Your Google reviews
Your Google reviews: get more, reply to them, handle a bad one
Before walking through your door, a customer reads your rating, your latest reviews and your replies. Here is how to get more without cheating, what to reply, and what to do about a review that stings.
What a customer reads before coming in
Your rating
The first number they see, right next to your neighbours’.
The pace
Reviews from this month reassure more than a great rating from two years ago.
Your replies
Someone who is hesitating judges your reply more than the review itself.
Getting more, without cheating
The rule: ask at the right moment, the right person, with zero effort for them. The right moment is when the customer is happy: at the till, on the way out, just after the service.
A QR code at the counter
It opens the review window of your profile directly. Placed where customers wait, it gets scanned.
A review stand or an NFC card
The customer taps their phone and the review page opens. Handy on a table or by the till.
The direct link
In a message after the visit or the delivery, when you have the customer’s number and their consent.
Reply to every review, in your own words
- Reply quickly: within 48 hours, while the customer still remembers.
- Pick up a detail from their review: the dish, the name of whoever served them, the time.
- Never argue in public: thank them, explain, offer to talk it over.
“Thanks Karim! Glad you enjoyed the kebab. See you soon at the counter.”
“Thank you Sofia, and sorry about the wait on Saturday evening. We were swamped: we’re adding someone in the kitchen from this weekend. Hope to see you again soon.”
“Thanks for the five stars! See you soon at Chez Nour.”
A bad review, a fake review: what you can do
Google doesn’t remove a review because it is negative. It removes the ones that break its rules: a fake review from someone who never came, a conflict of interest (a competitor, a former employee), abusive language, off-topic content.
- 1Breathe, then reply
Calmly, acknowledging what went wrong and offering to talk. Readers see an owner who takes things in hand.
- 2Report what breaks the rules
From your profile, report the review, with the exact reason. Allow a few days for Google’s answer.
- 3Drown it out with genuine reviews
One bad review among ten recent, answered ones carries little weight. The best remedy is a steady pace.
What you can do yourself, what Markus does for you
On your own, for free
- Ask every happy customer for a review
- Reply to everything, in the evening, in your own words
- Report what breaks the rules
With Markus
What it costs
Asking and replying cost nothing but your time. What Markus does is take that time off your hands.
| Who does it | What you pay | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Yourself | €0 | Half an hour a week, without fail |
| HelloMarkus | Review management €39 excl. VAT / month | 14-day trial; QR kit €59 excl. VAT one-off |
Frequently asked questions
Can you remove a negative Google review?
Not because it is negative. Google only removes reviews that break its rules (fake, conflict of interest, abusive, off-topic): you report them from your profile.
How quickly should you reply to a review?
Within 48 hours is ideal: the customer still remembers, and readers see that you keep on top of things.
Can you offer a gift in exchange for a review?
No. Google forbids it, and it skews reviews. Your prize wheel, for instance, is never tied to a review.
How does a QR code for Google reviews work?
It opens the review window of your profile directly. The HelloMarkus QR kit gives you five displays, and every scan is tracked back to where it was placed.
What should I do about a fake review?
Report it from your profile with the exact reason, and reply calmly: “We have no record of your visit, please get in touch so we can talk about it.” Readers understand.
Does Markus reply for me?
He writes the reply in your own words and suggests it to you; you approve with one tap, he posts it. Negative reviews reach you as an alert.
Your reviews, as your future customers see them
The audit is free and takes two minutes. You see where you rank on Google, your profile and your reviews, and where to start.
