Got a bad Google review? Here's what to do next.

Knowing how to respond to a bad Google review matters more than the review itself, because everyone who looks you up later sees both. A calm reply can actually make people trust you more. An angry one can do more damage than the original one star.

The short version: wait until you're calm, reply publicly in two or three sentences, offer to sort it out by phone or email, and don't argue. If the review is fake or breaks Google's rules, report it through your Business Profile or Google's Reviews Management Tool. If it's just negative, it stays.

First, don't reply right away

Read it, then walk away for a bit. Most bad replies are written in the first ten minutes.

While you cool off, check your records. Was this a real customer, and did something actually go wrong? The answer changes what you write, and whether you should report it instead.

How to reply to a real customer who had a bad time

Keep it short. You're not writing to the reviewer, you're writing to the next hundred people who read it. They want to see that you're reasonable and that you fix things.

• Thank them for taking the time, even if it hurts to type.
• Own what you can. If you got something wrong, say so plainly.
• Don't argue the details in public, and don't share anything private about the job or the person.
• Give a way to reach you, a name and a phone number or email.
• Sign it with your first name. It reads like a person, not a script.

Simple reply templates

Change the words so they sound like you. Copy-paste replies are easy to spot.

When you got it wrong: "Thanks for letting us know, and I'm sorry. That's not how we want anyone's visit to go. I'd like to make it right. Could you call me at [number]? [Your name]"

When you see it differently: "Thanks for the feedback. I'm sorry you left unhappy. We see this a bit differently, but I'd like to talk it through. Please call or email me at [contact] when you have a minute. [Your name]"

When you can't find them in your records: "Thanks for posting. We can't find a record of this visit, and we'd like to understand what happened. Please reach out at [contact] so we can look into it. [Your name]"

That last one is useful for suspected fakes too. It's polite, and it quietly tells readers something may be off.

After you reply

Google checks replies against its content rules before they show. It usually takes a few minutes but can take longer, and you can edit or delete your reply later.

The reviewer gets a notice when you reply, and they can change their review afterwards. Just never ask them to in exchange for a refund or discount (more on that below).

When Google will remove a review

This is where most owners get frustrated. Google says you can report any review, but only ones that break its policies are eligible for removal. It also says it doesn't get involved in disputes between businesses and customers, so "unfair" or "not what happened" isn't enough on its own.

Reviews that do break Google's rules include:

• Fake engagement: reviews that were paid for, or posted from several accounts by one person.
• Conflict of interest: reviews from competitors, or from current or former employees about their workplace.
• Off-topic: rants or political comments that aren't about an actual experience with your business.
• Harassment, hate speech or threats.
• Personal information: someone else's details posted without consent.
• Unproven accusations of criminal or unethical behaviour, and profanity used to offend.
• Impersonation, spam and repeated posts.

A sudden pile of one-star reviews from people who were never customers (often after a news story or a social media post) can also fall under Google's rules on unusual review patterns. Report each one.

How to report a fake Google review

There are two ways, and both are free. Google's own page on removing reviews from your Business Profile walks through them.

1. From your Business Profile. Open your reviews, click the report option next to the review, pick the reason that fits best and send the report.
2. From the Reviews Management Tool. Sign in with the account that manages your profile, pick your business, choose to report a new review, and submit it with a reason. This is the better route, because it shows you the status of each report.

Pick the most accurate reason. "Conflict of interest" for an ex-employee is stronger than a vague "spam". Keep a note of who you reported and when.

Checking the status and appealing

In the Reviews Management Tool, a report shows as decision pending, reviewed with no policy violation, or escalated. Google says reviews usually take several days to check.

If Google decides there's no violation, you get one appeal per review, also through the tool, and you'll get the final answer by email. Make that appeal count. Add anything that shows the problem, like the fact that the reviewer is a former employee or that you have no record of them.

If the appeal fails, the review stays. At that point, a good reply and a steady flow of genuine new reviews is your best fix. Our guide to getting more Google reviews the right way covers that part.

What you can't do (even when you're tempted)

Some "fixes" break Google's rules, and a few can break Canadian law. Skip all of these:

• Paying a company to remove reviews. Google only removes reviews that break its policies, through the same report process you can use for free. Google also says you can't offer anything to get a review changed or removed.
• Offering a refund or discount for deleting a review. Fix the problem because it's right, not as a trade.
• Posting fake positive reviews to bury the bad one, or buying them. That includes reviews from staff, family and friends.
• Review gating. Only asking happy customers for reviews, or steering unhappy ones away, is against Google's policies.
• Pressuring the reviewer or threatening them in a reply.

The Competition Bureau of Canada has warned that reviews giving a false or misleading impression can break the Competition Act. It has said businesses can be liable for reviews posted by employees who don't disclose their connection, and that people who don't comply may face significant penalties. Fake reviews aren't just a Google problem.

Extra care for health professionals

If you're a therapist, physio, dentist or other regulated health professional, your reply can be the problem. Even a polite "we're sorry your session didn't go well" confirms that person was your client, which can be a privacy issue.

Keep replies general and don't confirm or deny anything. Something like: "We take all feedback seriously. Because of privacy rules we can't discuss anyone's care here, but we'd welcome a call to the clinic at [number]."

Your college's advertising rules also limit what you can do with reviews in the first place. We cover that in marketing a therapy practice within CRPO rules, and our reputation management for clinics is built around it.

Keep it from snowballing

• Turn on review notifications so you see new reviews within a day or two
• Reply to good reviews too, not just bad ones
• Decide who in the business is allowed to reply, and keep it to one or two people
• Keep a simple log of reports, dates and outcomes
• Fix the real issue if the same complaint keeps coming up
• Keep your profile complete and current, so a bad review isn't the only fresh thing people see

If you'd rather someone else watched your profile, our Google Business Profile management includes keeping an eye on new reviews.