How to Respond to Negative Reviews and Positive Reviews From Customers

How to Respond to Negative Reviews

Responding to negative reviews is difficult. Bad reviews hurt and can sometimes be downright cruel.

It’s natural to get upset about your negative reviews, but if you lose your cool or feel like retaliating, it’s wise to step away from the keyboard. Don’t let your emotions dictate what you’re going to write in your response to a negative review. Instead, get to a calm mental state and respond in a professional manner.

Here’s a template that mimics that calm and professional tone. Try using it as a response to a negative review:

Dear [NAME OF REVIEWER], thanks for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry your experience didn’t match your expectations. It was an uncommon instance and we’ll do better in the future.

Please feel free reach out to [INSERT CONTACT INFORMATION] with any further comments, concerns, or suggestions you wish to share. We would love to make things right if you give us another chance.

The template above is a great starting point, and your response to negative reviews will vary from situation to situation. However, consider it to be the foundation for a great response.

After looking at 200,000 review responses, and analyzing the differences between positive, neutral, and negative reviews responses, we found the best ways to respond to each type of review.

While businesses do apologize, it’s only a relatively small part of the response (13%) — and that makes sense: it can come across as unprofessional to be overly apologetic. Instead, brands focus on their commitment to service and “next steps” (e.g., how a consumer can contact them directly). Many of the elements of the template above apply to some of the best practices in responding to negative reviews.

Address the Reviewer

Your customers want to be heard individually and addressed personally. So don’t forget your salutations and, if possible, avoid the generic “Dear guest,” or “Dear customer.”

Consider the following customer reviews data: 76% of all reviews are either on Google and Facebook. This means you can usually get the name of the reviewer, and use it as a way to further personalize your response.

Say Thank You

Show customers that your business appreciates and values candid unsolicited feedback, and always remember to say thank you in responses to reviews (even the bad ones).

Here are some variations where saying “thank you” goes a long way:

• “Thank you for your review. I’m sorry to hear you had such a frustrating experience, but I really appreciate you bringing this issue to my attention.”
• “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We’re sorry you had a bad experience. We’ll strive to do better. ”
• “Thank you for letting us know about this. Your feedback helps us get better. We are looking into this issue and hope to resolve it promptly and accurately.”

Apologize and Sympathize

Saying sorry shows that you care about your customers and that you’re not too proud to own up to your mistakes.

Even if it’s not your fault, say sorry anyway. This is a great opportunity to establish and strengthen trust between you and the customer. Besides, people can turn away from businesses that are too perfect or too proud to apologize.

Just like the rest of the response, keep you apologies short and sweet:

• “We apologize that our service did not satisfy your expectations.”
• “We’re so sorry that your experience did not match your expectations. This is on us.”
• “We set a high standard for ourselves, and we’re so sorry to hear this was not met in your interaction with our business.”

Take Responsibility

Don’t make excuses. Even if what happened was an uncommon instance, an isolated case, an unfortunate incident, an off day — acknowledge the customer’s experience. At the same time, provide reassurance that you hold yourself to high standards.

Some things you can say:

• “I’m so sorry. We’re normally known for our exceptional attention to detail, and we regret that we missed the mark.”
• “We always aim to deliver a great experience, and we are gutted when we don’t meet expectations. Thanks for taking the time to bring this to our attention. We will use the feedback to make us better and to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
• “Thank you for posting a review and we’re sorry to hear that your experience was not up to standards. We would like the opportunity to talk and investigate your feedback further.”

Make Things Right

When dealing with negative feedback, try to avoid cookie-cutter responses that do not resolve or address any specific issues raised in the review. Include details about the customer’s experience in your response (when relevant), and communicate any changes or improvements you have made or will make as a result of their feedback.

If there’s nothing you can do to fix what happened, here’s a compelling way to respond to the reviewer, take ownership, and promise to make things right in the future:

• “I apologize on behalf of everyone at [Company Name]. Please know that your situation was an exception. As you can see on other reviews, we are known for taking ownership and caring deeply about our customers. We can’t fix the past but you have my personal commitment to improve the way our staff serves every customer. Until then, please accept my sincerest apologies on behalf of everyone on the team.”

