Dealing with A Bad Or Fake Google Review

Failing to remove a negative review can put your business name and reputation at serious risk. Bad or fake Google reviews can lead to negative publicity, loss of potential customers, decreased profits, and other consequences.

Today’s online world sometimes feels like the equivalent of the Wild West. Competition is cutthroat. Often unkind. Business owners had better be prepared to protect their online reputations. One significant skill a business owner must learn is to understand how to remove fake Google reviews. It's a growing problem.

Wright Law has a successful track record of getting negative online reviews removed. It’s just a small part of what we do. But we’re seeing it as a growing problem. We hope this article will help you to know what works and what doesn’t.

In general, there are four ways that a businesses can remove unwanted Google reviews:

1. Ask the original author to remove the negative review,
2. Flag the negative review to Google,
3. Pursue legal action against the person who posted it, and
4. Use an online reputation management firm and SEO.

Let’s review them. But first some general thoughts.

Perspective

If your business has recently been hit with a bad review, DON’T PANIC OR IMPULSIVELY OVERREACT! Most businesses will eventually experience having a bad or fake negative review. It doesn’t matter if you've never made a mistake, or that you provided exceptional customer service, or even that you offer free returns or replacement merchandise. Someday, somebody, somewhere will be unhappy or just in a bad enough mood for the day. Maybe you will even experience an un-hinged competitor who thinks that leaving a bad review is a competitive business strategy.

Okay, let's dive in. Below we offer four proven methods that actually work to remove fake Google reviews. It's a long read. We apologize in advance for the wall of information.

Method No. 1

Ask the Reviewer to Remove the Bad or False Review

It almost goes without saying. But the surest way to remove a customer review from Google is to gently or forcefully persuade the original author to remove it. If a person can post a bad Google review, they can just as easily remove it.

Common sense, right? Actually, although effective, it can be one of the most difficult paths to take for a successful resolution depending on the circumstances. This is especially true when dealing with fake or intentionally fraudulent reviews (e.g.., reviews not written by a real customer and published anonymously). More about these later.

CAUTION: Think twice before responding directly to the review on the website it was posted. This is usually NOT the best approach

Unless your business is facing a PR disaster of epic proportions, is a big brand, or is in an industry with high volumes of traffic and reviews (travel, food, etc.) then responding to a negative Google review directly on the online review platform where it is left is usually NOT a good idea for several reasons:

First, responding to a review in the wrong way can wind up doing more harm than good. A bad response will only serve to make a negative situation worse. In addition, responding to a review usually leads to a significant rise in the review’s prominence and visibility in your online business listing and search results. Platforms display reviews with more activity, comments, and responses first on a business’s profile. So responding only brings more unwanted and unnecessary attention.

Second, responding often creates a cascading effect. In other words, it leads to more bad reviews. Future customers see the prior review response and come to the conclusion that it’s a good channel to air their grievances to remedy their problems with your business.

Third, responding decreases the chances that Google will remove the review for a term of service violation. Platforms like Google evaluate certain criteria in deciding whether to remove a review. If it sees a response, it tends not to remove it. Google and other similar sites take the position that the business’s response addresses the situation adequately, so no further action is needed by the platform to remedy the situation.

Finally, there are potential legal consequences. A bad response can put you in hot water legally if, for instance, you say the wrong thing. What you write in response can and will be used against you later if litigation is pursued. Responses can be especially troublesome for professions like doctors and lawyers that adhere to strict confidentiality obligations. It’s a minefield of trouble waiting to happen. Best to avoid it altogether.

In sum, responding to a negative review on the website it was posted should be a measure of last resort. It should be reserved for extremely harmful reviews or ones that you are dead certain there is no other way to remove.

That being said, there are some guidelines we generally recommend when dealing with a bad review from an unhappy customer.

THE SPEED OF YOUR RESPONSE MATTERS

Whether you respond to a review through private channels or publicly, you should do so quickly. According to a ReviewTrackers’ study, roughly 52% of customers expect to hear back from a business within 7 days after posting their review, while nearly 25% expect a response within at least 3 days. Therefore, as a general rule, businesses should respond to a customer’s review and concerns within 48 hours of posting. Customers are anxious to receive a response, so don’t keep them waiting!

Confidentiality Considerations

As we mentioned above, always consider customer privacy or professional confidentiality restrictions when responding to a customer. Be certain what you can and cannot discuss or divulge in a public response. As an example, doctors and lawyers, are bound by ethical rules that may limit what they can disclose publicly.

It’s often a good idea to sleep before proceeding with a response. Always think twice before responding .

It’s Best to Respond to Bad Customer Reviews Through Direct & Personal Methods of Communication

How you contact a reviewer about removing a review can significantly impact whether the review is removed or remains online. If possible, opt for a phone call rather than a written message. Turning an impersonal situation into a personal one helps assure consumers their complaints are being taken seriously. It’s extremely easy for a message to be misinterpreted online.

If a phone call isn’t possible, try to find another form of direct communication that is more personal (ex. video message, text, a direct message over Facebook, Instagram, or Skype.). Be careful not to write anything that you wouldn’t want to see later as an addendum to their original post. If you think you will inflame the situation it is best not to proceed.

Truly Listen to Customer Feedback & Be Prepared to Offer an Apology or Solution

If you receive a bad review (as opposed to a fake review) you should remember that a person usually posts a complaint online is that they want their voice to be heard. So when contacting a customer regarding a bad review the most important thing to do is to sit down, shut up, and listen. Let them talk. Let them be heard. Make them feel like their concerns and problems are appreciated. Sometimes letting the person know that their complaints have been heard and the problem is being addressed is all that’s needed.

But what if listening isn’t enough? Before making contact, can you think of 1 or more solutions to resolve the problem? For example, is the customer just seeking an apology? Maybe a refund? Asking the customer what will resolve the situation directly is important.

A 2015 customer rage study found that businesses that offer both an apology and monetary refund scored twice as high for customer satisfaction than those that only offered a monetary remedy. Be prepared to offer some sort of remedy. However, don’t offer a monetary remedy or credit in situations where the customer’s behavior is clearly extortionate.

Do Everything Reasonably Possible to Resolve a Dispute, But Never Succumb to Bullies or Extortion

Should seeking feedback, giving an apology or refund, or constructive dialogue fail to yield the removal of a review, consider one last time whether there is anything else you can reasonably do to correct the situation. Don’t believe that just because you may get a review down by other means that this will end of the problem. Often it isn’t. It’s very easy for someone to just write another review on dozens of other platforms. Resolving the complaint at the source is the best solution and ensures it never comes back.