✦ Reviews & Reputation
How to Respond to Bad Google Reviews
Acknowledge the experience, don't argue. The goal of a public response is not to win the exchange — it's to demonstrate to future readers that you take issues seriously. One to three sentences, no defensiveness, a direct offer to resolve offline. That's the complete formula.
The structure: acknowledge the problem specifically (not generically), take ownership without over-apologising, and provide a contact method to resolve it directly. 'We're sorry to hear the installation took longer than expected. Please reach out to us at [phone] and we'll make it right' is better than a three-paragraph explanation of what went wrong. The explanation is for your benefit, not the reader's.
What not to do: detail a counter-narrative, identify the reviewer's error, list what you did correctly, or become sarcastic. Every sentence you add to a negative review response is a sentence potential customers read. Short, professional, and solution-oriented is the only register that consistently converts skeptical readers into customers. If the review is factually false or violates Google's policies, flag it for removal through Google Business Profile — but respond professionally regardless, since removal is not guaranteed and may take weeks.
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