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In an era where online reviews can make or break a business, companies are increasingly turning to advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to protect their reputation. In fact, thanks to a series of impressive releases earlier this year, which saw record-breaking user growth for the latest AI solutions from OpenAI and Google, AI is now the name of the game. The global artificial intelligence market is estimated to exceed $6 trillion by 2026, and more than 44 percent of private sector companies are already planning to invest in AI solutions in 2023.

There are also a lot of companies that are already utilizing or developing AI-based solutions to manage their online reputation. For example, GetDandy is an online customer review management and reputation automation platform that utilizes AI to automatically identify and dispute illegitimate reviews, and many companies have now turned to such AI tools to manage their online reputation.

Using a combination of proprietary technologies and ChatGPT, GetDandy also offers personalized, automated replies to reviews, helping businesses save time and resources while maintaining their online image. We asked the company's forward-thinking founder, Alex Bellini, about his experience leveraging the latest AI tools to enhance his services and improve customer satisfaction.

The rise of AI in reputation management

In the recent past, artificial intelligence has been leaving its mark across various industries, with marketing, reputation management, and public relations being no exception. In fact, an estimated 80 percent of marketers are now using AI in some capacity, and big names, like IBM and Salesforce, are heavily invested in AI-based marketing technology.

There are numerous companies developing AI-based solutions that enable businesses to automate tasks and improve engagement with their customers, and GetDandy is leading the charge in revolutionizing online reputation management. According to Alex Bellini, "[GetDandy's] goal is to help businesses save time and money by automating the process of identifying illegitimate reviews, disputing them with review sites, like Google, TripAdvisor, Facebook, and OpenTable, and crafting personalized responses using [its] ChatGPT integration. Our mission is to be THE reputation automation platform and continue helping more and more businesses."

Specifically, GetDandy uses ChatGPT to craft personalized and local SEO-optimized replies to reviews, which ensures that each response appears authentic and unique. This automation allows businesses to engage with customers efficiently, improving their online reputation and saving valuable time that can be allocated to other areas of their business. Taking this a step further, GetDandy's AI powered automation also automatically posts these replies on the business' behalf.

"Thanks to ChatGPT, businesses no longer have to spend countless hours manually replying to reviews. Our technology ensures a personal touch in every response, which helps businesses attract new customers and retain existing ones, and auto-posts these replies on their behalf, which saves countless hours," Bellini elaborates.

A prime example of GetDandy's impact can be seen in the case study of Biscuits Cafe, a multi location restaurant group across three US states. The restaurant faced issues due to illegitimate negative reviews that were left by competitors, disgruntled employees, and even bots.

The business group teamed up with GetDandy to remove these reviews and implemented its online reputation management solution. Since the start of the campaign, GetDandy was able to remove over 500 illegitimate negative reviews and helped reply to over 3,000 reviews using ChatGPT and AI. "By implementing GetDandy's AI-powered solutions, Biscuits Cafe was able to focus on growing the business while we took care of their online reputation. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved," says Bellini.

Avoiding the pitfalls

While AI-powered tools have undoubtedly revolutionized online reputation management, they are not without their challenges. Bellini advises businesses exploring AI for reputation management to proceed with caution and be mindful of potential pitfalls.

One major concern in using AI for reputation management is ensuring accuracy and avoiding false positives when identifying illegitimate reviews. Bellini admits that earlier iterations of GetDandy's proprietary technology sometimes flagged genuine reviews as fraudulent, leading to unnecessary disputes with review sites. To overcome this, GetDandy has continuously refined its algorithms and incorporated human oversight to minimize errors.

"Though AI is a powerful tool, it's essential to strike the right balance between automation and human intervention. We've learned from our past mistakes and have taken steps to improve our system by implementing checks and balances. This ensures that the AI does the heavy lifting, but humans ultimately make the final call when necessary," Bellini explained.

Another pitfall Bellini highlights are the ethical considerations of automating review responses. While GetDandy's ChatGPT-powered technology allows for personalized and authentic replies, businesses must use this tool responsibly to maintain transparency with their customers. To address this issue, GetDandy encourages clients to step in personally when a customer's feedback requires a more genuine human interaction.

The bottom line

As more companies recognize the importance of their online reputation, GetDandy's AI-powered services are proving to be an invaluable asset. By utilizing advanced technologies to reshape online reputation management, GetDandy is helping businesses protect their image, improve customer engagement, and grow in an increasingly digital world.