How to reply to a bad Google review

By Charlie B, Deliberate Design.

The short answer: reply once, calmly, briefly, and for the benefit of the next person reading, not the reviewer. Thank them, say what you did or will do, offer to sort it directly. Never argue in public. A fair reply under a bad review does more for you than ten five star ones.

A reply that works

"Thanks for letting us know, and sorry the service was not what it should have been on the day. We have spoken to the team about the wait. If you would like to call me on the number above I would like to put it right." Four sentences. No excuses, no detail, no blame.

Never write

• Anything about the customer personally
• Details of their job, their bill or their behaviour: data protection and it looks petty
• "This review is fake" unless you are reporting it, and then say nothing
• A long defence. Nobody reads it, and it reads as guilt

When it can be removed

Google removes reviews that break its rules: not a real customer, a competitor, offensive, about a different business, contains personal details. Use the flag on the review and explain in a line. It takes days and often does nothing; keep expectations low. Honest bad reviews stay, and that is fine.

Wait a day

Write the reply, leave it overnight, read it again as a stranger. Then post it.

Then get three more good ones

One bad review among twenty good ones is a business with real customers. One bad review among two is a problem. The fix is the next ten happy customers, see our post on getting reviews.