For customers
Tough conditions require a little patience
Currently things are really, really tough for a lot of trades around the country and despite a building boom, significant factors and stressors have created a set of extremely difficult conditions. Business owners are under considerable strain and homeowners and...
NoCowboys’ points of difference
To have pioneered online reviews in New Zealand and to have kept in step with an ever changing digital landscape for over 16 years is no mean feat. That we continue to evolve and grow Kiwi businesses online as well as offering the best information to consumers, isn't...
When times are tough – reputation is essential
One need only glance at whichever news platform you prefer to know that we are currently in difficult times. Inflation and interest rates are rising, consumer prices for essentials are increasing and despite the government reducing fuel taxes, the cost of fuel keeps...
Lack of real oversight when it come to reviews
I have a friend who runs a business - a financial advisor and accountant, whose services I use. She told me a story recently about a mysterious phone call she received a few months ago from someone she knew was an ex-employer who resented her leaving his business and...
Reviews, the far more powerful endorsement
In my last piece I wrote about branding and reviews and since then I've had the opportunity to talk with colleagues and think further on the subject and realised I had missed another feature of traditional branding that is trumped by authenticated online reviews -...
Reviews are the new brand, only more effective
Brand, the buzzword for advertising for so many decades, has changed substantially from what it once was since the advent and supremacy of online commerce. Years ago brand was the holy grail for businesses and by extension advertising companies. Brand was splashed...
Abusing reviews for personal vendettas
Online reviews are to meant give guidance to our peers based on our experiences and subjective opinions. Unfortunately, if allowed to be, they can also be used to damage the reputations of businesses when absolutely no service was provided or product purchased. When...
The power of the apology
In a perfect storm of irony I was all set to write about the power of apology in business this week, and wouldn't you know it, I was served up the ideal how not do it by celebrities in Lalaland. For those of you who missed it, Will Smith decided to let rage and...
Retail vs online shopping
I'm old enough to remember those crazy, carefree days before the internet where shopping was a physical pursuit and an adventure. Obviously a lot has changed since then and sometimes I have to check myself about my own consumer behaviours, especially over the past two...
Facebook marketing? Yeah nah
In our last piece I analysed some of the main takeaway points form BrightLocal's 2022 annual online consumer survey that established the near total reliance consumers have in reading online reviews before contacting businesses. One point in the survey results has...
NoCowboys online platform is nothing less than marketing gold
One of the greatest things about NoCowboys' online marketing platform is that it requires minimal time and attention and if set up properly, regularly updated, with consistent and recent reviews, it essentially takes care of itself. So well, in fact, that one of the...
FAQs for business owners who know little about NoCowboys or online reviews
Over the years I have heard practically every question about our review platform from business owners with some or small knowledge about us. Some raise objections, that are always countered with brief explanations. I thought it be good idea to offer some of them here...
Dodgy company charges for free Google sites
NoCowboys began in 2006 for two reasons - to give Kiwi consumers access to the best information to make informed decisions on who to hire (and who not to) and to create a platform for New Zealand tradies and businesses to harness the power of their reputations,...
In reviews – 25th February ’24
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. The buck sotps here Making mistakes on the job isn't always the end of the world and this one at least raised a few...
In reviews – 18th February ’24
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Sterling effort from firefighters battling Port Hills blazes Only seven years ago the Port Hills in Christchurch...
In reviews – 11th February ’24
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Feat given record status, finally You spend seven years knocking together a faithful reproduction of Paris' Eiffel...
In reviews – 4th February ’24
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Heartwarming tale of generous stranger You're working in your garden, minding your own business and some randomer...
In reviews – 28th January ’24
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. We need to question the traffic management rort. An recent article in the New Zealand Herald made me realise that...
In reviews – 21st January ’24
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. 'Theft' grey area makes for a ripping yarn Laying waste to the well established schoolyard maxim of 'finders...
