- Reply to every review, ideally within a day or two.
- Write for the next customer reading, not only for the reviewer.
- With a bad review, acknowledge it, don't argue, take the details offline and follow up.
- Never share a customer's personal details or job specifics they didn't mention themselves.
Why replies matter
People expect to hear from you. In BrightLocal's 2026 survey, 89% of consumers said they expect business owners to respond to reviews. (BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, 1,002 US consumers)
Your replies are also a preview. A homeowner deciding between you and another contractor will read how you answered a complaint and picture how you'd treat them if something went wrong. A calm, helpful reply to a bad review can build as much trust as another five stars.
Replying to good reviews
Keep it short and genuine.
- Thank them by name, as it appears on the review.
- Mention the job if they did. If they wrote about the new furnace, say you're glad it's keeping them warm. Don't add details they didn't share.
- Vary your wording. The same pasted reply under every review looks automated, because it is.
- Sign it. A first name makes it personal.
Examples you can adapt
"Thanks, Priya. Glad the new heat pump is keeping the house comfortable. It was a pleasure working with you. Dave"
"Thank you for the kind words, Tom. We'll pass them on to Jordan and the crew."
"Thanks for trusting us with the leak, Sarah. Call any time if anything else comes up."
Replying to a bad review
A one-star review stings, especially when you think it's unfair. Take it one step at a time.
- Wait until you're calm. Don't reply from the truck right after reading it.
- Check the facts. Find the job and talk to whoever was there.
- Acknowledge and thank them. Even if you see it differently, thank them for telling you.
- Don't argue the details in public. A back-and-forth looks worse than the original review.
- Take it offline. Give a name and a direct number, and invite them to call.
- Follow up. If you sort it out, add a short note to your reply saying the issue was resolved.
An example you can adapt
"Hi Mark, thanks for letting us know, and I'm sorry the repair didn't hold. That's not the standard we hold ourselves to. I'd like to make it right, so please call me directly at 905-555-0100. Lisa, office manager"
Some customers update their review on their own once a problem is fixed. Never offer anything in return for changing or removing one. That breaks Google's policy, and it's the kind of thing that ends up in the next review.
What never to put in a reply
- Personal details. No addresses, phone numbers, prices paid or account information. Canada's federal privacy law for businesses (PIPEDA) covers the personal information you collect from customers, and a public reply is no place for it.
- Accusations. "You never paid" or "that's not what happened" starts an argument you can't win in public.
- Blame on staff. Don't name or criticize an employee.
- Sales pitches. A discount offer under a complaint reads as a brush-off.
Fake reviews and people who were never customers
If a review breaks Google's policy, such as spam, a review from someone who was never a customer, a competitor or offensive content, you can report it from your Business Profile. Google decides what comes down, and removal isn't guaranteed.
In the meantime, reply briefly and politely so readers see your side:
"We can't find a record of working with you, and we'd like to understand what happened. Please call us at 905-555-0100 so we can look into it."
Make replying part of the week
Replying works best as a habit, not a project. Pick a time, such as Monday and Thursday mornings, and clear any new reviews. Most take a minute.
If you use MomentumOS, new Google reviews appear in the Reviews tab of the MomentumOS App, so you or your office manager can reply from a phone between jobs. For getting more reviews to reply to, see how to get more Google reviews without breaking Google's rules.
Put this to work
Reviews & Reputation is part of Traction, which starts with a 30-day free trial. We set everything up for you.
This article is general information for business owners, not legal advice. Survey figures are US consumer research where noted; we are not aware of equivalent published Canadian surveys and do not present them as Canadian data.