Take the Issue Offline

It’s always best for you and your customer to talk directly about the problem they had and take the issue offline. This saves any further embarrassment on your side of the issue and prevents interference from outside sources. For this reason, you should provide direct contact information for customers in your review response.

Here are some things you can say:

• “We would like the opportunity to investigate your feedback further. Please could you contact me at [Email Address] or call our team at [Phone Number]? We’ll work with you to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.”
• “We are sorry that your experience at [Company Name] didn’t quite match your expectations. We would love to know why, so that we can deliver a better experience next time. You may reach us anytime at [Email Address] or [Phone Number]. Again, thank you for your feedback!”

Ask for A Second Chance

Don’t slam the door on negative reviewers. Instead, extend a (digital) hand. Invite them to come back and when they do, welcome them with open arms.

Not only does this create an opportunity for you to change the conversation; it also establishes confidence in your ability to deliver an experience worth raving (instead of ranting) about.

Some things you can say:

• “Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. I’m very sorry we failed to meet your expectations. I would appreciate another chance to earn your business. Please call me or ask for me next time you’re at [Company Name].”

Real-World Examples of How to Respond to Negative Reviews

It’s evident that there isn’t one perfect way to respond to a negative review. The fact that numerous brands have found different ways to create great review responses show the opportunities available to winning back an unsatisfied customer. As you read each example, notice that they all use elements of the response best practices listed above.

Responding to a Negative Restaurant Review

Restaurateurs know that delicious food doesn’t always guarantee a 5-star review. Take notes from this heartfelt response to a review that commented on other aspects of the dining experience.

Why it works: In the response, the restaurateur acknowledges that the guest’s experience “could’ve been better” and offers ways to deliver a better or more satisfactory experience next time — all while keeping the tone polite and professional. By highlighting the upstairs seating, the response not only offers a solution to this diner, but also offers a tip to prospective diners who may be reading this review in the future.

Responding to a Negative Hotel Review

When a loyal customer expressed her disappointment with her anniversary stay at the Stamford Plaza in Brisbane, executive assistant manager Dale John wrote a pitch-perfect response.

Why it works: The response addressed the reviewer and started with a “thank you.” It was also very specific about the customer’s experience and provided detailed information on how the hotel planned to resolve certain issues and maintain its standards.

Responding to a Negative Healthcare Review Response

For healthcare providers, it’s a little bit trickier to craft responses to negative patient reviews.

With the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which is designed to safeguard patients’ health information, healthcare marketers must be able to respond without referring to any specifics about medical care or the patient’s identity, which could be construed as “patient data.”

You can read more on how to respond to reviews and meet HIPAA compliances, but here’s a great example in action:

Why it works: The review response addresses specific issues without breaking confidentiality. It also communicates the provider’s concrete plan to make things right (“We recently hired a consultant…”). The response also wisely offers to take the conversation offline — demonstrating the provider’s genuine desire to engage with the patient and solve the problem.

Responding to a Negative Financial Services Review

Negative reviews can also hit banks and financial services providers. By replying in a timely manner, you minimize the possibility of other potential clients being swayed by the experiences of an unsatisfied customer.

Why it works: This review response feels sincere instead of defensive. Sometimes, simply thanking the customer for their feedback and apologizing can go a long way. Take note, again, of the offer to take things offline and discuss the issue privately.

Responding to a Negative Review of a Veterinary Clinic

Here’s another example of a response to a negative review; it’s from a veterinary clinic, a business in an industry in which emotions can run high, especially in times of a pet’s health crisis.

Why it works: Pet owners can be extremely vocal and opinionated. In response to the negative Facebook review, Forest Grove Veterinary Clinic posted a classy and professional reply that highlighted the company’s values while also directly addressing the customer’s experience.

Travel and Hospitality Negative Review Response Example

JetBlue Airways’ Twitter account serves as one of the company’s main customer service channels. When a customer named Esaí Vélez complained (politely) about his backseat TV not working, JetBlue responded within minutes.  

