How to answer a bad Google review without making it worse

The review stings, and your first draft in your head is the worst version of the reply. Don't post that one.

Your reply is not for the reviewer. The reviewer has already decided. Your reply is for the next person who is thinking about phoning you and reads the review first. They are looking at how you handle a problem.

What to write

Three or four sentences.

1. Thank them for telling you. You don't have to agree with them.
2. Say what you'll do, or what normally happens. "We check every job before we leave" is better than "that isn't what happened".
3. Offer a way to sort it out off the page: a phone number or an email.
4. Stop. Don't explain at length and don't correct their facts line by line. A long reply reads as angry, even when it's polite.

For example:

> Thanks for letting us know, Dana. That's not how we want a visit to go. Please call me at the shop and I'll make it right.

Write it, leave it for an hour, read it again, then post it.

How to post the reply

1. Go to business.google.com.
2. Select Read reviews.
3. Next to the review, select the Reply icon.
4. Type your reply.
5. Select Reply.

Google checks replies before they're posted. If it doesn't approve yours, you'll be asked to edit it.

When you can ask Google to remove one

Only when the review breaks Google's rules: spam, a fake review, abusive language, or someone who was never your customer. Google says not to report a review just because you disagree with it or don't like it, and that it doesn't get involved in disputes between businesses and customers.

If it does break the rules:

1. Go to business.google.com and select Read reviews.
2. Next to the review, select the Report icon.
3. Choose a reason, such as "Spam" or "Profanity".
4. Select Send report.

Google says evaluating a report typically takes several days.

If it's a fair complaint

Fix the thing, and tell the person in your reply that you did. A bad review with a calm, specific answer under it shows the next reader how you treat people when something goes wrong.

If you'd like a second pair of eyes on a reply before you post it, text me.

Written by Mackenzie Bowes in Vernon, BC. October 26, 2026.