Getting new reviews is one thing, but how you react to them tells a potential customer just as much about your company. Most entrepreneurs look at their business profile only to check the average rating. When a positive one comes in – they smile and close the page. When a negative one comes in – they get upset and also close the page. This is a massive mistake.
Responding to reviews is a free image campaign. When you reply, you are not just talking to the author of the review. Your response will be read by hundreds of future customers who visit your profile. How to do it right?
How to respond to positive reviews (5 stars)?
It is a mistake to leave positive reviews without a comment (it’s as if someone shook your hand and congratulated you, and you just turned on your heel). It is also a mistake to write a cliché, copied-and-pasted reply: “Thank you for your review, we invite you again.”
Good practice: Use the customer’s name, refer to the specific service they praised, and weave keywords into the response (Google’s algorithms read this too!).
Example: “Mr. Thomas, thank you very much for the 5 stars and kind words! We are glad that our floor panel installation in your living room went smoothly and met your expectations. We invite you to contact us for your next renovations in Wrocław. Greetings from the whole team!”
How to respond to reviews without text (just stars)?
When a customer leaves only stars, without a comment, it is also worth reacting.
Example: “Thank you for the highest rating! It is a signal to us that we are doing our job well. Best regards!”
How to respond to negative reviews (1-2 stars)?
This is where things get tricky. When you see an unfair, venomous one-star review, your first reaction is to want to argue publicly, defend the company’s honor, and prove the customer is lying. Never, ever do this! On the internet, no one has ever won an argument with a customer. Even if you are right, from the outside you will look like someone who is brawling.
Rules for responding to negatives:
1. Wait 24 hours: Do not reply in anger. Let the emotions subside.
2. Maintain absolute professionalism: Your goal is not to convince the hater. Your goal is to show future customers (who will come to check your “ones”) that you are a serious, composed, and solution-oriented company.
3. Approach the problem, move the discussion offline:
Example: “Ms. Anna, we are very sorry that you are dissatisfied with our service. We always strive for the highest quality, and this situation is unusual for us. We care about clarifying this matter. Please contact us directly at [Your Phone] or [Email Address] so that we can find a satisfactory solution for you.”
Such a response shows: “We are polite, we take responsibility, we don’t argue publicly, and we want to fix the mistake.” And this is exactly what new customers want to see most.
What about fake reviews from the competition?
If you receive an attack of ones from accounts that have never been your customers, you must first report them to Google administration (option: Report a policy violation). This process takes time, and the reviews often still hang on the account.
In the meantime, reply publicly, exposing the fake in a polite manner:
Example: “Good morning. We have checked our customer database from recent years and we do not have any person with your surname or an order matching this description. Please contact us to confirm your identity – otherwise, we will consider this review a mistake or a deliberate action by bots.”
Summary
Responding to reviews is not a waste of time. It is free Public Relations for your company that happens on the most important local platform on the internet. React to every review. Build relationships with your brand ambassadors (5 stars) and turn crises (1 star) into a display of professionalism.