Top Reputation Management Companies

NetReputation

NetReputation is a company that helps individuals and businesses manage how they appear online. They focus on monitoring, improving, and controlling digital information to make sure that search results and social media reflect a positive image. Their tools track online mentions and analyze public perception.

The company uses technology to identify negative content and promote positive information. They provide strategies to fix online reputation issues and maintain a strong online presence. Their services are suitable for anyone who wants to manage personal or business information on the internet effectively.

Service

• Online Reputation Monitoring: Tracks mentions of a person or brand across search engines, social media, and review sites to spot potential issues early.
• Negative Content Suppression: Uses search engine optimization (SEO) and content strategies to reduce the visibility of harmful or unwanted content.
• Positive Content Promotion: Creates and shares articles, press releases, and media to highlight favorable information online.
• AI-Powered Sentiment Analysis: Uses artificial intelligence to understand public opinion and detect reputation risks from online comments and posts.
• Personalized Reputation Repair: Provides tailored strategies to address specific online reputation problems for individuals or businesses.
• Review Management: Helps manage customer reviews and respond to feedback to maintain a good online image.
• Crisis Management: Offers quick response services to handle urgent reputation issues.
• Analytics and Reporting: Provides regular reports showing reputation changes and improvements over time.
• Wikipedia Page Services: Creates or manages Wikipedia pages to enhance credibility.
• Personal Branding Services: Supports executives and public figures in building a professional online presence.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.netreputation.com/
• Likely based in the United States
• Estimated founding: mid-2010s
• Pricing: Approximately $500–$10,000+ per month depending on services
• Best Use Case: Individuals or businesses wanting to fix negative online content or maintain a positive digital presence

Personal Review:

NetReputation is strong at using technology to track and improve online presence, making it easier to spot and address issues. A limitation is that some content, like news articles or public records, cannot be removed. Overall, it works well for managing visible reputation but may not fully control all online content.

NP Digital

NP Digital is a digital marketing agency founded by Neil Patel, focused on helping companies manage their online reputation and visibility. They use technology and data analysis to monitor how brands appear on search engines, social media, and review platforms. Their services are aimed at improving how companies are perceived online.

The company combines artificial intelligence with human expertise to track sentiment, predict potential issues, and provide strategies to handle negative content. They also integrate these efforts with SEO and content planning to maintain a consistent online presence for clients, especially those with complex or international digital footprints.

Service

• AI Sentiment Monitoring: Tracks mentions of a brand across many websites and social platforms, detecting positive or negative trends early.
• Predictive Crisis Alerts: Uses past data and current trends to forecast potential reputation problems before they escalate.
• Search Result Management: Helps reduce negative content visibility and promote positive pages in search engine results.
• Review Management: Automates collection of genuine customer reviews and identifies fake or harmful feedback.
• Central Dashboard: Shows brand health metrics, sentiment scores, and the impact of campaigns in one place.
• Crisis Response Templates: Provides ready-to-use guides to handle various reputation issues quickly.
• Competitor Analysis: Compares a brand’s online reputation with key competitors to identify gaps and opportunities.
• Cross-Platform Management: Coordinates responses to negative content across search engines, social media, review sites, and news outlets.

Important Information

• Website: https://npdigital.com/
• Headquarters: San Diego, California
• Global Offices: Present in 10+ countries
• Founded: 2017 (rebranded from Neil Patel Digital)
• Pricing: Custom packages, usually $5,000–$20,000+ per month
• Best Use Case: Mid-to-large companies needing continuous online reputation monitoring and improvement

Personal Review:

NP Digital is strong at combining technology and human strategy to improve online reputation, particularly in search results. One limitation is its high cost, which may not be suitable for small businesses. The company works well for brands needing consistent monitoring, but the AI-driven system can feel standardized for very specific or unusual industry problems.

Thrive Internet Marketing Agency

Thrive Internet Marketing Agency is a full-service digital marketing company based in Ellicott City, Maryland. They help businesses manage their online reputation by tracking brand mentions, responding to reviews, and improving overall visibility across search engines and social media. Their approach combines traditional reputation monitoring with modern digital tools.

The agency also integrates reputation management with content creation, SEO, and social media strategies. This helps businesses not only address negative content but also promote positive information. Their services are designed for small to medium businesses that want to maintain a professional online image and track results with measurable data.

