How to handle a negative review the right way

First, wait before you reply

Do not reply while you are angry. Wait a few hours, find out what actually happened from your staff or records, and then reply, ideally within a day or two.

How to reply

1. Thank them for the feedback, even if it stings.
2. Apologise for their experience, without arguing about details in public.
3. Briefly explain or correct only if it helps future readers, in one calm sentence.
4. Offer to fix it offline, with a phone number or WhatsApp to reach you directly.
5. Keep it short, and sign with your name.

An example reply

Thank you for telling us, Rahul, and we are sorry the delivery came two days late. That is not the service we aim for. Please WhatsApp me on 98xxxxxx10 so I can make this right. Anil, Owner

When a review can be removed

Google removes reviews that break its policies, such as spam, fake reviews, offensive content, conflicts of interest (for example, a competitor reviewing you) or content that is off-topic. In your Business Profile you can report such a review for Google to check. Google does not remove a review just because it is negative or because you disagree with it.

Turn it around

• Fix the real problem the review points to. Repeated complaints about the same thing are a free lesson.
• If you resolve the issue, politely ask the customer whether they would update their review. Never pressure them.
• Keep collecting reviews from happy customers. A few bad reviews among many good ones look honest. (See getting more reviews.)