Dawn Cafe owner Sean Minter speaks up after Google review anxiety

An Ocean Grove cafe owner has criticised those who use Google reviews, instead of speaking up, as a local business expert warns of “fake and malicious” accounts.

Dawn Cafe in Ocean Grove.

The owner of an Ocean Grove cafe has criticised a Google reviews system he says gives silent “keyboard warrior” customers all the power.

Owner of Dawn Cafe, Sean Minter, said in just three years his cafe had received 249 reviews on the platform, with an average rating of 4.8.

But the emotional toll of a bad review hadn’t gotten easier.

“You pick up your phone and see this – ‘you’ve received a new Google review’- just a notification, but it lands like a punch to the chest,” he said.

“That anxiety kicks in before I even read it.

“You start playing back in your head what happened, what unfolded, but the thing that gets me the most, is ‘why didn’t you just tell us in person?’”

Mr Minter said the comment that sparked his Instagram post was posted on Thursday night, by someone claiming to be a regular customer.

The review accused the cafe of serving “day old bread at full price” and “stale cinnamon scrolls”.

“I get that message at 8.20pm, kids are doing their thing trying to get to bed,” he said.

“Everything that you need to focus on goes out the window.

“The mental health side of it, it does play on your mind.”

He said when you get a negative review as a small business you have to reply quickly – but replying was a mind game of its own.

“I write a draft reply in notes, write another one, then another one, then send it to my partner,” he said.

“You’re not replying for the person who has written the review, but so you have a voice.

“In the whole 20 years that I’ve been in hospitality not one person has ever gotten back to me in a reply, that’s the problem with the whole system.

“Don’t be a keyboard warrior, just come talk to us.”

Owner of Dawn Cafe Ocean Grove, Sean Minter. Photo: Ginger + Mint

On Thursday morning he took to Instagram to share his grievances with the system, and express the weight anxiety that he felt with every bad review.

His post was met with more than 15 comments of understanding, many of them other Ocean Grove businesses that echoed his concerns.

“Hey Dawn cafe – we get it,” Beach Terrace cafe commented.

“We hear ya,” Lolicatos Sandwich Bar replied.

Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief executive Jeremy Crawford said while Google reviews could be used for positivity, their risks and negative impact on small businesses were also very real.

“It can improve credibility, and local SEO, it can be a great insight,” he said.

“Where we see businesses manage them well, they respond quickly to reviews.

“But there are also increases in fake or malicious reviews.

He said this could include competitors leaving negative reviews, or digital bots spamming reviews.

Mr Crawford said he always advised small business owners consult a digital strategist when deciding what their approach would be when it came to Google reviews.

“Lean into it or don’t use it but either way decide your approach,” he said.

It is illegal to post fake reviews online, and businesses can go to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for help.

Google has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Dawn Cafe owner Sean Minter speaks up after Google review anxiety