Service

• Brand Monitoring: Tracks mentions of your business online to see what people are saying and identify potential issues quickly.
• Content Development: Creates articles, posts, and other content to highlight positive aspects of your brand.
• Review Management: Monitors customer reviews, responds appropriately, and analyzes feedback to improve reputation.
• Search Engine Suppression: Reduces visibility of negative content while promoting positive pages and articles.
• Social Media Management: Ensures brand messaging is consistent across social platforms and handles online interactions.
• Crisis Response: Plans and executes actions to manage urgent reputation problems effectively.
• Local SEO: Improves visibility for searches in specific geographic areas important to your business.
• Analytics Dashboard: Provides data on brand mentions, engagement, and competitor comparisons to guide strategy.
• Personalized Strategy: Offers customized plans based on your industry, goals, and reputation challenges.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.thriveagency.com/
• Headquarters: Ellicott City, MD
• Founded: Mid-2000s (estimated)
• Pricing: Starts at $1,000/month, varies by service scope
• Best Use Case: Small to medium businesses needing integrated reputation and digital marketing

Personal Review:

Thrive’s main strength is combining reputation management with other digital marketing services, creating a unified approach. One limitation is that their pricing may be high for very small businesses or startups. Overall, their methods are practical for businesses that want measurable improvements in online presence and brand perception without focusing solely on reputation.

InboundJunction

InboundJunction is a company that helps businesses manage their online reputation. They focus on improving how brands appear on search engines and online platforms, making sure positive content is more visible while reducing the impact of negative mentions. They use data and technology to guide these efforts.

The company uses artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to monitor mentions of a brand across the internet. This allows them to identify potential problems quickly and take steps to improve a brand’s online image. They also create and optimize content to maintain a strong and trustworthy digital presence.

Service

• AI-Powered Sentiment Monitoring: Uses AI to track mentions of a brand online and identifies whether they are positive, negative, or neutral.
• SERP Suppression & Positive Content Amplification: Publishes optimized content to push negative results lower in search rankings and highlight positive information.
• Technical SEO & Indexing Optimization: Improves website structure, metadata, and crawlability to make sure positive content appears faster in search results.
• Review Management & Response Automation: Helps collect, monitor, and respond to customer reviews using AI suggestions for effective replies.
• Crisis Mitigation Protocols: Offers steps to quickly address negative content online, including legal support and takedown requests.
• Predictive Reputation Analytics: Uses historical and industry data to forecast potential reputation risks before they grow.
• Multi-Lingual Content Strategy: Creates content in different languages to manage reputation across multiple countries and cultures.
• Competitive Benchmarking: Analyzes competitor online reputations to find weaknesses or opportunities for improvement.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.inboundjunction.com/
• Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands (inferred from market focus)
• Founded: Active since at least the early 2020s
• Pricing: Custom plans, roughly €3,000–€10,000+ per month
• Best Use Case: Mid-to-large businesses in regulated or high-trust industries needing SERP control and multilingual reputation management

Personal Review:

InboundJunction is strong in using AI and technical SEO to maintain long-term positive search results, which helps companies manage their reputation proactively. A limitation is that their services can be expensive and may not show immediate results in urgent situations like sudden viral negative content.

Reputation Rhino

Reputation Rhino is a company that helps businesses and individuals manage their online presence. They focus on identifying negative content and promoting positive information across websites, social media, and search engines. Their work aims to improve how a brand or person appears online.

The company uses technology to monitor digital mentions and analyze public sentiment. They combine content strategy with search engine techniques to position favorable information higher in search results. This helps clients protect their reputation and maintain a professional online image over time.

