If I had a dollar for every client that asked what to do when they got a negative Google review, I’d have more money than Murdoch.
Tattoo this on a prominent part of your body; GOOGLE IS NOT GOD. Nor any other deity for that matter.
Ask yourself, how much stock do you put in Google reviews, knowing that they are ofter either bought, spam or written by cranky shitheads who think the internet is there for them to whine their asses off.
Here’s what you do when someone gives you a negative review. Not a fucking thing. Don’t report it to Google. Don’t get angry. Just move on.
Or better still, reply. As a business owner, you have the right of reply to a negative review about your business. This is great because a right of reply is the last word in a debate. It is not an invitation for others to pile on like the comments section on Facebook. Is the absolute final word in the debate. So choose your words wisely because replying to a pissed off customer in a public setting is character building for an individual and brand building for a business. Best of all when you reply like that, the negative review is usually removed by the coward… I mean the reviewer.
Remember, some people are just assholes and cannot be placated.
Most people will tell you the best strategy in dealing with negative comments is to suck up to the reviewer and beg forgiveness. I say bullshit. Unless you have really fucked up, in which case a mia culpa is all you can (and should!) do. But if pencil dick wants to whine because he had to wait an extra 5 seconds on the phone then tell them to pull their head in. You’ll have to use the tone of your business which (and should!) be very different from my brand tone. I’m happy to call petty negative reviewers dick heads, assholes and cunts.
But that’s me.