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Quick Links: Why Orphan Listings? | Listing on behalf of the business | How to Plug an Orphan | Plug Points

If the business you want to Plug is not listed... you can make an Orphan Plug

You still get Plug Points for Plugging an Orphan

Plugging an Orphan is in effect listing the business on behalf of the owner

You can create as many Orphan listings as you like (so long as they deserve a Plug!)

If the business is already listed as an Orphan, you can add your Plug to its page

or the long winded version

Why Orphan Listings?

iplug is all about changing the habits of New Zealanders and improving customer service. We WANT Kiwis to Plug businesses when they perform well. If all New Zealanders took Plugging to heart, our lives would all improve out of sight.

BUT this can't happen in a vacuum. We're realistic enough to know that not every business in New Zealand will list on our site immediately. Which raises the question;

What happens if you're pleased by the service you receive from a business and you want to give it a Plug... but they're not listed?

The answer is that you can make an Orphan Plug.

Listing on behalf of the business

When you make an Orphan Plug, what you are in effect doing is Listing the unlisted business on iplug in order to Plug them.

If you wish to give a Plug to a business that isn't listed, you enter the details of that business (the ones you know) and then go ahead with your comment. The Plug will be searchable, as will the business itself.

In fact, when you search for a particular business to Plug, you may actually find that it's already an Orphan Listing. If this is the case, just add your Plug.

Isn't this just a free Listing?

In a way. But an Orphan Listing carries very few of the benefits of a fully listed business.

Orphans on iplug display the business name and location only (and the details displayed are those listed by the Plugger, which may not be 100% accurate)

No contact details, business services, links to a website or marketing message for the business is displayed for Orphan listings

Orphan businesses always come at the end of the Listed businesses in the search results

Only listed businesses can link back to their iplug Plug Rating

Only listed businesses can respond to a Slap

If a business wants to utilise iplug to the best of its capabilities, they will have to List. Full stop.

A very good Orphan business with several Plugs will always reside below listed businesses, no matter how many Plugs they might have – if any.

In time, we expect that businesses who refuse to List will only do so because they are worried about what their customers might say about them. At least that might be the public perception.

At any event, a business that is happy to collect Plugs without isting properly is welcome to do so. These are the people who sit on the roof of the house outside the stadium and watch half of a rugby test match. All power to them... but the view's not anywhere near as good as inside the stadium.

What happens to Orphans after they're listed?

If a Plugger lists an Orphan business and Plugs it, iplug staff will endeavour to contact the business owner or manager and let them know they've received a Plug.

If one of their customers has liked them enough to Plug them, the chances are that several more will feel the same. Only when they are receiving the full benefit of iplug can they promote themselves to past and present customers.

How do I Plug an Orphan?

First, search for the business. Make sure it's not already listed. Try broadening your search if necessary. For example you might search for O'Brian's Laundry, and it's actually O'Brien's. Or you can search by type of business and location alone; in this case search for Laundry and the suburb or town. It's also possible that the place you know as O'Brien's Laundry is actually Newfield Laundry, and old Mister O'Brien died years ago. If you know the address (approximate), you can even search for that. If there's only one Laundry in High Street where you live, that's probably the one.
Next, once you have determined that the business is not listed, click on the Make an Orphan Plug link on the Search Results page. (If you're not LOGGED IN you will be asked to do so, or Register.)
List as many of the details about the business as you can. Try to get at least the NAME or the ADDRESS exactly right.
Make your Plug.

A note about Plug Points

In order to earn Plug Points from listing an Orphan business, we must be able to contact that business.

That means that a minimum amount of contact details will be required – or the Plug Point may be removed. Simply listing the business as 'THE BURGER PLACE ON HIGH STREET' is not enough.

Do some research of your own. If you don't know the business name or address, look it up in the phone book or note it down the next time you're passing

Did they give you a business card? Copy the details from the card into the listing form on iplug

Any information you can give us the better. There will be prizes soon for Pluggers who list the most Orphans!

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