Online postings about hotels, restaurants, hairdressers, electricians: How much can you trust the views of a total stranger when it comes to deciding what to buy, where to go and whose skills and services to employ? How do review sites monitor their online ratings and ensure they're genuine? Evan Davis and guests discuss the power of user-generated reviews that can make or break a business. What can firms do to limit the damage of a bad review and how can they maximise a positive review?

Guests:

Stephen Kaufer, President and CEO, TripAdvisor

Colleen Curtis, Vice President, European Marketing, Yelp

Kevin Byrne, Founder and CEO, Checkatrade

Producer: Sally Abrahams.