Online HVAC Reviews: How to Tell If They’re Real

With the propagation of online review sites came an unfortunate, though likely inevitable, consequence: the introduction of fake reviews. Unsavory businesses across virtually every industry have taken to hiring people to create false online reviews—some businesses even use automated programs to post lots of computer-generated reviews across a wide range of platforms.

If you’re trying to identify the best HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO, these fake reviews could pose a significant problem. It can be challenging to find a trustworthy, reputable repair professional that you feel comfortable trusting. Learning how to sift through online reviews can empower you to make better HVAC maintenance and repair decisions.

When trying to find a company that you can count on to perform your HVAC repair in St. Louis, MO, here are a few tips you can keep in mind to help you determine the veracity of online reviews:

  • Stick to reliable sites: One of the most significant things that you can do to avoid being duped by fake reviews is sticking to well-known, reliable review sites, like Yelp and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). These sites depend on their reputation to stay in business, so they’re very proactive about removing fake reviews when identified.
  • Look at the review dates: If there are a lot of positive or negative reviews left on a company in short succession, it’s likely an indication that a bot was used to review the HVAC company in question. Lots of reviews left in a short period are indicative of unsavory activity.
  • Examine the details: When real people leave reviews, they usually provide lots of details, like the type of service they hired the company for, and the timeframe of installation, maintenance or repair. Fake reviews, on the other hand, tend to be vague, and could apply to virtually any industry or company.
  • Never trust reviews that praise competition: If you ever find reviews that slam the company in question while praising local competition, it’s likely an indicator that the reviews are fake. Reviewers seldom feel the need to promote another company in a negative review. If there are multiple reviews praising the same competitor, that’s a red flag.
  • Search the review text: If the review looks like it’s a cookie-cutter response, that’s probably because it is! Plugging the review text into your search engine of choice is a great way to determine whether or not a review has been used multiple times. Fake reviews are often recycled across companies and platforms.

Since 1999, Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling has been one of the top HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO. We’re proud to provide each and every one of our clients with high-quality heating and cooling equipment service and maintenance that they can count on. We install, maintain and repair residential heating and cooling systems. To learn more about our extensive range of services and products, including HVAC repair in St. Louis, MO, contact one of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives today.