Receiving a scathing one-star review from someone who is not even a customer can be frustrating for any business owner.
But according to Maria Kathopoulis, Chief Marketing Officer and Founder of UNTMD, the way a business responds is often more important than the review itself.
“This happens more than people realise, and how you handle it matters more than the review itself.”
Maria says the first step is to report the review directly through the platform.
On Google, this involves:
Google’s policies may allow reviews to be removed where there was no genuine service interaction, although removal is not guaranteed.
“Document everything: take screenshots, note the date, and if you can identify the reviewer, keep a record of why they have no transaction history with you.”
Maria says most major review platforms have dispute mechanisms.
“If the review sits on another platform, Yelp, Trustpilot, or similar, the process is comparable. Each has a dispute mechanism. Use it.”
She says persistence is important because review removal processes can be slow.
“Persistence pays off here.”
Maria says yes. “Every time.”
She says the public response is not really directed at the reviewer themselves.
“A professional, measured response is not for the reviewer. It’s for every future customer reading that thread.”
Maria recommends keeping responses short, calm and factual.
“We’ve checked our records and can’t locate any account or interaction under this name. We take all feedback seriously and invite anyone with a genuine concern to contact us directly at [your business admin email].”
She says this demonstrates professionalism and transparency to future customers.
“What you’re doing is demonstrating transparency and process. Potential customers see a business that responds calmly under pressure.
“That builds more trust than a wall of five-stars ever will.”
Maria says businesses should avoid:
“What you should never do: get defensive, ask others to pile on with positive reviews to bury it, or ignore it entirely.”
Negative reviews can feel personal for business owners, particularly in trade industries where reputation and referrals are critical.
But Maria says reputation is ultimately shaped by how businesses respond when problems arise.
“Your reputation is built in the moments when things go wrong. Own the response.”
Sometimes. Reviews from people with no genuine customer interaction may breach platform policies, but removal is not guaranteed.
Yes. A calm and professional public response helps build trust with future customers.
Keep responses factual, professional and focused on inviting legitimate customers to contact the business directly.
No. Defensive or emotional responses can damage reputation further.
Screenshots, dates and customer records may assist during the review dispute process.
Fake online reviews are frustrating, but the public response often matters more than the review itself.
For electrical contractors, responding professionally, documenting concerns properly and following the platform dispute process can help protect long-term reputation and customer trust.
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