Service

• AI-powered sentiment analysis: Detects whether online mentions are positive, negative, or neutral to track public perception.
• Search result optimization: Adjusts online content to push down negative results and highlight positive information.
• Review management: Helps clients gather and respond to reviews, improving credibility and online ratings.
• Real-time monitoring: Sends alerts when new mentions appear, allowing quick action on potential issues.
• Crisis response protocols: Provides steps to address urgent reputation problems effectively.
• Content creation and distribution: Produces positive content and shares it across relevant platforms to improve image.
• Social media management: Monitors and manages social media activity to maintain a consistent, positive presence.
• Competitor analysis: Compares client performance to competitors to identify opportunities and weaknesses.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.reputationrhino.com/
• Headquarters: Likely in a major US city (e.g., New York)
• Founded: Estimated mid-2000s to early 2010s
• Pricing: Basic packages around $1,000–$2,000/month; full services $5,000–$10,000+/month
• Best Use Case: Businesses or professionals needing ongoing reputation management or preparing for public visibility

Personal Review:

Reputation Rhino’s main strength is its use of AI to track and respond to online mentions in real time, giving clients quick insights into their digital image. A limitation is that their services can be expensive for smaller businesses or individuals, which may limit accessibility for those with limited budgets.

Go Fish Digital

Go Fish Digital is a reputation management firm that helps organizations manage how they appear online. Its work focuses on search results, online mentions, and digital content that can affect public perception. The company applies structured analysis and search engine practices to address negative or misleading information.

The firm is known for combining reputation management with technical SEO. Instead of relying only on publishing new content, it also improves how websites and pages are indexed and ranked. This approach is used by companies that need long-term control over complex and competitive search results.

Service

• AI-based sentiment monitoring – Tracks brand mentions across websites, news, reviews, and social platforms to identify positive, neutral, or negative trends.
• Search-focused content development – Creates written content designed to rank in search engines and reduce the visibility of unwanted results.
• Technical SEO improvements – Fixes site structure, indexing, and crawl issues so owned content performs better in search results.
• Review management support – Helps monitor and respond to reviews on major platforms to reduce reputational risk.
• Early risk detection – Uses data patterns to spot emerging reputation issues before they become widespread.
• Crisis response execution – Deploys content and technical actions quickly when negative coverage or events occur.
• Custom reporting dashboards – Provides clear views of brand sentiment, rankings, and performance metrics.
• Digital PR and link building – Strengthens authority signals to improve trust and search visibility.

Important Information

• Website: https://gofishdigital.com/
• Headquarters: United States
• Founded: Mid-2010s (estimated)
• Pricing: Custom retainers, typically starting around $5,000 per month
• Best suited for: Medium to large organizations with complex reputation challenges

Personal Review:

Go Fish Digital’s main strength is its strong technical SEO foundation, which helps improve long-term search visibility rather than relying only on content volume. A clear limitation is cost, as its services and technical depth may be difficult for smaller businesses with limited budgets to justify.

Reputation Resolutions

Reputation Resolutions is a company that helps businesses and individuals manage how they appear online. It focuses on tracking online mentions, understanding public sentiment, and addressing content that may harm a person’s or brand’s reputation. The company combines technical search optimization with reputation-focused strategies.

The firm works on both short-term issues and long-term visibility. Instead of only reacting to negative content, it aims to improve how positive and accurate information appears in search results. This approach is intended to help clients maintain better control over how they are represented online over time.

Features

Service

• AI-based online monitoring – Uses automated systems to scan websites, review platforms, social media, and forums for brand or name mentions.
• Negative content suppression and removal – Identifies harmful or outdated content and works to reduce its visibility or request removal where possible.
• Search-focused content creation – Publishes relevant articles and pages to help positive information rank higher in search results.
• Sentiment analysis with NLP – Analyzes text to determine whether mentions are positive, neutral, or negative, helping prioritize responses.
• Crisis response support – Provides structured actions for handling sudden spikes in negative attention or public issues.
• Customized reputation plans – Adjusts strategies based on industry, audience, and specific reputation risks.
• Reputation reports and analytics – Delivers regular updates showing trends, risks, and progress over time.
• SEO for positive visibility – Applies search optimization methods to improve how favorable content appears online.
• Review management support – Helps track, respond to, and encourage customer reviews on key platforms.
• Competitor reputation review – Examines how competitors are perceived online to identify positioning gaps.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.reputationresolutions.com/
• Headquarters: Not publicly confirmed; likely based in a major U.S. city
• Founded: Estimated between 2010 and 2015
• Pricing model: Monthly subscription, typically tier-based
• Estimated cost range: Approximately $500 to $5,000+ per month
• Best suited for: Businesses, executives, professionals, and service-based industries

Personal Review:

One clear strength of Reputation Resolutions is its structured approach that combines monitoring, analysis, and search visibility work in one service. A possible limitation is cost, which may be difficult for smaller organizations to sustain. Results also depend on platform rules, meaning some issues may take longer to improve.

