How to reply to a negative review
Short answer: Reply within a day or two, in four or five sentences. Thank the reviewer, name the specific problem, say what you have done or will do, and give a direct way to reach you. Do not argue, and do not share details about the customer.
Almost nobody reads a reply to a bad review more carefully than the person deciding whether to become your customer. Write for that reader.
The method
- Wait an hour, not a week. Reply within a day or two. Not in the first ten minutes.
- Thank them and use their name if the platform shows it.
- Name the problem in their words. “You waited forty minutes for a table you had booked” shows you read it. “We’re sorry you had a bad experience” shows you did not.
- Say what happens next. What you fixed, or what you will check. Only promise what you will do.
- Take it offline. Give a name, a phone number or an email address. One reply in public is enough.
Keep it to four or five sentences. A long defence reads as an argument even when every word is true.
What to leave out
- Their private details. Do not confirm what they bought, what treatment they had or what they owe. In healthcare, law and finance, even confirming that the person was a client can break confidentiality rules. Speak in general terms: “We take concerns like this seriously and would like to talk with you directly.”
- Blame. Not the customer, not a named member of staff.
- Offers in exchange for changing the review. A refund is fine if it is owed. A refund “if you update your review” is paying for a review.
- Copy and paste. The same sentence under ten reviews tells readers nobody is there.
Examples
A fair complaint
Thank you for telling us, Maria. You booked for 7:00 and were seated at 7:40, and that is not acceptable. We have changed how we hold tables on Friday nights so it does not happen again. I would like to make this right: please call me on 555-0100. — Dan, manager
A complaint you disagree with
Thank you for the feedback, James. I am sorry the repair cost more than you expected. We send a written quote before any work starts and I would like to go through yours with you. Please email me at dan@example.com.
A review from someone who was never a customer
We take every review seriously, but we cannot find a visit under this name or on this date. If we have this wrong, please contact us at 555-0100 so we can look into it.
Reply first, then report the review to the platform if it breaks the rules. The reply protects you while the report is being looked at.
Reply to the good ones too
A short, specific thank-you under a positive review costs a minute. It shows the business is run by people, and it gives the next reader one more reason to believe the rating.
When not to reply
- When the review is abusive or names a member of staff. Report it and say nothing in public.
- When a lawyer is already involved. Ask them first.