In reviews – 13th January ’24
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Huge spider a big boon for science I know loads of people are terrified of our arachnid pals and even the thought of...
In reviews – 5th January ’24
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Incredible aversion of what could have been a total disaster We've been hearing for years that flying has become...
In reviews – 30th December ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. New Year's Eve - the big carnival As I write this I can hear the din from a few neighbourhood day before New Year's...
In reviews – 21st December ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Some things are so mad that they may just be great Nothing beats a quirky food or beverage 'invention' and this one...
In reviews – 13th December ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. With Christmas a week and a half away - this week's reviews are all related to our favourite holiday. Christmas...
In reviews – 7th December ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Maybe get a garden gnome? Some people love quirky ornaments or sculptures to enliven their garden spaces but a couple...
In reviews – 1st December ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Not all heroes wear capes Each week I send hours looking for appropriate stories to review and I have to admit, it...
In reviews – 22nd November ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Rules are rules, but sometimes clemency is the right move If you've ever watched the Kiwi version of Border Patrol,...
In reviews – 14th October ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Coalition talks drag on and on and on It's a month ago that we went to the polls and cast our votes in the general...
In reviews – 7th October ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Band that no longer exists releases new single Music and pop culture icons from the 1960s utilise cutting edge...
In reviews – 31st October ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. The Garden City I've lived in Auckland for 18 years and a few weeks ago I took mock offence when someone called me a...
In reviews – 24th October ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. All Blacks can set new record How strange it is that in a few days the All Blacks will be competing against one of...
In reviews – 17 October ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Protecting our vulnerable I've talked about his before but I have recently been reminded that changing technologies...
In reviews – 10th October ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Moronic vandals in UK try to kill famous tree Sometimes you read things online that just stop you in your tracks...
In reviews – 3rd October ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Spring - a real beaut! I love Spring. It is by far my favourite season and after a challenging winter that felt as...
In reviews – 27th September ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. How about honest prices at our airports? When I went to Sydney a week ago I packed a good number of Whittaker's...
In reviews – 19th September ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. The Warriors take to the Knights to advance toward final I'm no league expert...
In reviews – 12th September ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Google needs to play fair Last week I said we would look at overseas companies doing all they can to avoid paying...
In reviews – 5th September ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. It's time to focus on supporting local Kiwi businesses NoCowboys is a 100% New Zealand owned, operated, and located...
In reviews – 29th August ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Rugby World Cup 2023 and it's wide open Next weekend the Rugby World Cup kicks off in France with the first game...
In reviews – 22nd August ’23
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. NBR deep sixing opinion columns The New Zealand Herald reported last week that the NBR (National Business Review)...
In reviews – 12th August ’23
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Tradies Each week I sift through the online news looking for inspiring stories to lift the gloom. Truth be told,...
In reviews 5th August ’23
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Not all heroes wear capes Seems we all need a reminder about social etiquette and respect every now and again and...
In reviews 28 July ’23
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. In reviews 28 July '23 The health benefits of coffee Don't tell anybody but one of my last thoughts at night is how...
In reviews 21 July ’23
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. In reviews 21 July '23 NZ Police in Auckland We may grumble about the police occasionally but huge kudos to the...
In reviews 13 July ’23
Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Joe Bennett hailing the plumbing trade Joe Bennett has a way with words and is one of the more learned and lucid...
In reviews 6 July ’23
Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead - to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. The FIFA Women's World Cup Kicking off at Eden Park, Auckland on the 20th of this month, the tournament promises to...
Key questions for every business owner
NoCowboys has been in business long enough to know what works and what doesn't when it comes to marketing. We pioneered online reviews from the days when online feedback was in its infancy. Since then we have helped tens of thousands of New Zealand businesses grow and...
Negative reviews are part of an honest assessment of a business
Because I am in the online review business, I read as much as I can about reviews, how consumers read and use reviews, and how much reviews help businesses online. Personally, I find the whole thing fascinating and so many times when I'm reading about consumer...