Reputation

Reputation.com is a software platform used by large organizations to track and manage how their brands appear online. It collects data from reviews, social media, and other public sources, then organizes that information so companies can see how customers talk about them across many digital channels.

The platform is built for businesses with many locations or departments. It uses automated analysis to sort feedback, identify patterns, and support responses at scale. By combining monitoring, reporting, and listing control in one system, it helps organizations manage their online presence in a structured way.

Key Features

• Review monitoring and sentiment analysis – Collects reviews from many websites and analyzes the language to show whether feedback is positive, neutral, or negative.
• Business listings management – Updates business details once and distributes accurate information across online directories.
• Competitive benchmarking – Compares reputation scores and review trends with selected competitors.
• Customer surveys and feedback tools – Lets businesses collect direct feedback through structured surveys.
• Social media monitoring and management – Tracks brand mentions and allows responses from a central dashboard.
• Analytics and reporting dashboard – Displays trends, performance metrics, and changes over time in customizable reports.
• Review response and generation tools – Helps teams reply to reviews and request new reviews from customers.
• Local SEO tools – Improves visibility in local search results by keeping location data consistent.
• Crisis response features – Flags sudden increases in negative feedback so teams can react quickly.
• Employee advocacy tools – Allows employees to share approved company messages through their networks.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.reputation.com/
• Headquarters: Redwood City, California
• Founded: 2006
• Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing
• Typical cost level: Several thousand dollars per month
• Best suited for: Large, multi-location organizations

Personal Review:

Reputation.com’s main strength is its ability to bring large volumes of feedback and data into one organized system for enterprise use. A clear limitation is its cost and complexity, which can make it impractical for smaller businesses without dedicated staff to manage the platform.

Birdeye

Birdeye is a reputation management platform that helps businesses track and manage customer feedback from many online sources. It brings reviews, messages, and social interactions into one system so teams can see what customers are saying and respond in a timely way.

The platform is mainly used by businesses with more than one location that need consistent information and feedback handling across the web. By using data analysis and automation, Birdeye helps organizations understand customer sentiment and keep their online presence accurate and up to date.

Key Features

• Sentiment analysis: Uses AI to review customer comments and identify whether feedback is positive, negative, or neutral.
• Automated review requests: Sends review requests to customers after interactions to help collect more genuine feedback.
• Real-time review alerts: Notifies businesses as soon as a new review is posted so they can respond quickly.
• Business listing management: Keeps business details consistent across directories and search platforms.
• Customer surveys: Collects direct feedback and highlights common issues or trends over time.
• Social media management: Allows businesses to monitor and reply to social messages from one place.
• Competitive benchmarking: Compares performance metrics with similar businesses in the same industry.
• Local SEO tools: Helps improve local search visibility by supporting accurate listings and regular reviews.
• Reporting dashboard: Shows key metrics in one view to support tracking and decision-making.
• CRM integrations: Connects with existing business systems to keep customer data aligned.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.birdeye.com/
• Headquarters: Palo Alto, California
• Founded: 2012
• Pricing: Starts at around $200 per month; custom enterprise plans available
• Best use case: Multi-location and enterprise businesses

Personal Review:

Birdeye’s main strength is its ability to manage reviews, listings, and feedback from many sources in one dashboard, which is useful for larger organizations. A clear limitation is that the platform can feel complex and costly for very small businesses that only need basic review monitoring.

Podium

Podium is a software platform that helps businesses collect and manage online reviews while handling customer messages in one place. It focuses on making communication faster and more organized, especially for businesses that rely on local customers and frequent interactions.

The platform brings together reviews, messages, and customer actions from different channels into a single system. By automating review requests and analyzing feedback, Podium helps businesses track customer opinions, respond more quickly, and maintain accurate business information across major online platforms.

