Log-In or Sign-Up

Dispute Resolution Process

In the event of a complaint or negative review submitted through the RatePoint service, businesses and consumers have an opportunity to interact through a RatePoint-moderated dispute resolution process. It is important to understand that the dispute resolution process is private and intended to open up a direct communication between the business and customer. No communications as part of the dispute resolution process will be posted to RatePoint or the RatePoint members' site seal.  If the issue is resolved to satisfaction, the negative review does not impact a businesses overall business rating.

When a negative review (a review of one (1) or two (2) stars is submitted, customers are required to go through a telephone authentication before the review is sent to the business.  This verification is intended to make sure that a complaint is legitimate, comes from a real customer, and that the customer is open and willing to having a business response to their issue.  As a RatePoint member, you've committed to respond to negative reviews and go through the resolution process. 

How the Dispute Resolution Process Works:
The dispute resolution process automatically kicks off when a customer submits an authenticated review with a rating of one (1) or two (2) stars. The process is as follows:

1. Customer submits a review with one (1) or two (2) stars, and is authenticated via telephone. Reviews must fall within the review guidelines, and may be flagged if they do not adhere.
    
2. RatePoint member receives email notification that a negative review has been submitted, and dispute resolution process is automatically initiated.  An alert is posted to the business center portal under 'Disputes'.
   
   
3. Immediately after a one (1) or two (2) star review is submitted, both the business and consumer receive an email indicating that a dispute/negative review has been submitted and that the resolution process has started. The business then has seven (7) days to post a first response to the customer. 
   
   
4. From this point, each party will communicate during the designated time period -- and each response must be completed within seven (7) days.   Each party will be notified via email that a response has been posted in the RatePoint dispute resolution center.  All responses must be submitted via the RatePoint dispute resolution center. These responses will not be posted and are intended for the business and customer to correspond directly with one another. 
   
   
5. Posting Guidelines:
• If the business does not respond at any point within the designated period of time, the original review (assuming it adheres to our review guidelines and is a legitimate, accurate dispute/complaint) will be posted.
•  If the consumer does not participate in the dispute resolution process within the designated period of time, the review will not be posted. 
• If the dispute cannot be resolved within the designated period of time -- despite participation in the process from both sides, the original review will posted with the business' management response. 
• If the dispute is resolved within the designated period of time the business may choose not to publish the review. 
  
  
6. On occasion, RatePoint may remove a review or request that a review be resubmitted. Generally these instances are because a review may feature inappropriate language or personal attacks on an individual, business or other reviewer. Reviews may also be removed if they're focused on second-hand experience or contain statements that claim to be fact, but aren't actually proven.