Managing Customers & Understanding the Dashboard
Create your first test customer and explore the platform from both agency and customer perspectives.
Navigate to the Customers section and click "Add Customer." Use realistic test data — create "Joe's Pizza Shop" rather than "Test Account 1." This helps you understand how real customer data will display throughout the platform.
The assigned plan immediately determines what features and limits this customer has access to — a crucial concept when training your sales team or explaining the platform to prospects.
Assign the Right Plan
Start with your middle tier (typically "Professional") — this gives access to most features for testing while helping you understand limits real customers will experience. You can always change the plan later, which is itself a valuable test.
Account Overview
Current plan, billing status, usage statistics, and account health at a glance — quick insight into customer value delivery
Activity Logs
All customer actions including logins, review responses, campaign sends, and configuration changes — essential for troubleshooting
Configuration Access
Modify customer settings, update integrations, adjust notifications, and manage team members without requiring the customer to log in
Plan Override
Modify specific limits or features for individual customers without changing their plan — powerful for closing deals and retention
The Power of Plan Override
Imagine a prospect who loves your Professional plan but needs one extra integration only available in Enterprise. Instead of losing the deal, override that specific limitation for this customer. They stay on Professional pricing but get the feature they need. Always document overrides and set a review date to prevent "override creep."
The ability to log in as a customer lets you experience exactly what your customer sees, in their environment, with their specific plan limitations. Use it frequently during setup and testing — it's the only way to truly understand the customer experience and prepare accurate training materials.
Customer login is also invaluable for support. When a customer reports an issue, logging in as them lets you see exactly what they're experiencing and replicate problems in their specific configuration.
From the Manage Customer view, click "Login as Customer." You'll see a banner showing you're logged in as that customer, with an option to return to your agency dashboard. Everything you do while impersonating appears as actions taken by the agency administrator.
Core Reputation Management Workflow
Connecting review sources, analytics, widgets, and daily reputation management operations.
Connecting Google is typically the first integration most customers will set up. The "Public Access" method connects to publicly available Google Business Profile data using the business's Place ID — no OAuth authentication or special API permissions required.
Navigate to Integrations
From customer dashboard: Settings → Integrations → Add Review Source
Select Google
Choose Google from the list of available review sources
Choose Public Access
Select the Public Access connection method for simplest setup
Enter Business Information
Provide business name or Google Place ID to identify the correct profile
Wait for Sync
Platform automatically begins importing existing reviews
Connection confirmed, sync initiated, status shows "syncing in progress"
Recent reviews (last 30 days) appear first, analytics begin calculating
Historical reviews imported, full analytics available, widgets can be created
Platform checks for new reviews every 4–24 hours depending on plan
The Analytics dashboard is where data transforms into actionable insights. Pay special attention to trends over time — a business with a 4.2 rating trending upward is in better shape than one with a 4.5 rating that's declining.
Shareable Analytics Dashboards
Generate a unique URL that displays real-time analytics without requiring login credentials — perfect for business owners, franchise operators, or board members who want visibility without platform complexity. Set public or password-protected. Auto-updates as reviews sync.
A good review response should be authentic, specific, and brand-aligned. Avoid generic templates. For negative reviews, acknowledge the issue, apologize sincerely, explain what you'll do to prevent recurrence, and offer to resolve the situation offline.
- Respond promptly — aim for same-day responses, especially for negative reviews
- Keep it concise — 50–100 words is usually sufficient
- Match tone to review — enthusiastic for positive, professional for negative
- Include keywords naturally — helps with local SEO without sounding spammy
- Personalize it — use reviewer's name if provided
- Avoid arguments — never debate or get defensive publicly
- Take it offline — provide contact info for detailed issue resolution
- Proofread — grammar errors undermine professionalism
Preview: AI Review Replies (Part 7)
AI Reply generates contextually appropriate responses matching your configured brand voice. It handles both positive and negative reviews with appropriate tone. Use AI suggestions as-is, edit before posting, or ignore and write manually. Think of AI as your always-available reply assistant, not a replacement for human judgment.
Widgets transform reviews from private metrics into public marketing assets, displaying your best reviews directly on your website. The platform provides live preview as you adjust settings. Once configured, copy the generated embed code into your website's HTML — responsive and auto-updating.
Carousel Widget
Rotating display showing one review at a time — perfect for homepage hero sections
Grid Widget
Multiple reviews displayed simultaneously — ideal for dedicated testimonial pages
Floating Badge
Compact rating display — great for persistent corner visibility on every page
- Filter by RatingShow only 4–5 star reviews. Set minimum rating to 4 stars to exclude neutral/negative reviews from public display.
- Filter by SourceCreate a Google-only widget for your homepage or a Facebook-only widget for social media landing pages.
- Filter by KeywordA "Service" page widget showing only reviews mentioning "customer service" or "support team."
- Manual CurationHand-pick your most detailed, articulate 5-star reviews for your About page.
The Social Image Designer transforms text reviews into branded graphics for social media posts, email newsletters, or printed materials. Create images sized for Instagram, Facebook ads, Twitter cards, or custom dimensions.