Key Features

• Review Request Automation: Sends review requests by text or email after customer interactions, helping businesses collect feedback without manual follow-up.
• Review Management Dashboard: Shows reviews from multiple platforms in one place, making it easier to read, respond, and monitor trends.
• Centralized Messaging Inbox: Combines messages from Google, Facebook, web chat, and SMS so teams can reply without switching tools.
• AI-Based Sentiment Analysis: Analyzes review language to highlight positive and negative patterns, helping businesses spot issues early.
• Two-Way Text Messaging: Allows businesses to communicate with customers by text, which many customers prefer over calls or emails.
• Payments Through Messaging: Enables businesses to send payment requests by text, reducing delays and simplifying the payment process.
• Appointment and Task Coordination: Supports scheduling and internal notes to help teams manage customer follow-ups more efficiently.
• Reporting and Analytics: Provides reports on review volume, response time, and ratings to track reputation changes over time.
• Local SEO Support: Uses fresh reviews and consistent business data to support better visibility in local search results.
• Team Access Controls: Offers role-based permissions so staff members only see and manage what they need.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.podium.com/
• Company Name: Podium
• Headquarters: Lehi, Utah, United States
• Founded: 2014
• Pricing Model: Monthly subscription
• Starting Price: Around $289 per month
• Enterprise Plans: Custom pricing available
• Primary Customers: Local and multi-location businesses
• Common Industries: Automotive, healthcare, home services

Personal Review:

Podium’s main strength is how it brings reviews, messages, and customer actions into one system, which can save time for busy teams. A clear limitation is its price, which may be difficult for smaller businesses to justify if they do not receive a high volume of customer interactions.

ReviewTrackers

ReviewTrackers is a software platform that helps businesses keep track of customer reviews from many websites in one place. It allows teams to read, analyze, and respond to feedback without visiting each review site separately, which helps save time and reduce missed customer comments.

The platform collects review data and uses automated analysis to show patterns in customer opinions. By organizing feedback and response activity, ReviewTrackers supports businesses that want to understand customer experience, maintain consistent responses, and manage their online presence across multiple locations.

Key Features

• Multi-Site Review Monitoring: Collects reviews from over 100 websites so businesses can see all feedback in one dashboard.
• Sentiment Analysis: Uses language analysis to group reviews as positive, neutral, or negative, helping teams understand overall customer mood.
• Real-Time Review Alerts: Sends notifications when new reviews appear, allowing faster responses to customer feedback.
• Analytics and Reporting: Shows trends, ratings, and changes over time through reports that support performance tracking.
• Competitive Comparison Tools: Compares review volume and ratings with competitors to provide market context.
• Review Collection Tools: Helps businesses request feedback from customers to increase the number of reviews.
• Team Collaboration Tools: Assigns reviews to team members and allows internal notes to coordinate responses.
• Software Integrations: Connects with CRM and support systems to align reviews with customer records.
• Local Search Support: Uses review data to support better visibility in local search results.
• Mobile Application: Allows users to monitor and reply to reviews while away from their desks.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.reviewtrackers.com/
• Company Name: ReviewTrackers
• Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
• Founded: 2012
• Pricing Model: Subscription-based
• Starting Price: Around $99 per month
• Enterprise Pricing: Available by request
• Primary Users: Businesses with multiple locations
• Common Industries: Healthcare, hospitality, professional services

Personal Review:

ReviewTrackers’ main strength is its ability to gather reviews from many platforms into one clear dashboard, which helps teams stay organized. A limitation is that smaller businesses may find the cost and number of features more than they need, especially if they manage only one location or receive few reviews.

Yext

Yext is a digital platform that helps businesses manage their public information and online reputation from one place. It focuses on keeping business details correct and consistent across search engines, maps, apps, and other online services where customers look for information.

The platform also helps companies track and respond to customer reviews and questions. By combining data management with review analysis, Yext supports businesses that need reliable control over how their brand appears across many online channels.

