When a bad review appears

How should you respond to a bad review without making the situation worse?

Do not reply while angry and do not try to win an argument in public. First establish what happened, then respond briefly and move the detailed resolution into a private conversation.

Respond to a bad review calmly, briefly and without blaming the customer. Acknowledge their experience, avoid arguing over details and offer a direct way to continue the conversation. If the review contains false claims, correct verifiable facts without attacking the reviewer. Handle personal information, compensation and detailed explanations privately.

The first hour

What should you do in the first hour after a bad review?

The goal is not to reply as fast as possible. The goal is to reply once you understand what probably happened.

1. Check what happened
Review the order, visit or previous communication and speak to the person who served the customer. Establish whether the problem occurred and what happened immediately before it.
2. Draft the reply, but do not send it yet
Remove defensive sentences, sarcasm and explanations such as “this was not our fault”. A public response should show that you take the issue seriously, not prove who is right.
3. Offer a specific next step
Instead of writing “contact us”, say for example: “We would like to check what happened during your visit. Please email us with the date of your visit so we can look into it.”

What to write

Which replies can make a bad review even worse?

The most common mistake is trying to prove in public that the customer is wrong.

“That is not true.”

This immediately turns the exchange into a dispute. Other readers do not know the full story; they only see a business arguing with a customer.

“We are sorry you left with this impression.”

This does not automatically admit fault. It acknowledges that the customer had a negative experience and leaves room to investigate what happened.

“You should have told us at the time.”

The customer may read this as shifting responsibility back to them. Even if they could have spoken up earlier, a public reply is not the place for a reprimand.

“We would like to review what happened during your visit.”

Then provide a simple way to contact you. Discuss staff names, receipts, bookings, personal information and any possible compensation away from the public review.

When facts are wrong

How should you respond to a false review?

You do not need to accept a false claim or apologise for something that did not happen. Correct only facts you can verify, and avoid phrases such as “you are lying”, “you made this up” or “you were never here” unless you can establish that reliably.

If you cannot identify the visit, you can write: “Based on the information available to us, we have not been able to identify a visit matching this description. We would be happy to investigate if you send us the date of your visit and further details.”

If one specific claim is incorrect, answer precisely: “We would like to clarify that this service is not included in the package that was booked. We are sorry this was not made clear enough when the booking was made.” This corrects the fact without attacking the reviewer.

Public or private

When should you move the discussion into a private conversation?

Keep the public reply to what other readers need to see: you noticed the complaint, you take it seriously and you want to investigate it. The dispute itself, personal information and lengthy explanations belong in email or another direct channel.

Use a private conversation when you need an order number, visit date, name, invoice or other sensitive details. Any possible compensation also belongs there and should be considered only after you understand what actually happened.

The best response to a bad review is the one you never had to write because the customer could contact you before posting publicly. HejSpoko adds that second option alongside the Google link: the customer can send their feedback directly to you.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Should I always apologise for a bad review?

You do not always need to apologise for a specific mistake, especially before you know what happened. It is safer to acknowledge the negative experience: “We are sorry you left dissatisfied.” If your investigation confirms a mistake on your side, the apology can then be specific and explain exactly what went wrong.

Should I offer a discount or compensation in the public reply?

No. First establish what happened and then decide whether compensation is appropriate. Publicly, you can say that you would like to resolve the matter directly with the customer. Discuss any offer and its conditions privately, and never make compensation conditional on changing or removing a public review.

What should I do if the customer is lying in the review?

Do not turn the response into a public argument. Correct only facts you can verify and do not label the customer a liar. If you cannot identify the visit, state that calmly and ask for details privately. If the review breaches the platform's rules, you can also use its reporting process.

Is it better to answer a bad review immediately?

A fast response helps only when it is calm and based on facts. If you are angry or still do not know what happened, investigate first. Spending some time checking the circumstances is better than publishing an immediate response that you later need to explain, edit or remove.

Give customers a way to contact you earlier.

The public review option remains available, but customers can also have a direct route to your business.

See how it works Try the service