Answer it calmly, keep it short, and write it for the next customer who reads it. That's the whole idea, and it's hard to do when somebody just trashed your business in public and half of it isn't even true.
Who are you really writing to?
The person who left the review is usually already gone, and you probably won't change their mind. The people you're writing to are the ones comparing you with two other companies next month. They'll read the review and then read your reply, and your reply tells them more about what it's like to hire you than the review does.
An owner who answers calmly and offers to make it right looks like someone you can trust in your house. An owner who argues looks like the problem, even when he's right.
What does a good reply look like?
Keep it to a few sentences. Thank them, say you're sorry they had that experience, and invite them to call you directly to sort it out. Don't argue about the details in public, and don't share anything about the job they wouldn't want posted.
"Thanks for letting us know, Dave. I'm sorry the cleanup wasn't what you expected, and that's not how we want any job to end. Give me a call at the shop and I'll make it right."
Anyone who reads that can see you care about getting it right.
What if the review is fake?
Sometimes it's from someone you never worked for. Google lets you report a review that breaks its rules, but it doesn't always take it down. Reply anyway and stay calm, saying you don't have a record of the job and inviting them to reach out. People reading it usually figure out what happened.
One bad review isn't the end
A few lower reviews mixed in with a lot of good ones make a profile look real. What hurts more is a bad review with no reply, or a profile with so few reviews that the bad one is all anyone sees, so more good reviews coming in is the best answer to a bad one.
One thing to try this week
Find the reviews you've been ignoring.
- Open your Google profile and scroll through your reviews.
- Count the ones, good or bad, that don't have a reply.
- Start with the oldest bad one and answer it in a few sentences.
Is there a review on your profile you've been avoiding?
Common questions
- Should I respond to bad reviews on Google?
- Yes. Future customers read your replies, and a short, calm reply that offers to make it right usually helps more than the bad review hurts.
- Can I get a bad Google review removed?
- You can report a review that breaks Google's rules, like a fake one, but Google decides whether it comes down. A review can't be removed just because it's negative.
- How long should a reply to a bad review be?
- A few sentences. Thank them, say you're sorry about the experience, and invite them to call you directly.