Select a Review
Choose a compelling positive review — look for specific, detailed testimonials that tell a story
Choose Template
Pick from pre-designed templates optimized for different social platforms and aesthetic styles
Customize Design
Adjust colors to match brand, add logo, select background image, modify text placement
Preview & Export
Review final design across device sizes, then download in appropriate format for your target platform
Pro Tip: Batch Creation
Create 10–15 social images at once and schedule them across your social calendar over the next month. This turns an hour of work into weeks of authentic marketing content.
Getting More Reviews: Feedback Forms & Campaigns
Systematically request reviews from happy customers and protect your reputation from unhappy ones.
Feedback Form
Customer's first touchpoint — collects rating and decides next step based on satisfaction level
Positive Path (4–5 ★)
Happy customers directed to leave public review on Google, Facebook, etc.
Negative Path (1–3 ★)
Unhappy customers directed to private feedback form to capture issues before they go public
Results
More positive public reviews, fewer negative surprises, actionable feedback for improvement
Navigate to Get More Reviews → Feedback Forms → Create Form. Start simple: welcoming message, 5-star rating question, then conditional logic sending 4–5 star raters to Google while sending 1–3 star raters to a private feedback form.
Keep It Short
Every additional field reduces completion rate. Most effective forms have 1–3 questions maximum plus the rating.
Mobile-First Design
Most customers complete forms on smartphones. Ensure large, easy-to-tap buttons and minimal typing required.
Brand Consistency
Customers should immediately recognize this as coming from your business, not a generic survey.
Clear Value Exchange
"Your feedback helps us serve you better" is stronger than just "Help us improve."
The platform provides a proven 4-step campaign sequence that balances persistence with politeness, based on response rate data showing most people need multiple touchpoints before taking action.
Step 1: Initial Invitation
First request for feedback sent immediately or after configured delay. Most responses come from this message. Appreciative tone, make it easy to respond.
Step 2: Gentle Reminder
Polite follow-up for non-responders only. Acknowledges they're busy but reiterates value of their feedback. "Takes just 60 seconds."
Step 3: Final Request
Last outreach for non-responders. Creates light urgency. "Last chance to share your feedback!"
Done
Step 4: Thank You (Conditional)
Triggered when customer completes form. Automated thank you sent immediately, reinforcing appreciation and maintaining the relationship.
Timing Matters
Sweet spot is typically 2–7 days after purchase/service completion. B2B businesses often extend to Day 0/7/14. Urgent service industries might compress to Day 0/2/4. All steps — subject lines, body text, timing, email vs SMS — are fully editable.
Email & SMS Setup with Brevo
Configure the communication infrastructure that makes review campaigns actually work.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) handles both email and SMS through a single account and API integration — eliminating the complexity of managing separate providers. Their free tier allows 300 emails per day and pay-as-you-go SMS pricing, letting you get started without upfront costs.
Critical: IP Whitelisting Required
You must whitelist the Rankuply platform IP address in your Brevo account for messages to send. Without this, all campaign invites will fail with authentication errors.
Log into Brevo account
Navigate to Settings → API & Integrations
Find IP Whitelisting section
Look for "IP Whitelisting" or "Authorized IPs"
Add IP Address
Enter 49.13.0.216 exactly — no extra spaces or characters
Wait 2–3 minutes
Allow changes to propagate before testing
Create Brevo Account
Sign up at brevo.com using an agency email to maintain control
Generate API Key
Settings → API Keys → Create New. Copy immediately — shown only once
Whitelist Platform IP
Add 49.13.0.216 to authorized IPs — mandatory for message delivery
Verify Sending Domain
Add your domain and complete DNS verification — dramatically improves deliverability
Set Providers as Default — Critical Step
Having a provider connected isn't enough — it must be marked as "default." After connecting Brevo for both email and SMS, explicitly set it as default for each channel. Forgetting to set defaults is the #1 reason campaigns fail to send even with providers properly configured. Error logs will show "No default provider set."
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No email/SMS provider configured | Customer hasn't connected Brevo or other provider | Settings → Integrations → configure provider |
| Default provider not set | Provider connected but not marked as default | Edit provider settings → Set as Default |
| Provider authentication failed | API credentials invalid or expired | Reconnect provider with current credentials |
| Sending limit reached | Hit provider's hourly/daily sending quota | Wait for limit reset or upgrade provider plan |
| Invalid email format / phone number | Recipient contact info formatted incorrectly | Verify and correct recipient details |
| Email bounced / SMS blocked | Email doesn't exist or number opted out | Remove invalid contact from list |
Testing Review Invites: The Full Workflow
With providers configured, test the complete review generation workflow end to end.
You'll notice a prominent "Send Invites" button in the top-left of the customer dashboard. This provides quick access to the invite sending workflow without navigating through menus. It opens a streamlined interface where customers can add individual contacts or bulk import lists, then immediately send invites through their active campaigns.
When training customers, always demonstrate the "Send Invites" button approach first. Save the advanced campaign editing workflow for sophisticated users who want fine-grained control.
