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Every local business dreads that first one-star review.
It feels like a punch in the gut—especially when you’ve bent over backwards to deliver great service.
But unfair reviews happen to the best of us. What truly matters is how you respond.
A well-handled complaint can actually turn into positive word-of-mouth and demonstrate to all prospective customers that you care.
Why “Illegitimate” Reviews Happen
Illegitimate reviews often catch business owners off guard, but they usually stem from just a few common causes.
Sometimes a simple miscommunication—like a booking glitch or a misread coupon policy—can leave a customer feeling frustrated enough to lash out online.
Other times, you’ll encounter bad actors who post low ratings purely to gain leverage or sabotage a competitor.
And when someone expects flawless service, even a minor hiccup can trigger an overly harsh critique.
By recognizing that unfair reviews often arise from confusion, malice, or unrealistic expectations, you’ll be better prepared to stay calm and respond effectively when that first undeserved negative review arrives.
Step 1 – Pause, Read, and Reflect
When you see that unfair review, resist the urge to fire off a defensive reply—instead, pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and clear your head.
Then gather the facts: pull up your appointment logs, staff notes, and any coupon redemption records to confirm exactly what happened.
As you review the details, look for any valid feedback—even a flawed critique can contain a nugget of insight you can act on.
By approaching the situation calmly and methodically, you’ll set the stage for a thoughtful, constructive response rather than an emotionally driven reaction.
Step 2 – Craft a Professional Public Response
When responding publicly on platforms like Google, Yelp, or Facebook, begin by thanking the reviewer (“Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback”), then express genuine empathy (“I’m sorry you had this experience—that’s not the standard we aim for”), follow with your intent to make things right (“I’d like to understand exactly what happened so we can resolve this”), and finally invite them to continue the conversation offline (“Could you please call me directly at (XXX) XXX-XXXX or email me at you@business.com?”).
By steering the discussion away from public view, you demonstrate to all readers that you take concerns seriously while avoiding a prolonged back-and-forth in the review thread.
Step 3 – Take the Discussion Offline
The most effective method is to take the discussion off-line.
Resolve it via a phone call (which is how to deal with feelings and emotions), unless you intentionally want to escalate or prove a point.
By moving to a one-on-one phone conversation, you can address the customer’s emotions rather than simply trading words on a screen.
Hearing your genuine tone helps build rapport and reassurance in a way that text alone can’t, and it allows you to work through the details privately and confidentially—ultimately making it far more likely you’ll turn a frustrated reviewer into a satisfied advocate.
Step 4 – De-escalate and Offer a Resolution
Focus on de-escalating the situation and offering a resolution.
During the call, begin by listening actively—allow the caller to express their concerns fully without interruption.
Acknowledge their frustration with a validating statement like, “I hear how disappointing that was.”
Demonstrate your understanding of the issue by saying something such as, “It sounds like the receptionist’s break overlapped with your appointment.”
After showing empathy and clarity, propose a concrete remedy—perhaps a complimentary service, a partial refund, or a special discount on their next visit.
Even if you don’t completely share their perspective, your willingness to make amends can significantly mend the relationship and restore their confidence.
As the highest-rated plumber in Easton, Salvatore Sciorta of Plumbing Pros LLC received a one-star Google review after a scheduling mix-up—even though he immediately offered to credit the customer and return the next day.
Despite his polite, empathetic phone outreach, the customer never revised her review.
Publicly, we posted a concise thank-you message, expressed genuine empathy, and invited her to continue the conversation offline; privately, Salvatore called to apologize, offered a service-call credit, and scheduled a follow-up visit.
Although the customer never updated her rating, the exchange yielded valuable insights into our process, prompting us to pivot toward a strategy of generating more positive reviews.
Ultimately, this lone one-star among over 300 five-star reviews had virtually no impact—underscoring that a proactive, ongoing review-generation strategy is the strongest defense against the occasional unfair critique.
Step 5 – Encourage an Updated Review
Once you’ve resolved their issue, invite the customer to update their review by politely asking if they’d consider revising it to reflect the resolution.
Explain that an updated review helps keep your business visible so you can continue serving customers like them.
Make the process effortless by including a direct link to the review page in your follow-up email or text, giving them a simple path to replace the old one-star rating with a more balanced, amended assessment.
Step 6 – Learn and Prevent
Begin by auditing your processes to pinpoint any gaps—whether in staffing levels, signage clarity, or coupon-handling procedures—and use those insights to reinforce your team’s training around booking protocols, walk-ins, breaks, and promotional offers.
At the same time, implement proactive monitoring systems, such as Google Alerts, so you can catch and address concerns as soon as they arise.
Step 7 – Flood Your Profile with Positives
One bad review among 300+ fives is understandable—and easily absorbed.
The best defense is a strong offense: by steadily collecting genuine 5-star reviews, any lone 1-star rating becomes negligible.
To build this volume, ask for feedback at peak delight—right after providing excellent service— and leverage your network of partners, repeat clients, and social-media fans to share their experiences.
Dennis Yu
Dennis Yu is a former search engine engineer who has spent a billion dollars on Google and Facebook ads for Nike, Quiznos, Ashley Furniture, Red Bull, State Farm, and other organizations that have many locations.
He has achieved 25% of his goal of creating a million digital marketing jobs because of his partnership with universities, professional organizations, and agencies. Companies like GoDaddy, Fiverr, onlinejobs.ph, 7 Figure Agency, and Vendasta partner with him to create training and certifications.
Dennis created the Dollar a Day Strategy for local service businesses to enhance their existing local reputation and make the phone ring. He's coaching young adult agency owners who serve plumbers, AC technicians, landscapers, roofers, electricians in conjunction with leaders in these industries.
Mr. Yu believes that there should be a standard in measuring local marketing efforts, much like doctors and plumbers need to be certified and licensed. His Content Factory training and dashboards are used by thousands of practitioners.