Answer a bad review calmly, in public

What the reply should do

Wait until you are calm. Then thank them, name the specific problem, own the part that was yours, and offer a way to talk it through. Keep the public reply short. The full story, the apology in person and any fix belong in a call or a visit.

Your side of the story helps CrewBuddy get the facts right, but most of it stays out of the reply. A reader does not need the supplier’s name or the change order history. They need to see that you listen and follow up. If the review gets something wrong, one calm sentence correcting it is enough.

What not to do

Do not offer a refund, a discount or free work in exchange for changing or removing the review. Google treats that as a prohibited incentive. The FTC’s rule on reviews also bars threats, intimidation or false accusations used to get a review removed. Offering to fix the actual problem is a different thing, and it does not depend on the review.

If you believe a review breaks Google’s policies, for example it is about a different business, Google’s help explains how to flag it. CrewBuddy drafts the reply. You post it from your Business Profile.

The review reply guide covers good and bad reviews in more detail. After the call, write down what happened and what you changed, like texting customers as soon as a supplier runs late. That note helps CrewBuddy with the next reply, and it helps you fix the habit behind the review.