What I Look for Before Trusting a Business Online

When you look up a business, what makes you trust it—or hesitate?

I look for experiences from people I can relate to. Sometimes that means other women who have used the same service and are describing the things that matter to me.

The rating catches my attention, but I read what people actually say. How were they treated? Was the work good? Did someone help when there was a problem?

Negative reviews make me pause, especially when several people describe the same issue. I also look at how the business responds. A thoughtful response can give me more confidence that someone is paying attention.

What do business owners underestimate about managing reviews?

The follow-through. Getting a review should be the beginning of a conversation, and businesses often overlook that.

Positive feedback deserves attention too. Someone took time to share a good experience. A personal thank-you can acknowledge that. When someone raises a concern, the business needs a process for reviewing it and deciding who should respond.

I recommend assigning someone responsibility for checking reviews regularly. Keep responses relevant, and prioritize questions and unresolved concerns. Repeating the same response under every review doesn’t show much listening.

What is one mistake businesses make when responding to a negative review?

Ignoring it—or getting defensive immediately.

A response that starts with “That didn’t happen” can turn into an argument. I would start by understanding the concern, checking the facts, and deciding what the business can do.

Keep the public reply calm and brief. Acknowledge the concern, apologize when appropriate, and offer a direct way to discuss it privately. You can take a concern seriously without agreeing with every claim. Keep private customer information out of the response.

Remember that future customers can read your reply too. You’re showing them how your business handles a difficult situation.

If a busy owner had just 30 minutes this week, where should they start?

I would start with their Google Business Profile and recent reviews.

First, check the basics: address, phone number, website, regular hours, and holiday hours. Make sure the information matches what customers will actually experience.

Then read the latest reviews. Look for unanswered questions, unresolved complaints, and recurring feedback. Respond where you can help, and assign anything that needs investigation.

Finally, put the next check on the calendar and decide who owns it.

Think about someone searching on their phone for a place to have brunch. If your listing says you’re open but your doors are closed, you’ve created a frustrating experience before they’ve even become a customer. Accurate information is part of good service.