What does it cost a business to ignore its reviews?

Short answer

Unanswered reviews cost you customers, trust, and ranking. Prospects read an ignored one-star as a business that doesn't care, unhappy customers feel dismissed, and you forfeit the visibility boost Google gives responsive profiles.

The hidden costs

• Lost prospects who choose a competitor that looks more attentive.
• Customers who won't return because their complaint went unanswered.
• Missed local-SEO benefit from responding.
• No chance to turn a bad experience around.

None of it shows up as a line item, which is why it's easy to neglect. But every ignored review is a small, compounding leak in your reputation and your pipeline.