I have been testing out some of the services prior to selling them to my clients, and I asked Vendasta support what happens if listing sync pro is cancelled as I wanted to know whether listings are deleted or not.
I was explicitly told that if you cancel listing sync pro, this simply cancels the subscription and sets it to inactive and that is all. Listings are NOT deleted unless you explicitly ask for them to be deleted or have ownership transferred.
I even triple checked/confirmed this with the support agent to be sure.
So I then setup listing sync pro with my own domain to test it out and then cancelled it, and the listings then started to be deleted.
When I asked vendasta support about this, I was given the complete opposite answer that I had been given previously.
So be aware and make sure clients are aware, cancelling listing sync pro will delete listings, which will negatively impact the SEO as you will lose backlinks and citations.
I was told the same thing. Have not tested it yet. Following.
Hello Russ,
Cancelling LSP would un publish your listings if the only reason that listing existed was because it was published through LSP. Most listings exist in an ecosystem and LSP acts an overlay to update the content quickly for accuracy. In most cases the content would be resurfaced to what existed before LSP was activated.
akinola, this is incorrect. LSP cannot import or use listings which already exist, it can only create new listings. And yes I have tested and confirmed this.
I think you also need to read my original post again, as you seem to have missed the point.
Hi Russ,
I have read your post and I see there is a little confusion in use of terminology. LSP will un publish a listing once it is cancelled. It won't delete your listings. Meaning if the only reason the listing showed up before was due to LSP then this will be unpublished and not seen anymore so it feels like it's been deleted.
Since, listings existing in an eco-system, LSP acts as an overlay to change the content in that listings.In those cases (most) the listing wouldn't appear to be deleted it would just resurface the existing content that was present before the LSP overlay.
I hope this clarifies your question. If you feel otherwise feel free to reach out to me so we can have a discussion.
Akinola,
Unfortunately I think you are still missing the point here or you are just twisting words.
Regardless of your terminology you use, whether you say unlisted or delete, it doesn't change the fact that the listing is no longer there, it has gone, it is no longer visible.
This also does not change the fact that Vendasta explicitly told me that this WOULD NOT happen, that all listing would remain intact and online, which obviously is not the case.
I am also not sure what you are talking about overlaying existing information.
I have tested this myself, and LSP is NOT able to import or use any existing listing, because it is already owned by someone else.
I have also confirmed this multiple times with Vendasta support.
The only solution is to delete any existing listings and then re-create it using LSP or to contact the directory service and ask them to change the owner.
If LSP cannot access the existing listing, then it obviously cannot overlay anything over the top of it.
Hey Russ great insight and thank you. So now knowing this, we/I have to look at this as a retention strategy to keep your clients as your clients. However, it is a double edged sword and can come back and bite us. Depending how it approached...hopefully from an ethical standpoint you would have to tell them that if they leave your firm all of the work done to position them would be effected negatively. So overall that sucks that you were told one thing and then after your due diligence you discovered the opposite and to get no explanation for the opposing opinions is suspect to me. Thanks again for sharing, very interested to hear how you will address this situation, please share might have to place it in a "best practices" catergory.
Bill
yes you could see it as a positive way of retaining customers, as long as they do not see it as a way of holding them hostage.
Have you come up with a strategy to address this concern? Did Vendasta give you a solid answer to why the insight provided previously was opposite?
I can certainly see where you are coming from but I don't have a problem with this. I sell it as a service (part of a package). This used to be an Annual package that has monthly options now this protects us as an agency form paying a year upfront and then having them cancel.
I don't see this as holding them hostage but rather they are paying for a service and there is value in paying for that each and every month. Thanks for posting the information that will ensure we set proper expectations with our clients.
The contradictory information from Vendasta is 1 thing. Still waiting to hear why this is the case. And clarification on several things:
1) If a listing existed before LSP, and client cancels service after LSP, does the data revert back to what was there previously? Or does it leave the listing, but completely blank out the data? Or does it delete/unpublish the listing entirely?
2) Same question if there was no listing at all for a particular service...what happens if LSP creates the initial listing, and then client cancels: Does it leave the listing, but completely blank out the data? Or does it delete/unpublish the listing entirely?
3 Other concerns regarding the issue iteself:
1) Very difficult objection to overcome, if it is indeed raised by a client. Any good business owner is going to be re reluctant to allow their listings to be "taken over" at risk of being deleted in the future.
2) Sales people are gonna do what they need to do to close a sale. If the question does not get asked, and they are close to closing, they might converniently "forget" to mention it, even if policy is to be transparent.
3) If a a client does cancel service, and they either were not told, or forget that they were told, the potential for a negative review of OUR BUSINESS would be bad. This particular service is one that is a core part of the platform.
Just not sure how to handle this right now.
since LSP does not have access to any pre-existing listing, it also won't be able to delete them either.
Russ,
Thanks for testing this. I was wondering because that is how Yext operates and I see Yext is now a vendor. It is also the reason I never want to use Yext and was looking for an alternative. It is also unfortunate that Vendasta support was not up front about this.
bummer.
As a Yext Partner, we can’t speak specifically to their operations, but we are happy to help clear up any questions.
I still have not seen a clear answer...
1) If a listing existed before LSP, and client cancels service after LSP, does the data revert back to what was there previously? Or does it leave the listing, but completely blank out the data? Or does it delete/unpublish the listing entirely?
2) Same question if there was no listing at all for a particular service…what happens if LSP creates the initial listing, and then client cancels: Does it leave the listing, but completely blank out the data? Or does it delete/unpublish the listing entirely?
3 Other concerns regarding the issue itself:
1) Very difficult objection to overcome, if it is indeed raised by a client. Any good business owner is going to be re reluctant to allow their listings to be “taken over” at risk of being deleted in the future.
2) Sales people are gonna do what they need to do to close a sale. If the question does not get asked, and they are close to closing, they might converniently “forget” to mention it, even if policy is to be transparent.
3) If a a client does cancel service, and they either were not told, or forget that they were told, the potential for a negative review of OUR BUSINESS would be bad. This particular service is one that is a core part of the platform.