# How to reply to reviews: the good, the bad and the fake

Published: 2026-11-12  
Category: Customers & Reputation  
URL: https://stacked.pro/blog/how-to-reply-to-reviews

> Your replies to reviews are read by every future customer who looks you up. Here is what to say to a glowing review, a harsh one, and one from someone who has never been your customer.

When someone reads your reviews, they read your replies too. A business that answers its reviews, calmly and personally, comes across as one that cares what its customers think. One that ignores them, or argues with them, tells people something as well. Replying takes a few minutes a week and it is one of the cheapest bits of marketing you can do.

## Replying to good reviews

Thank them, by name, and mention something specific from what they wrote. "Thanks, Sarah, glad the new bathroom came out the way you pictured it" reads as genuine. "Thank you for your kind review!" copied under every five-star rating reads as automatic.

Keep it short. Two or three sentences is plenty. If it fits naturally, mention a related service ("if you ever need the kitchen done, you know where we are"), but do not turn every reply into an advert.

## Replying to bad reviews

This is where it counts, because future customers read negative reviews closely and pay most attention to how you respond.

- **Wait before you reply.** Never answer while you are annoyed. Come back to it the next morning.
- **Acknowledge the experience.** Even if you disagree with the details, you can say you are sorry they were disappointed.
- **Stick to facts, briefly.** If something in the review is wrong, correct it plainly, without blame or sarcasm.
- **Take it offline.** Offer a phone number or email address and a name, so the conversation can continue privately.

Something like: "I'm sorry the job ran over, Mark, that's not what we aim for. I'd like to understand what happened. Could you call me on the office number and ask for Sam?" You are writing for the next hundred people who read it as much as for the reviewer.

If you do put things right, it is fine to ask whether they would be willing to update their review. Many people will.

## Replying to fake reviews

Sometimes a review comes from someone who was never your customer: a competitor, a case of mistaken identity, or spam. On Google you can report a review that breaks its policies from your Business Profile. It may or may not be removed, and it can take a while.

In the meantime, reply politely and factually: "We have no record of a customer by this name or a job matching this description. If we have got this wrong, please contact us directly so we can look into it." It shows readers the review may not be what it seems, without you looking defensive.

## Make it a habit

Set a time each week to check and reply to new reviews, and turn on notifications so you know when one arrives. The more good reviews you have, and the more recent they are, the less any single bad one matters.

Reviews and reputation are part of our [free digital audit](https://stacked.pro/digital-audit). We will show you how yours compare with the businesses around you.