Google reviews

It's an add-on

Google reviews is an add-on, separate from your WhatsApp plan. It sits in the sidebar as Google reviews.

Without the add-on, the row carries a ✦. Pressing it opens a window with the price. Press Ask us to switch it on: it opens WhatsApp so you can message us. We set it up and confirm the price with you first. Nothing is charged automatically.

What you can do depends on the add-on:

• Add-on active: everything in this article.
• Add-on ended, Google still connected: read-only. Your reviews, rating, review link, QR code, profile checks and suggested changes stay visible, and nothing is deleted. Replying, posting, editing your profile, choosing a business and connecting are switched off, and new-review notifications stop. Those buttons stay where they are, greyed out, with this line under them: Your Google Reviews add-on isn't active, so this is read-only. Your reviews and data are kept.
• No add-on: you see the offer, not the screens.

Connecting your Google Business Profile

Only the business owner or an admin can connect Google and use these screens. A team member with the Member role is taken back to the dashboard.

1. 1Open Google reviews in the sidebar
2. 2Press Connect Google after reading What happens when you connect
3. 3Sign in with the Google account that manages your business, and leave every permission ticked. We never see your Google password
4. 4Come back to Tous Connect. If that Google account manages one business, it is connected straight away
5. 5Choose your business if it manages more than one: under Which business is this?, tap the one you want reviews for

Each business in the list shows its address and, once loaded, its rating and number of reviews. View on Maps opens its Google listing, so you can check you have the right branch. With more than six businesses, a search box appears.

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If connecting doesn't work

• Google didn't give us permission to manage your reviews: try again and leave all the boxes ticked on Google's screen.
• We couldn't find any businesses on this Google account: you signed in with a different Google account. Sign in with the one that manages your Google Business Profile.
• Google Reviews is an add-on, and it isn't active for this business: ask us to switch it on, then connect.
• You pressed Cancel on Google's screen: nothing was connected. Try again whenever you like.

Your Google reviews home

Once connected, Google reviews → Overview has two tabs, Your profile and Best practices. Your profile shows, from the top:

• Your rating on Google, how many reviews it comes from, and how many reviews you have at each star level. View on Google opens your listing.
• Waiting for your reply: how many reviews have no reply yet, or All replied. Press Reply to N reviews to go to the Reviews page.
• Ask customers for reviews: your QR code and review link.
• Ask a customer over WhatsApp.
• A card when Google has suggested changes to your profile.
• Needs a reply: up to 8 unreplied reviews. Tap one to read it in full and reply. See all opens the Reviews page.
• Post an update to Google.
• Connection settings, folded away at the bottom.

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The Reviews page

Google reviews → Reviews lists your reviews. Three filters show a count each:

• Needs a reply: reviews with no reply yet. The page opens here.
• All
• Replied

Reviews waiting for a reply come first. Among them, 1- and 2-star reviews come before the rest, lowest first, and are marked Answer today. The others are marked Needs a reply.

Type in Search reviews… to find a review by the customer's name or by words in it.

If Google doesn't share a reviewer's name, you'll see Name not shared. A review with stars but no words says Rating only — this customer didn't write anything.

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Replying to a review

1. 1Press Reply under the review
2. 2Write your reply
3. 3Press Post reply

• A reply can be up to 4,096 characters. The box counts down as you type.
• Nothing is posted until you press Post reply. We never write or send a reply for you.
• To change a reply, press Edit your reply, change the text and press Update reply. The new reply replaces the old one. Customers never see two.
• You can't delete a reply from here.
• If Google refuses a reply, its reason is shown above the reply box.

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Asking customers for a review

If Google gives us your review link, Ask customers for reviews shows two ways. Both open Google with the review box ready.

• Put a code on your counter: customers scan the QR code with their phone camera while they are still with you. Print a counter card opens a ready-made A5 card with your QR code and business name; two fit on one A4 sheet. Just the QR image downloads the code as a picture.
• Or send the link: press Copy link, then paste it into WhatsApp, an email or a bill.

Asking one customer over WhatsApp

1. 1Enter the customer's WhatsApp number under Ask a customer over WhatsApp
2. 2Add their name if you like
3. 3Check the message under What they will get
4. 4Press Open WhatsApp. WhatsApp opens with the message ready. Press send there

The message goes from your own WhatsApp number, as an ordinary message. It doesn't use a template, nothing is sent automatically, and we can't see whether you sent it.

A 10-digit number is treated as Indian, so 91 is added for you. If the number doesn't look right, you'll see That does not look like a valid number — check the digits.

New review notifications

While the add-on is active, we check Google for new reviews regularly. A notification goes to every phone and computer where Tous Connect notifications are turned on for your business. Tapping it opens the Reviews page.

A 1- or 2-star review gets its own wording, e.g. New 1-star review … Worth answering today.

Best practices: checking your profile

The Best practices tab lists things Google says help a profile: replying to reviews, adding photos, posting updates, holiday hours, a description, opening hours, a website, a phone number, categories, details like parking and Wi-Fi, and staying verified. Each one is done or not done; there is no score. What's left to do comes first.

Google says local results are based on relevance, distance and prominence. Nothing on this list changes distance.

• Write a description (up to 750 characters) and Add your website can be done right here: press the button, make the change, then press Save to Google.
• If Google holds a change for review, we say so: Saved. Google is reviewing the change before it goes live.
• The other items have a button that opens your profile on Google, where you make the change.
• Your business name, address and category are changed on Google, not here. Changing them can send your listing back for verification, and a listing under review doesn't show to customers.

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Suggested changes from Google

Google sometimes changes a business listing using information from other sources, for example removing your phone number or moving your map pin. When it proposes a change, a card appears on your Google reviews home, e.g. 1 change waiting on Google, and Suggested changes in the sidebar shows a red count.

Press See what changed. Each change is described in plain words, and a removal is marked Removal. These changes aren't live yet.

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Posting an update to Google

1. 1Write what's new in one line, in English or Hinglish, under Post an update to Google
2. 2Press Draft a post. If your line has nothing concrete to post, we ask one question. Answer it and press Draft it, or press Draft anyway
3. 3Edit the draft as you like
4. 4Press Post to Google

• Any words in the draft that weren't in what you told us are named: Not in what you told us: … Edit them out, or keep them if they're true.
• Posts are text only.
• Google may remove posts that include phone numbers, email addresses or social handles. We warn you when a draft has one.
• After posting you'll see one of three answers: Posted — it's live on your Google profile., Sent to Google. It's being processed and isn't showing yet (usually a few minutes), or Google rejected this post under its content rules.

Reconnecting and disconnecting

If Google stops accepting our access, usually because the permission was removed from the Google account, you'll see Reconnect your Google profile. Until you reconnect, your reviews aren't up to date and replies don't reach Google. Press Reconnect and sign in again.

To disconnect:

1. 1Open Connection settings at the bottom of the Google reviews home (or Settings → Preferences)
2. 2Press Disconnect Google, then Yes, disconnect

We remove our access from your Google account straight away. Your reviews stay on Google, nothing is deleted there, and you can connect again any time.