Bulk Import via CSV
Upload hundreds of contacts at once. Required columns: First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone. Use E.164 format for phone numbers: +12125551234. Provide customers with a CSV template they can download, fill in, and re-upload to eliminate format errors.
The Activity view shows each invite with status indicators: Delivered, Opened, Clicked, Completed, Bounced, or Failed. This shows exactly where the funnel breaks down — are people not opening? Opening but not clicking? Each scenario requires different optimization.
Testing the Negative Review Safety Net
Send a test invite and select a 1–2 star rating on the feedback form. Instead of being redirected to Google, you'll be routed to a private feedback form. This "negative review firewall" prevents reputation damage before it occurs — often the most compelling ROI story for reputation management services.
Complete Positive Path
Select 4–5 stars on the feedback form to be redirected to Google for a public review. Tests the full happy-customer flow.
Review Private Feedback
Navigate to Get More Reviews → Private Feedback. All negative-path submissions appear here as your "issues to address" queue.
QR Codes
Scannable links bridging the physical and digital worlds for on-location review generation.
QR codes offer a simple, scannable way for customers to access your feedback forms — perfect for physical locations, printed receipts, table cards, or any marketing materials. They bridge the physical and digital worlds, making it easier for customers to provide feedback on the spot.
Navigate to the QR Codes section in your platform. Create a new QR code and link it directly to the feedback form you designed earlier. Once created, download the QR code image.
Always Test Before Printing
After creating, download the QR code image and scan it with your smartphone, or paste the generated link into an incognito browser window. Verify it directs to the correct feedback form and that the form functions properly before distributing any printed materials.
QR Code Tracking
All interactions with your QR code — scans, clicks, and form completions — are tracked within the platform's analytics, giving you insight into its effectiveness across different physical placements.
AI Setup & AI Features
Unlock intelligent automation with AI-powered review responses and auto-respond workflows.
Before using any AI-powered features, configure an AI provider at the agency level via Automation & AI → Artificial Intelligence → Add Provider. This is a one-time setup that enables AI capabilities across all customer accounts.
OpenAI (GPT-4 / GPT-3.5)
Most popular choice. GPT-4 offers superior quality and nuance; GPT-3.5 is faster and more cost-effective. Excellent for natural, conversational responses.
Anthropic (Claude)
Known for thoughtful, detailed responses with strong safety features. Great for businesses requiring careful communication in sensitive industries.
Other Providers
The platform may support additional AI providers. Check documentation for the latest supported models and their specific strengths.
Remember to Set as Default
After configuration, mark your chosen provider as "default" in provider settings. The platform won't know which AI to use unless this is explicitly set — same rule as email/SMS providers.
Return to your test customer account to experience AI-powered features firsthand. Navigate to the Reviews section, click on any review, and select "Generate AI Reply" to see the AI create a contextually appropriate response.
- Does the AI response match the review's tone and sentiment?
- Is it personalized with specific details from the review?
- Does it sound natural and on-brand?
- Would you be comfortable posting this publicly?
Auto Respond automatically generates and posts responses to new reviews without manual intervention — the ultimate time-saver for businesses receiving high volumes of reviews. Navigate to Settings → Auto Respond.
Enable Auto Respond
Toggle on automatic AI-generated replies for incoming reviews
Set Rating Filters
Choose which star ratings trigger auto-responses (e.g., only 4–5 stars, or all ratings)
Approval Mode
Require manual approval before AI responses post publicly, or allow fully automatic posting
Template Fallbacks
Configure static templates as backup if AI generation fails or for specific scenarios
Best Practice: Start with Approval Mode
Start with approval mode enabled until you're confident in the AI's response quality. This lets you review and refine responses before they go live, building trust in the system before fully automating.
AI Review Assistant
Helping customers write better, richer, more detailed reviews in real time.
The AI Review Assistant provides real-time suggestions and prompts as customers type, guiding them to elaborate on their experiences — turning brief feedback like "Great service" into rich testimonials with specific details about what made the experience exceptional.
Navigate to Form Settings
Go to Get More Reviews → Feedback Forms → Edit your form
Find Content & Flow Section
Locate the AI Review Assistant toggle in the form editor
Toggle ON AI Assistant
Enable the feature to activate AI-powered review guidance
Add Business Context
Provide a brief description of your business to help AI generate relevant questions
Preview the Experience
Test the Q&A flow to see how AI will interact with customers before launching
Prerequisites
The AI Review Assistant requires an AI provider to be configured (covered in Part 7). Ensure this is set up before enabling the feature.
Restaurant Example
Ask about specific menu items, ambiance, service quality, and memorable moments
Salon Example
Encourage details about the stylist, specific treatment, results, and overall experience
Retail Example
Prompt for product quality, staff helpfulness, store atmosphere, and shopping experience
Test Before You Launch
Complete your feedback form as if you were a customer, providing both short and detailed responses. Evaluate whether the AI's questions are relevant and helpful, check if custom prompts guide the AI to ask about the right details, and refine business context based on test results.
