Follow-up client calls: the human factor in the ranking
Testimonials on a provider’s own website are chosen by the specialist themselves. That is why we call clients ourselves, and draw lots to decide which ones. The follow-up client calls provide a maximum of 20 of the 100 points.
How it works, step by step
- The specialist provides at least eight clients from the past 24 months, with their permission.
- The editorial team chooses three of them by lot.
- Someone with no tie to the specialist makes the call, about fifteen minutes per call, with twelve fixed questions.
- Answers are scored from 0 to 10; we only publish one quote with permission.
- If a client cannot be reached, a new draw follows. The specialist never chooses a replacement.
- If the client’s story does not match the case study, that case drops to the lowest level on the evidence ladder.
How the 20 points are divided
| Component | Points | Example question |
|---|---|---|
| Would choose again | 6 | Would you hire this specialist again? |
| Results according to the client | 5 | What has changed for your business? |
| Communication and reporting | 4 | Did you understand what was being done and why? |
| Promise versus reality | 3 | Did what was promised beforehand come true? |
| Own implementation | 2 | Who did the work: the specialist or you yourself? |
For specialists
Register for the follow-up client calls of edition 1. Ask your clients in advance for permission to pass on their details. What happens to that data is set out in the privacy statement on follow-up call data.
Frequently asked questions
What are follow-up client calls?
The editorial team calls clients of a specialist and asks twelve fixed questions about results, communication and what was actually done. See also: Measuring AI mentions: branded searches and direct traffic as evidence.
How many clients do you call per specialist?
Three, chosen by lot from a list of at least eight clients from the past 24 months. See also: Best GEO agency: how to recognise a fair ranking.
Who makes the calls?
A member of the editorial team with no tie to the assessed specialist. If there is any doubt about a tie, someone else calls. See also: Best (local) GEO specialist.
How long does a call take?
About fifteen minutes. The client does not need to prepare anything. See also: AI visibility tally sheet.
Are the answers published?
The scores are, the names of clients are not. We only publish one quote per specialist with the client’s permission.
What if a client is negative?
Then that counts towards the score. A critical answer is precisely the reason we call ourselves instead of reading testimonials.
What if the case study and the client’s story do not match?
Then the case drops to the lowest level on the evidence ladder. We note the discrepancy on the scorecard.
Why draw lots?
Because a specialist who picks three clients will always pick their three most satisfied clients. Drawing lots makes the follow-up calls fair.
Is client data kept?
Only for as long as needed for the edition. After that we keep the scores and delete the contact details. See the privacy statement.
How many points do the follow-up calls provide?
A maximum of 20 of the 100 points, spread over five questions: would choose again, results, communication, promise versus reality and own implementation.