Key Features

• Knowledge Management: Stores and updates business details like name, address, hours, and services so the same information appears everywhere online.
• Review Monitoring: Collects customer reviews from multiple websites in one dashboard to save time and avoid missed feedback.
• Review Generation: Helps businesses request reviews from customers to increase recent and relevant feedback.
• Analytics and Reporting: Shows data on listing accuracy, review trends, and search visibility to support better decisions.
• AI-Based Sentiment Analysis: Analyzes review text to identify common topics and overall customer sentiment.
• Publisher Network Integration: Sends updates directly to search engines, maps, apps, and voice assistants through direct connections.
• Listing Management: Finds incorrect or outdated listings online and replaces them with accurate information.
• Q&A Management: Allows businesses to answer customer questions on platforms like Google using official responses.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.yext.com/
• Headquarters: New York, NY, USA
• Founded: 2006
• Pricing Model: Custom pricing based on business size and usage
• Starting Price: Around $499 per month for basic plans
• Target Users: Multi-location businesses, franchises, and large organizations

Personal Review:

Yext’s main strength is its wide network of connected platforms, which makes updating business information fast and consistent. A key limitation is the cost, which may be too high for small or single-location businesses, especially when additional SEO tools are still needed for stronger search performance.

BrandYourself

BrandYourself is an online reputation management platform designed for individuals and small organizations who want to manage how they appear in search results. It focuses on helping users understand what information about them is visible online and how that information may affect personal or professional opportunities.

The platform provides guided tools that simplify reputation management tasks such as monitoring search results, improving profiles, and protecting personal data. Instead of requiring advanced technical knowledge, BrandYourself breaks these processes into clear steps that users can follow on their own.

Key Features

• Search result monitoring – Tracks how a name or brand appears on major search engines and alerts users when changes occur.
• Reputation improvement plans – Provides step-by-step guidance to improve search visibility and address weak areas.
• Profile optimization tools – Helps users update social media and personal profiles so they rank better in search results.
• Real-time alerts – Notifies users when new mentions or content related to their name appear online.
• Privacy protection – Assists in removing or limiting access to personal data on data broker websites.
• Competitor comparison – Shows how a user’s online presence compares to others in the same field.
• Social media integration – Connects social accounts to manage visibility and consistency from one place.
• Analytics dashboard – Displays reputation scores and progress over time using simple metrics.
• Content suggestions – Recommends types of positive content that can help improve search results.
• Professional profile support – Focuses on improving profiles commonly reviewed by employers or clients.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.brandyourself.com/
• Company type: Online reputation management platform
• Headquarters: United States
• Founded: Around 2010
• Pricing model: Free basic access with paid monthly plans
• Target users: Individuals, professionals, job seekers, and small businesses

Personal Review:

BrandYourself’s main strength is its clear, guided approach that allows non-technical users to manage their online presence independently. A limitation is that it relies heavily on user involvement, which may not be suitable for complex reputation issues that require extensive content removal or professional public relations support.

WebiMax

WebiMax is a digital marketing agency that focuses on online reputation management for businesses and individuals. Its services are designed to help clients understand how they appear online and take steps to improve or protect that image across search engines, review sites, and other public platforms.

The company uses a mix of search optimization, content creation, and review management to address reputation issues. Rather than working on reputation alone, WebiMax connects these efforts with broader digital marketing activities to support long-term visibility and consistency online.

Service

• Online reputation monitoring
• Tracks mentions of a business or person across search engines, review platforms, and social media to identify potential reputation risks early.
• Content creation and promotion
• Develops positive and accurate content and helps it reach wider audiences to balance or outweigh negative information.
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Uses SEO methods to help positive pages rank higher in search results, reducing the visibility of unfavorable content.
• Review management and generation
• Helps businesses collect, manage, and respond to customer reviews to improve overall feedback quality and credibility.
• Negative content suppression
• Applies technical and content-based strategies to push harmful or outdated content lower in search results.
• Crisis response support
• Provides structured actions for handling sudden reputation issues, such as negative press or viral complaints.
• Reporting and analytics dashboards
• Offers tools that show reputation trends, visibility changes, and progress over time in one place.
• Integration with digital marketing services
• Aligns reputation work with advertising, SEO, and branding efforts for consistent online messaging.

Important Information

• Website: https://www.webimax.com/
• Company type: Digital marketing and reputation management agency
• Headquarters: Not specified
• Year founded: Not specified
• Pricing model: Custom pricing based on project scope
• Target users: Businesses and professionals with active online profiles

Personal Review:

WebiMax’s main strength is its ability to combine reputation management with SEO and content strategies, which supports steady, long-term improvement. A limitation is the lack of public pricing details, which may make it harder for smaller clients to assess affordability before making contact.