Example replies
Before you copyEdit every reply to fit: only promise actions, refunds or policies that are true for your business, and replace anything in [brackets].
Movers, damaged furniture
[Name], thank you for letting us know about the dresser. We take any report of damage seriously and want to look into it properly. Please email [email] with photos and your move date, and our claims coordinator will contact you within two business days to explain the next steps. [Business]
Plumber, water damage afterward
Hi [Name], I'm sorry to hear about the water damage and I understand how stressful that is. I'd like to come out myself to see the area and review what was done on the job. Give me a call at [phone] and we'll set a time. [Owner], [Business]
Painter, scuffed floors
Thanks for raising this, [Name]. Our crews are supposed to cover floors before any work starts, and I want to understand what happened. I'll call you this week to arrange a time to look at the floors together. You can also reach me at [phone].
Auto shop, scratch after service
[Name], we're sorry to hear you found a scratch after picking up your car. We photograph every vehicle at drop-off, and we'd like to review those photos with you. Please call our service manager at [phone] or stop by so we can look at it together.
Dry cleaner, ruined garment
Hi [Name], we're sorry about your jacket. Some fabrics react badly to cleaning even when the care label is followed, and we want to find out what happened with yours. Please bring it in or email [email] so our manager can review it with you.
Short and neutral
Thank you for telling us, [Name]. We take reports like this seriously and want to look into it with you directly. Please contact [Name] at [phone] or [email] so we can review what happened.
A damage review is the start of a claim
When a customer writes that your crew scratched their floor, flooded their basement or broke a family heirloom, the review is often the first notice you get. It’s also public, permanent, and read by every future customer considering letting you into their home. The reply has to do two things at once: reassure readers that you handle problems responsibly, and avoid saying anything that settles a question you haven’t investigated.
Sympathy without admitting fault
The safest wording separates feeling sorry for the situation from accepting blame for it. “I’m sorry you’re dealing with this” is sympathy. “I’m sorry we damaged your ceiling” is an admission, made in public, before anyone has looked at the ceiling. Google’s own reply tips make a similar point: acknowledge mistakes where they happened, but don’t take responsibility for things outside your control. With damage, you often don’t yet know which it is.
Equally, don’t deny it. “Our crew is always careful, this couldn’t have been us” reads as dismissive, and if it turns out you did cause it, that reply stays on your profile.
Move it to a private process
The most reassuring thing a reader can see is a business with a process: photos at drop-off, an inspection visit, a claims contact, a time frame for a response. If you have any of those, mention them. Then give a direct phone number or email and a named person. Google suggests politely asking reviewers to contact you directly for complicated situations so they can be resolved privately, and damage claims are about as complicated as reviews get.
Keep evidence out of the reply
Your before photos, the job notes and the signed work order may well show the damage was already there. They still don’t belong in a review reply. They show the inside of the customer’s home or their property, which is private, and a reply with evidence attached turns your profile into a courtroom. Review the evidence with the customer, or with your insurer.
When to stop replying
If the reviewer mentions a lawyer, small claims or a demand for a specific sum, keep the public reply to a short acknowledgment and get professional advice. This page can’t tell you what your liability is; a lawyer or your insurer can.
After it’s resolved
If you sort it out, you can edit your reply to say the matter was resolved, without the details. Google lets owners edit or delete a reply at any time from Read reviews.
If it doesn't work
- The reviewer threatens to sue or mentions a lawyer: stop replying publicly beyond a short acknowledgment and talk to a lawyer or your insurer.
- The damage claim names a staff member with insults: report it under Google's harassment or offensive content policies.
- You believe the claim is false: say you'd like to review it together, not that it's untrue. Settle it in private.
- The claim is resolved: you can edit your reply to note that, without sharing the details or settlement.
Questions owners ask
Should I apologize if I'm not sure we caused the damage?
You can say you're sorry they're dealing with it, which is an expression of sympathy. Avoid wording that accepts responsibility before you've looked, such as "we're sorry we broke your table."
Can I post our before-and-after photos to prove it wasn't us?
Don't. The photos show the customer's home, car or belongings, which is private, and posting them turns the reply into a public dispute. Offer to review the photos with the customer privately.
Can I get a damage review removed?
Not because you disagree with it. Google doesn't get involved in disputes between businesses and customers. It may qualify only if it breaks a content policy, for example with a personal attack on an employee.
Is a review reply legal advice territory?
The reply itself isn't legal advice, but a damage claim can become a legal or insurance matter. If money, liability or a lawyer comes up, keep the public reply minimal and get professional advice before saying more.
Sources
- Tips to get more reviews and write better replies (support.google.com)
- Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile (support.google.com)
- Manage customer reviews (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.