Why it works: The swiftness with which JetBlue responded is impressive. While it’s a response to a tweet instead of to a review, the short reply effectively displays sympathy while also offering a solution (or at least a genuine attempt to make amends).

Creating a Plan for Responding to Negative Reviews

With templates and examples in hand, it’s time to put your own review response plan into action. Before solidifying your own response methodology, it’s important to keep three things in mind.

Respond in a Timely Manner

Remember the valuable customer reviews data: 53.3% of customers who have written reviews expect a response in seven days or less. Set up review alerts so you are notified of new reviews as they come in to your listing. Also, you definitely don’t want to be manually logging in and out of business review sites — so utilizing a comprehensive review response tool may be useful when handling multiple pieces of feedback.

Remember: the clock begins ticking once reviews are posted, and customers are waiting to hear back from you.

Assign Ownership of the Process

It’s important to identify people in your organization who will be directly involved with responding to bad reviews. This is actually complicated, because reviews live at the intersection of marketing, operations, social media, and customer service. There are plenty of stakeholders at this stage.

Typically speaking, we see that branch or location managers, social media teams, marketing teams, and customer service staff are typically the people who are put in charge of review responses.

Whoever steps up as the head of your review response program should understand the guidelines of each review site, transform the collected feedback into valuable insights for your company, and — perhaps most important of all — display the right tact needed to address complaints and represent the brand well.

Flesh Out a Review Response Policy

If you operate in multiple locations, chances are more than one person will be assigned to respond directly to online reviews. This makes it crucial to have an organization-wide policy that guides how your company should proceed whenever new customer reviews are posted online.

Your policy should cover things like what language and tone you should use, what the timeline is for getting back to customers, with whom the reviews will be shared in your organization, when do escalations become necessary, what the ideal response rate is, and other items that may affect how your company handles reviews.

How to Respond to Positive Reviews

Positive reviews won’t drive your customers away like bad reviews do. So why respond?

The short answer is: responding to a positive review directly translates to seizing an opportunity.

Here’s an all-purpose template that you can use to respond to positive reviews:

Dear [NAME OF CUSTOMER], thanks for leaving us such a wonderful review. We are thrilled that you loved your experience; our staff will definitely be happy to read what you wrote. We put customer experience and satisfaction as our priority, and your review reaffirms the hard work we put in every day. So thanks for your kind words and we look forward to seeing you again.

If a customer paid you a compliment in person, the most natural response is to say thank you. The same goes for good reviews.

But more than simply being the polite thing to do, responding to positive reviews is also a great way to support your marketing efforts, build buzz for your business, inspire customer loyalty, and call more attention to the great parts of your customer experience. In each response, you should incorporate 5 main elements.

Say Thank You

Show appreciation for the customer who took the time to share their positive experience. After all, great reviews and high ratings serve as powerful social proof for attracting new potential customers and influencing their decision-making process. Your customer just did you a solid.

Based on ReviewTrackers data, expressing gratitude to the reviewer is one of the most common threads tying together over 200,000 positive review responses.

Some things you can say:

• “This review made our day!”
• “Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this amazing review.”
• “We are so grateful for your kind words. Thanks for sharing your review with us and the community.”

Reinforce the Positive

Often, positive reviews cite specific things that the customer liked best about their experience. Identify them — then mention them in your response. This lets you do some subtle reputation marketing and hype up a specific product, service, or feature.

In your response, explain that the delicious red velvet cupcakes they loved so much are actually from your mother’s old recipe, let them in on how you grow your own rocket lettuce, and tell them that others have also commented on the amazing views from the cliffside swimming pool.

Pass Along the Compliment

When the reviewer mentions someone at the business by name, always pass along the compliment.

For example, if a reviewer wrote, “Our service technician, Mike, is always super helpful and clear,” reply by saying something along the lines of: “I’m so glad you like Mike’s work! We’ll pass along the kind words.”

Responding to reviews is a way for you to share the best feedback you get, but also make it a point to let your teams know when they’re doing great work and to call out your superstars.

Tell Customers You’d Love to See Them Again

Make happy customers feel welcome by extending an invitation for them to return. This does two things: first, it turns customers into repeat customers. And secondly, it shows other online users that yours is the kind of business that people come back to.

