Your reply is not for the person who wrote the review. It is for the hundreds of people who will read both afterwards.
A short reply within a day or two signals attention. A long defensive essay three weeks later signals something else entirely.
Even when you are right, a public dispute makes both parties look bad and keeps the review visible in search. Acknowledge, apologise for the experience, and move it offline.
The review is one opinion. Your response is evidence of how you treat people.
Confirming someone was a customer, or referencing their case, can breach privacy rules and in regulated fields can be a serious problem.
Give a name and a direct way to reach someone. A generic "please contact us" reads as a brush-off.
Yes, including positive ones. Response rate is a visible trust signal and it appears to help local ranking.
Report it on the correct policy grounds first, then reply neutrally without accusing the reviewer publicly.
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