Reader question: a customer posted a one-star review with a photo of a crack. What do I do?
A one-star review with a crack photo can follow a concrete company for years. How to reply, when to go fix it, and how to keep it from hurting your next bids.
"We poured a driveway in June. Last week the customer left a one-star review with a photo of a crack running across it and the words 'do not use these guys.' I called her and she will not pick up. Do I reply? Do I ask Google to take it down? I am worried it is going to cost me jobs."
This one comes up a lot, and it is worth taking seriously. A review with a photo gets looked at more than a review without one. And concrete is a trade where almost every customer worries about cracks before they hire anyone. So yes, it can cost you jobs. But how you handle the next two weeks matters more than the review itself.
First, do not ask Google to remove it
Google removes reviews that break its rules: spam, fake reviews, hate speech, reviews from someone who was never a customer. A real customer posting a real photo of their own driveway, even an angry one, usually does not break those rules. Flagging it will most likely do nothing, and it can feel to you like a fix when it is not.
The same goes for asking friends to bury it with five-star reviews. Google's filters are good at catching a sudden batch of reviews, and getting caught is far worse than one bad review.
Second, figure out what the crack actually is
Before you write a word, go look at it. Text her once:
"Hi [name], this is [your name] from [company]. I saw your review and the photo. I would like to come look at the crack in person this week, at no charge, and tell you honestly what I see. Would Thursday or Friday afternoon work?"
Then go. Bring your phone and take your own photos. You will usually find one of three things:
- A hairline shrinkage crack along or near a control joint. This is normal concrete behavior and often not a defect.
- A crack from something outside your work. A heavy truck, a tree root, water from a downspout, soil that settled after a utility trench was dug.
- A real problem from the pour. Joints spaced too far apart, a thin spot, poor base prep.
Be honest with yourself about which one it is.
Third, write the reply
Reply publicly within a few days, even if she has not answered you. Future customers read the reply more carefully than the review. Keep it short, calm and specific. Never argue, never blame, never share private details about her.
If you have visited and it is a normal shrinkage crack:
"Thank you for sharing this, [first name]. I came out on [day] to look at it with you. It is a hairline crack near the control joint, which is common in new concrete as it cures and does not affect the strength of the slab. I explained what we can do to seal it and I am happy to do that at no charge. If anything changes, call me directly at [number]. [Your name], owner."
If it is a real problem with your work:
"[First name], thank you for raising this. I looked at it on [day] and this one is on us. We are scheduling the repair for [week] at no cost to you. I am sorry it got to this point. [Your name], owner."
If she will not let you come out:
"[First name], I am sorry to see this. I have reached out to set up a free visit to look at the crack and I would still like to. Please call me directly at [number] whenever works for you. [Your name], owner."
Each reply shows the next customer the same thing: this owner shows up. Our reviews guide has more reply examples.
Fourth, fix the thing that made the crack scary
Most concrete customers know nothing about cracking until they see one. If nobody told them before the pour, a hairline crack looks like a disaster. That is a sales process problem, not just a review problem.
Add two sentences to every quote and every job walkthrough: "Concrete can develop small hairline cracks as it cures, usually near the cut joints. That is normal. If you ever see one wider than a credit card, call us and we will come look." Our pricing and quoting guide covers what else belongs in the written quote.
Then put it on your website too, on a short "what to expect" page.
Fifth, get more reviews, the right way
One bad review hurts most when you do not have many good ones. In our data the median concrete company has just 7 Google reviews, and 57.9% have fewer than 10. With seven reviews, one angry photo is a big share of what a customer sees. With forty, it is one voice among many.
Text every happy customer from this season this week. Ask for a short review with a photo of the finished job. Real photos of clean, finished driveways are the best answer to a crack photo.
Does it cost you jobs?
Some, for a while. But in our experience customers forgive a bad review more than a bad reply. A calm, specific reply from the owner, and a profile full of recent good jobs, turns the review into proof that you stand behind your work. The benchmark report shows how your review count compares to your state.
If you want help with replies or a review ask that runs on every job, the free 14-day trial covers any one service, no card. Text or call (385) 832-6924.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, concrete contractors among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor