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Bad Google review – what now?

03/10/2021

Someone has given you a bad review on Google. What should you do? We have a few suggestions.

In the past, if customers were dissatisfied with a service, they would advise their friends never to go back to that store. Today, we have Google: if you complain here, the whole world can read it.

Negative reviews on Google are annoying, but they don't have to be a big deal. The important thing is how you deal with negative reviews! If left uncommented, they can cost you clients, but if handled correctly, they can even help you. Yes, some can be deleted, but that shouldn't be the standard. Let's get started!

Google Reviews – the basics

Let's start from the beginning: Virtually all potential clients use Google as a search engine these days, and Google displays your ratings alongside your listing. The vast majority of users are permanently logged into their Google profile, so a review of your restaurant or shop is really just a tap away on their smartphone screen. This means that people are even more inclined to leave praise or complaints. As is often the case with us humans, clients are more likely to criticize than to sing the praises of your service, according to the motto: “No complaints is praise enough.”

Sometimes it's a shame, but it's simply a fact. However, this is where you can step in for the first time: As trite as it may sound, ask for good reviews! After a nice interaction or a friendly email, you can easily close with “Hey, if you liked it, please rate us.” Because the best remedy for bad reviews is still to collect good ones!

But now it's happened, and that one star out of five is staring grimly at you from the list. What now?

Step 1: Take bad reviews seriously!

The very first step should be to look at the review. Did someone leave a star without a comment, or did someone vent their frustration?

In the latter case, ouch. No one likes negative criticism, so take a deep breath, stay calm, and reflect on the situation. Do you recognize yourself in the criticism? Does the review accurately describe your business? Could the reviewer be right?

Did the bad burger come from your kitchen? Is an employee named? Or do you have the name above the review in your patient or customer file? Check the process and the facts! Look in the system or ask your employees what exactly happened.

Another option: Did someone make a mistake and describe their bad schnitzel—even though you're a vegan soup bar? Then you have to ask yourself: Could there be a mix-up? Or is the review not even real? The answer is important because it is possible to have fake bad Google reviews deleted! More on that later.

First, log in to your Google My Business account and take the next step: respond.

Step 2: Respond – and respond correctly!

Under no circumstances should you protest out of gut reaction or write a long justification. Stay concise, friendly, and factual! You may lose one client, but new ones will come and they will read what you write here. Now it's important to

Act quickly: Keep an eye on your profile and don't wait months to respond to a bad review.
Respond individually: No standard phrases. Every review deserves its own response!
Keep it short and sweet: Don't get lost in details or remind clients with long explanations. No one reads them anyway.
Be friendly and factual: If the review was genuine, someone has something to tell you. Now you need to signal that you're listening!
Provide contact details: Sometimes it's just better to discuss things in more detail, so provide contact details – preferably by email, as you can include the address directly in your response.
Admit mistakes: Sometimes things go really wrong – when they do, own up to your mistake! Apologize and make it clear that this is not standard practice. Perhaps you can also offer compensation here – which brings us back to the contact option.
Don't feed the troll: Respond, but really, really don't let yourself be provoked. Stay calm, factual, and friendly. You can't say that often enough.

The review is uncommented? Then you can always respond to the one star with "We're sorry you didn't enjoy your experience with us. If you'd like to tell us what we can do better, please write to us at..."

Every potential new customer will see: Hey, they're so nice, they can't be that bad. The right response to a bad review can be good advertising.

Step 3: Take action

So, the review has been commented on, what now?

If it was a genuine complaint, use the criticism to improve your business!

Someone complained about your unfriendly staff? Remind the team how important customer service and friendliness are.

A reviewer was dissatisfied with the product? See what you can do better—maybe the recipe really does need to be changed or the manufacturer needs to be switched. A patient felt they were treated poorly? Offer to talk to them and use the opportunity to correct the first impression.

Criticism can really hurt, but the feedback is invaluable: use it to grow!

Is the review fake? Fight it!

Have Google reviews deleted

It's not always easy, and sometimes Google won't want to help you, but you can request that reviews be deleted. This is recommended, even if there is no guarantee of success. Google has certain requirements when it comes to deleting a review. You can find these here, but the most important points are:

Fake reviews or spam: Someone reviews 31 pizza places across Germany in one weekend with “Was there today, terrible service!!!” It's unlikely that someone could get around so much in such a short time. Or someone writes about the disgusting pork schnitzel at a vegan restaurant. Something's not right here: report it!
Illegal/offensive/sexual content or link spam: “The best t***s in town are here: LINK.” Really? Get rid of it!
Highly derogatory reviews: “Those stupid f***ers were s***” is offensive. You don't have to put up with that.
Suspected identity theft: Someone is reviewing under your grandmother's name? That's not okay!
Conflicts of interest: Is the bad reviewer your main competitor? Then you could assume that they are not reviewing you fairly – and Google should know about it.
Troll reviews: Sometimes people just want to cause trouble – for the sake of it. Report it, move on.

If nothing else works, consulting a specialist lawyer may help.

How can I tell if a review is fake?

Your first click should take you to the reviewer's profile. There you can see which businesses have been reviewed and how many reviews a user has written. This can provide some initial clues. Also important: How does the person usually rate other businesses? Are they always negative? Do they only review businesses in the same industry? Do they always refer to the competition at the end? Or are they just a troll? Google is transparent, so take advantage of that!

Troll reviews: what are they?

Whether it's disgruntled ex-employees or just someone who wants to spread terror – sometimes reviewers want to stir up trouble. They dish out whatever they can, sometimes without any basis. Sometimes they even lie brazenly.

Trolls want one thing: to provoke hurtful reactions. Therefore, the best course of action is: don't feed the trolls. Again, respond objectively, stay calm, report them if necessary, and then ignore them. Even if the review is not deleted, newer reviews will push the ramblings down. Trolls love attention, and being ignored hurts them the most. This will save you a lot of frustration and stomach ulcers. Don't feed the troll.

What should I do with good Google reviews?

First of all: be happy! Someone liked you so much that they left a few kind words. Great! So log into your Google My Business profile with a big smile and—you guessed it—respond. Thank them individually, briefly, and kindly for the positive review. Does it contain criticism or suggestions? Then address them briefly and again: listen to your clients and show it to the world!

Step 4: What now? Keep going!

You responded, spoke to the team, and changed the recipe for your burger sauce? Then it's time to get back to business as usual. A bad review isn't the end of the world. Log out, sit back, and look forward to new clients!

The other way: outsource

New German for: Let someone who knows what they're doing take care of it. Us, for example. We offer support in managing your Google My Business account and review management. That means we discuss with you how to respond to reviews, pass on criticism (if necessary), and make sure that praise doesn't get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday business. We are your filter and your communication officers, and we work closely with specialist lawyers who are familiar with the subject matter.

Could you use some help with your Google reviews? Then get in touch with us! Stephan Probst is happy to assist you at pole-position@drive.eu.