in Google Local Services, needing customer service from them is potentially unavoidable. However, I am now able to share a new option available to you when it comes to Google Local Services. Not only can you now get great customer service, as well as all the help you need to set up and maintain your account with Google, you can also reduce your Google Local Services lead cost by 15% at the same time. The best part is that you have nothing to lose—but everything to gain by taking advantage of this.
Where the 15% savings comes from
To understand how this is possible, you need to understand the back-story and the “why” of the 15% savings offer. While at the Canadian Mechanical & Plumbing Expo in Toronto, I had the pleasure to meet and talk to Darryl Margaux, President of SearchKings. SearchKings was a presenter at the conference and is one of the top Search Engine Marketing (Pay-Per-Click) companies in North America. SearchKings is also one of a handful of companies that Google has partnered with, to assist in the on-boarding, and ongoing management of Google Local Service accounts. If your company uses SearchKings to set up your Google Local Services account, or if you’re already onboard with Google Local Services and designate them as your support company, SearchKings is currently offering a 15% discount to you on your Google Local Services advertising/lead costs. SearchKings is offering the 15% discount as an incentive to build and create new relationships with small businesses. SearchKings’ goal is to introduce their company to you by helping you with Google Local Services and, hopefully, turn you into one of their AdWords clients once you experience how passionate and customer focused they are.
After talking with Darryl, I saw a lot of the same integrity and passion for his customers’ success that we also pride ourselves in. Since I wanted to offer the better Google Local Services support and a 15% discount to our customers, Darryl and I came to an agreement to offer SearchKings’ Google Local Services to our PagePilot clients, as well as any of our newsletter subscribers wanting to take advantage of their program. For the record, and in the interest of transparency, my company makes no ‘kickback’ from them if you decide to take advantage of the discount and use them for your Google Local Services support. The agreement we made with SearchKings regarding Google Local Services was basically a confidentiality agreement to limit potential spam. It guarantees that the information given by any contractors using the referral link at the bottom of this article will remain confidential between the two companies and not be sold to other marketing companies. However, if you do decide take advantage of SearchKings’ Google Local Services support and the 15% discount they currently are providing, SearchKings will probably suggest and tell you about their Search Advertising services as part of the deal. Other than hearing about their services, there is no financial requirement you need to make in order to participate. Unlike AdWords, you don’t need a third-party management company, or their monthly fee, to effectively work with Google Local Services—however, having live support available if you have questions is a great thing.
Although you don’t have to switch to the Search Marketing services SearchKings offers to take advantage of their Google Local Services support and discount, I would suggest that you take the time to see what they offer. After having worked with them over the last few weeks setting up and managing our MORE clients’ Google Local Services accounts, I can tell you that their customer service has been absolutely ‘spot on’. They have followed through on everything in a very friendly, timely, and professional manner. If anything, I see letting them go over what they offer and evaluate what you are currently doing as a plus—not a minus.
Why I, personally, respect SearchKings’ approach in offering a 15% discount
Although I have no proof, for SearchKings to offer the discount they do on your lead costs, I have to suspect that Google may be offering a percentage of the lead purchases back to the companies they are allowing to handle customer support for Google Local Services. Obviously, if this is the case, it would be completely above board to just keep it and provide the service. However, as a contractor and small business owner, here’s why I appreciate the approach SearchKings is taking by discounting a client’s lead costs to gain the relationship.
If there is a percent of the Google Local Services lead costs being given to companies providing full support as well as management help, the bigger problem would be the potential conflict of interest it creates. Every advertising management company knows that getting a percentage of a client’s ad spend back for particular advertising services, creates the temptation to encourage you to either shift dollars or increase budgets to these services. Unfortunately, it can create a “wolf guarding the sheep” situation where it can put them on Google’s side of the fence rather than yours. If my suspicions are correct, I see their solution as quite creative while displaying a lot of integrity.
As I’ve said in past articles, companies should take advantage of Google Local Services while it is still a good investment—but have a plan ‘B’ ready when your return on investment disappears as prices go up. To let SearchKings walk you through the entire Google Local Services set-up process or, if you’re already set up, just take over your customer support—simply click here (or the link below) to start the process and take advantage of the 15% lead cost discount.
Until next time— dave
>>> Click Here to Get Started using SearchKings for your Google Local Services Support <<<
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