What Google lets you do
- You can reply once your Business Profile is verified. Open your profile, choose Read reviews, tap Reply, write your text and send.
- Google checks your reply against its content policies. Most replies appear within about 10 minutes, but it can take longer. If a reply is not approved, you are asked to edit it.
- You can edit or delete your reply later. The customer is notified when you reply and can change their own review afterwards.
- You can report a review only if it breaks Google’s policies, not because you disagree with it or dislike it. Google usually takes several days to decide.
Source: Manage customer reviews and Report inappropriate reviews, Google Business Profile Help, checked 13 Oct 2026.
A 4-step way to reply (our advice)
- Thank them. A bad review is still free feedback.
- Say sorry for how it felt, without agreeing to facts you have not checked.
- Say one concrete thing you will check or change. One sentence is enough.
- Move it offline. Give a phone number or email so they can reach you directly.
Keep it short. Future customers read your reply more than the angry customer does, so write for them.
Six ready replies (change the names and details)
1. Slow service
“Thank you for your feedback, [Name]. We are sorry you waited longer than you should have. We are looking at how we handle busy hours. Please call us on [phone] so we can make this right.”
2. Wrong or missing item
“Thank you for letting us know, [Name]. We are sorry the order was not right. Please share your order details with us at [email or phone] and we will look into it and get back to you.”
3. Rude or unhelpful staff
“Thank you for sharing this, [Name]. This is not the experience we want anyone to have. We will speak with our team. If you are comfortable, please contact us at [phone] so we can understand what happened.”
4. Price complaint
“Thank you for your feedback, [Name]. We understand price matters. We are happy to explain how we price our service if you contact us at [phone]. We appreciate you telling us.”
5. You cannot find this customer or visit
“Thank you for your review. We could not find a visit or order that matches this. Could you contact us at [email or phone] with the details so we can look into it?”
6. A review with abuse (reply only after you report it, if you reply at all)
“We take feedback seriously, but we cannot respond to language like this. We are always happy to talk through any problem directly at [phone].”
The same six replies in Hindi are on the Hindi version of this guide.
What not to do
- Do not argue or blame the customer in public.
- Do not share their name, order, medical or other private details in the reply.
- Do not offer money or gifts in exchange for changing a review. See Google review rules for Indian businesses.
- Do not report a review you only disagree with.
Want the replies drafted for you? See how Reveaxa does it, or try the free reply writer on the home page.
Reveaxa guide reference: RVX-B-reply-to-negative-google-review