Enterprise GBP Governance Playbook

Define the source of truth

Create a location record with a permanent ID, operating status, public name, address, hours, services, phone, profile URLs and approved customer destinations. Name one owner for each field. Record the source and effective date of any change.

Map roles to decisions

Headquarters owns brand naming and policy. Regional teams approve market-specific exceptions. Local teams confirm factual details and report customer issues. The managed service executes approved changes and records verification. Review this model against your actual contracts and platform permissions.

• HQ: approve brand standards and sensitive claims.
• Region: review language, service differences and exceptions.
• Location: confirm hours, services and customer-facing facts.
• LocalUp: execute agreed work and escalate unresolved decisions.

Run a controlled change queue

Each request needs a location ID, requested change, evidence source, effective date and approver. Distinguish submitted from verified. Track failures and platform decisions separately from tasks the team can complete directly. Urgent errors need a documented escalation route.

Create an access lifecycle

Inventory ownership, grant only the permissions needed and review access when people or operators change. Keep credentials outside the register. At offboarding, remove agency access, hand over pending issues and confirm the client retains operational control.

Review risk and results together

Use a monthly review to assess unresolved data errors, response coverage, exception volume and repeat incidents. Agree improvements with operations. Keep a versioned policy and review it when the estate, platform rules or commercial relationships change.