A well-crafted response to a negative review can help maintain your reputation and even encourage the reviewer to update their rating. Follow these steps:  

1. Stay Professional & Courteous

Never respond with anger or defensiveness. Acknowledge the issue politely and show empathy.  

Example Response:  

"Dear [Reviewer’s Name], we’re sorry to hear about your experience. We always strive to provide the best service, and we’d love the opportunity to make things right. Please reach out to us at [your contact info] so we can address your concerns."  

2. Address the Issue & Offer a Resolution

If the complaint is valid, offer a solution and assure them that you are working on improvements.  

Example:  

"We appreciate your feedback and take it seriously. Our team has reviewed the issue, and we are taking steps to improve. If you’re open to it, we’d love to discuss this further and resolve it for you."  

3. Politely Request a Review Update

Once the issue is resolved, ask the customer if they’d consider updating their review.  

Example Follow-up Message (After Resolution):  

"Thank you for allowing us to address your concern. We hope we’ve been able to improve your experience. If you feel we’ve resolved the issue, we’d truly appreciate it if you could update your review to reflect your latest experience."  

4. Flag Fake or Unfair Reviews

If you suspect a review is fake or violates Google’s guidelines, flag it for removal and report it to Google.