A negative Google review: what to reply and what not to do
One star, two sentences, and the feeling that someone has crossed out months of good work. It hurts, especially when you know the job was done properly. This article is about what to do in the next few hours so that a bad review doesn't do more damage than it has to.
Sławomir Kwaśny
Cold to Close
First: don't reply straight away
The first reaction is usually anger, or the urge to explain everything. A reply written in a temper stays on Google for years, and every future client reads it. Give yourself a few hours, but not a few weeks. A reply within a day or two shows you take the matter seriously.
Check what happened
Before you reply, find the job: when the client was in, what was done, who on your crew worked on it. Sometimes the review is about something you didn't know about - a streak by a door seal, a scratch that wasn't on the check-in sheet, too long a wait for the car. Sometimes the client has mixed you up with another business.
How to reply
- ●Thank them for the review - briefly and without sarcasm.
- ●Address the specifics: what happened and what you're doing about it.
- ●Don't argue about the details in public. Invite them to talk on the phone or to come to the studio.
- ●Sign with your first name. Readers see that a person is replying, not a stock phrase.
Example: “Thank you for your review. I'm sorry you noticed a streak along the trim after picking up the car - that shouldn't happen. Please give me a call or drop by, and we'll fix it free of charge. Marek, studio owner.”
A reply like this isn't only for the person who wrote the review. It's for the next clients, who will read it and see how you react when something goes wrong.
When you can report a review to Google
Google removes reviews that break its rules. These include, among others, fake or deceptive content, reviews that have nothing to do with an experience at your business, harassment, offensive content, personal information, advertising and conflicts of interest - for example a review posted by a competitor or a former employee.
You report a review from your Google Business Profile. Just remember that a low rating, or criticism you don't agree with, doesn't break the rules on its own. Google won't remove a review like that - all you can do is reply to it.
What not to do
- ●Don't offer the client a discount or a refund in exchange for removing or changing the review. Google's rules forbid incentives like that.
- ●Don't pile on made-up positive reviews to bury the bad one. Reviews like that get removed, and the whole thing can hurt you more than one star.
- ●Don't reveal the client's details, registration number or anything from the invoice in your reply.
How to give clients an easy way to reach you
If a client has no easy way to tell you about a problem, they'll tell Google. That's why after every job it's worth giving them two routes: a request for a Google review and a way to message you directly.
Every client gets the review request - you don't pick only the happy ones, because Google's rules forbid it. But a client who isn't happy with something can also message you directly, and you can put it right before it ends up online.
One more thing: one bad review among ten weighs a lot. Among two hundred, not much. A regular review request after every job is the best protection against a single bad one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I delete a negative review?
Not yourself. You can report it if it breaks Google's rules - for example if it's offensive, isn't about your business or was posted by a competitor. Criticism you disagree with, Google won't remove.
How quickly should I reply?
Within a day or two. Fast enough to show that you care, and calm enough that you're not writing in a temper.
Will one bad review ruin my profile?
With dozens of good reviews, one weaker review with a calm, factual reply changes the average very little. It's worse when you have few reviews - that's why it's worth asking for one after every job.
Can I ask only happy clients for reviews?
No. Google's rules forbid selectively asking for positive reviews and discouraging negative ones. Every client should get the request.
What if the review is from someone who has never been to my business?
Reply calmly that you can't find that job, and ask them to get in touch. If the review looks fake or comes from a competitor, report it to Google.
Let's see how much you're leaking
15 minutes on the phone. We'll work out how much is leaking at your place, and at the end you'll see on your own phone what a client gets when nobody picks up.
Book 15 minutes