Google Business Reviews
The review inbox is every Google review of every listing, with the ones still needing an answer at the top. Replying from here publishes the reply on Google under your business's name, so the customer and everyone else reading the review sees it.
The inbox
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Listing | Which outlet the review is of. |
| Rating | The stars. A review with stars and no text shows as A rating with no words. |
| Review | What they wrote. |
| Status | Needs a reply, or answered with when the reply went. |
Awaiting a reply is the filter that matters. When there is nothing outstanding the screen says Nothing waiting — every review has an answer.
Getting reviews in
Fetch reviews from Google pulls new ones and reports how many arrived, or says No new reviews. Reviews can also be fetched automatically — see Settings.
Replying
Write the reply and Send reply to Google. It is published immediately and publicly.
A reply is the most public thing anybody in the company writes. Answer the complaint rather than arguing with it, and never include anything about the customer that they did not put in the review themselves. Replies to bad reviews are read mostly by people deciding whether to use you, not by the reviewer.
Answering the ones with no words
A star rating with no text is still worth a reply. It is usually the only chance you get to make the listing show that somebody is paying attention, and a page of ratings with no replies reads as a business that is not.
Permission
Replying needs Reply to reviews, separate from viewing them. Anybody can read the inbox; deciding who speaks for the business in public is a different question.