What do you say when someone leaves you a bad Google review?

Do you know that sick feeling when you check your Google reviews and see a one-star review? The one you’ve been meaning to respond to for three weeks because you either want to say something you’d regret, or you genuinely don’t know how to handle it professionally without sounding defensive?

I used to do the same thing: stare at it, close the tab, make a cup of tea, repeat.

Here’s what I do now. I open Claude (claude.ai – free), paste in the review, and say something like: “Help me write a calm, professional response to this Google review. I want to acknowledge their concern without rolling over completely. Keep it short and genuine.”

Thirty seconds later, I have something to send. I tweak it a bit to sound like me, and it’s done. What used to ruin a Tuesday afternoon now takes two minutes.

Here’s the bit that’s changed how I use AI in general, and I reckon it’ll do the same for you.

Stop typing your prompts. Just talk to them.

I use a tool called Wispr Flow. (Full disclosure – I’m an affiliate, so I get a small credit if you sign up through my link, but I used it before and I’d use it regardless.) You install it on your computer, hold a button, talk, and it types for you – in any app, browser, or text field. It cleans up your rambling, so what you say comes out as something you’d actually be happy to send.

Here’s why it’s particularly good for AI: when you talk to Claude or ChatGPT instead of typing, you naturally give more context, more nuance, more of the stuff they need to actually understand what you want. My prompts improved when I stopped typing. It flows differently when you speak.

Try Wispr Flow free here – use my affiliate link and we both get a credit (affiliate URL)

If you’d like to sit down and identify more quick wins for your business, I offer a one-hour session for $99. Most people leave with two or three things they can use the very next day. If you’re keen, Book here – or just reply to this email for a free chat first.

P.S. The Google review is still yours to send or not. AI just takes the heat out of writing it.