Internet Blackmail?

I know many of you are a lot like me, I rely on the Internet for most of my research. Yes, I have to be very careful and mindful of the sources of that information. A lot of what is on the internet is just opinions of the people writing it without any fact checking. Like the news on TV and cable these days seems everyone has an agenda.... everyone has an opinion, facts are irrelevant. Data is based on "surveys" and not research. So be careful where you get your information, dose it seem to be backed up with facts or just numbers pulled out of their backside?

If you are a business owner, like myself, we are completely at the mercy of the internet. It is so easy to be targeted by so-called-watchdogs. Almost every rating group has a fee that they expect all business people to pay for a good rating. Some of you have seen it in the press, the shake-downs that has been occurring. Businesses once contacted, that don't pay, get poor ratings over night. Only negative reviews show up from nowhere. Stories are related that never happened. But, the damage to your reputation is real!

All I can say is, do your own checking. If you see a business and you are interested in it, try it yourself. Check it out, be careful in case it is true, but at least give it a good look. Don't miss out on something good because of "Blackmail" or "Revenge" reviews. It is so easy for bad people to hurt good people on the internet because there isn't any recourse for the business. No business can afford to pay ALL the fees from ALL the ratings companies without going out-of-business.

When it comes to business, the happy clients and customers don't go out of their way to say thank you or write good reviews, in a way, good service and products are expected, aren't they? Don't you expect good service and products? So there isn't any driving force compelling you to express the obvious. And it's fine with all of us in business, we don't expect to be praised for doing our job! The propblem is the people that can't be pleased or a morals-less competitor.... we all know some of them. Nothing you can do will ever satisfy them. Some people just look to cause trouble, some people get off on inflicting pain and grief. This is life.

So all I'm asking is to be aware that the internet makes hate and vindictiveness easy. Don't be used as a tool to hurt and ruin good people, but don't get taken by a bad business person either. Just be as fair minded as you can and understand that "Bad Reviews" are like "cockroaches" you can find them everywhere and are hard to kill and they multiply like crazy. On the other hand, happy people leave happy and really don't think about it, so good reviews are more rare and an unexpected pleasure to receive and treasure.

Take care and be safe.