Short answer: Reply thoughtfully to positive and negative reviews, keep replies short and specific, acknowledge complaints without arguing, take details offline, never share customer information, and never offer anything in exchange for changing a review. Google's own guidance is to keep replies professional, short and relevant.
Your replies are public. Future customers read them to judge how you treat people when something goes right and when it goes wrong. A calm, specific reply to a two-star review can reassure a new customer more than another five-star review.
How to reply to a Google review
Your business must be verified before you can reply. Follow Google's instructions for reading and replying to reviews:
- Open your Business Profile.
- Select Read reviews.
- Find the review and select Reply next to it.
- Write your response in the reply box.
- Select Reply again to submit it.
Google checks your response against its content policies. Your reply appears publicly under the customer's review after Google approves it.
1. Reply thoughtfully to positive and negative reviews
Give positive and negative reviews careful attention, ideally within a few days. Google recommends useful, relevant replies that answer a question, share an update or respond to the customer's experience.
You do not need to post the same thank-you under every rating. Prioritise responses that add something helpful, and make each reply specific to the review.
2. Keep it short
Google advises keeping replies short and simple, because long replies lose readers before the main point. Two to four sentences is enough for almost every review.
3. Make each reply specific
Avoid pasting the same "Thank you for your review!" under every review. Mention the job, the area or something the customer said. That proves a person read it, and it gives future customers useful detail about your work.
Thank you, Mr Lim. Glad the move from Tampines went smoothly and the piano arrived without a scratch. All the best in the new home.
4. Acknowledge complaints without arguing
Read the review twice and wait until you are calm before replying. Acknowledge what the customer actually experienced and say sorry for how it felt, then explain what you are doing about it. Arguing the details in public rarely helps, even when you think the customer is wrong, because readers mostly remember the tone of your reply.
Hi Mrs Wong, we're sorry the cleaning didn't meet your expectations, especially in the kitchen. That's not the standard we aim for. We'd like to put it right. Please contact us at [email] so we can arrange a follow-up.
5. Take details offline and protect privacy
Invite the customer to continue by phone, email or WhatsApp. Never post a customer's address, phone number, booking details or anything else that identifies them, even if they posted some of it themselves. In Singapore, the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) applies to how businesses handle customer information.
Once the issue is resolved, add a short follow-up line to your reply so readers can see it was handled.
6. Never trade anything for a changed review
Don't offer a refund, discount or free service in exchange for the customer editing or deleting a review. Google prohibits incentives for revising or removing a negative review. You can still fix the problem, and refund if that's fair. Just don't make it conditional on the review.
Skip sales pitches in replies too. The customer has already bought from you.
7. Report reviews that break the rules, don't fight them
Some reviews are fake, posted by competitors, or contain abuse. You can report a review that breaks Google's policies from your Business Profile. Google decides whether to remove it. A review that is simply negative is not a policy violation.
If you reply to a review you've reported, keep it neutral. For example: "We have no record of this job. Please contact us at [email] so we can look into it."
Should I reply in the customer's language?
Singapore customers may review in English, Chinese, Malay or Tamil. Where you can, reply in the same language. If you can't, a short, polite English reply is better than none.
Frequently asked questions
Can I delete a negative Google review? No. Business owners cannot delete reviews. You can report a review that breaks Google's policies, and Google decides whether it is removed.
Can I edit or delete my reply? Yes. You can edit or delete your own reply at any time from your Business Profile.
Should I use reply templates? Templates help your team stay consistent and calm, but always personalise them with the customer's name and a detail from their review.
Who should reply to reviews? One person who knows the business well and can stay calm. Anyone with access to the Business Profile can reply, so agree who is responsible.
How quickly should I reply to a Google review? Within a few days is a good habit, and sooner for negative reviews. A quick reply to a complaint shows future customers that you take problems seriously, and it gives you a better chance of resolving the issue while the customer is still willing to talk.
Should I reply to star ratings with no written review? You can, with a short thank you. There is less to respond to, so a brief, polite line is enough. Prioritise replies to written reviews, especially critical ones, because those are what future customers read.