Mention Other Products or Services

You have to be careful with this last step as you don’t want to come off as too sales-y.

That said, the savviest replies often include some mention of another product, service, or feature worth trying. These responses will have to be specific for the business, but here are some examples:

• “We’re glad you loved the gambas al ajillo! If you come by on Saturday, we think you’ll love the Spanish tapas buffet.”
• “We’re so glad you had a good experience. Next time you’re here, try the shi tao massage for your feet. It’s one of our newer offerings.”

Share the Review with Your Team

There’s nothing like anecdotal evidence to show your team exactly what makes customers happy. By sharing the review, you encourage more of that behavior.

This also has the effect of boosting employee morale, so be sure to share the positive review (and your support) for your team’s success.

Share the Review with the World

If you consistently receive 5-star ratings and glowing reviews on business review sites, don’t hesitate to show them off. Handpick your best feedback and share these as social media reviews content.

There are a handful of review widgets such as Amplify that allow you to embed and syndicate reviews on your website, which should help drive conversions and even boost your site’s search engine optimization (SEO) performance.

Remember: the impact of user-generated content, such as that found in reviews, is more powerful and effective than loud sales messages or promotional brand content.

Real-World Examples of How to Respond to Positive Reviews

Responding to positive reviews might seem easier, but what you say can mark the difference between a one-time satisfied customer or a loyal fan who can spread the word about your business. Here are some brands that go above and beyond the standard positive review response.

Responding to a Positive Hotel Review

Jessica Lavin of Hotel Monaco in Philadelphia saw a positive review as an opportunity to savvily pay the hotel guest a compliment.

Why it works: There are hundreds of ways you can say thank you, and this review response takes advantage of that. It’s simple, well-written, and personalized, and it shows genuine appreciation for the words the customer wrote. It highlights the sense of community that the hotel has.

Responding to a Positive Restaurant Review

Here’s another example of an appropriate positive review response, which paints a picture of a happy team of employees committed to customer satisfaction.

Why it works: A positive review is obviously great for your brand reputation. It’s also the perfect way to boost employee morale. Hard Rock Cafe’s German Crespi knows this and uses it to full advantage. He promises to pass along the compliment to Jessica, which puts a human face on a big brand like Hard Rock Cafe. He also signs off by letting the customer know he’d love to see her again.

Responding to a Positive Review (with Mixed Feedback)

It’s not uncommon for some positive reviews to contain a bit of constructive criticism. Here’s a classic example, from a Tripadvisor review response on the Fallowfields Country House Hotel profile.

Why it works: The reply begins and ends with an expression of gratitude. Anthony Lloyd, the owner of the hotel, also responded to the review in a way that takes the constructive feedback on board, while also reassuring the reviewer (and other potential customers) that the issues are already being sorted out.

 

How to Respond to Neutral Reviews

As you might expect, neutral reviews usually combine positive comments with negative feedback — which means that you’ll have to take what you can from the previous two sections and determine review response techniques most applicable to your situation.

In some cases neutral reviews are brief and lack details. They happen because customers don’t feel strongly enough either way to describe their experience in great detail.

If that is the case, here’s an appropriate way to respond to neutral reviews:

Dear [CUSTOMER NAME], thanks for your review. We would love to hear more about your experience, so that we can use your valuable feedback to deliver an even better experience next time. Please reach out to [CONTACT INFORMATION] with any further comments or suggestions you wish to share. Again, thank you for taking the time to review our business!

With a template in mind, you should turn your attention to the details that make a great neutral review response in the eyes of the customer.

As Always, Say Thank You

Before you write out the rest of your neutral review response, start the right way by showing appreciation for the time the customer took to write the review.

Reinforce the Positive

If the 3-star review contains positive feedback, be sure to call attention to it by mentioning it in your response: “We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed ________.”

Even if the review includes a critical comment, start your response with an affirmation of the review’s positive aspects.

Address the Negative

If you receive a neutral review with negative feedback, acknowledge the specific issues the customer had with their experience. You may also issue a short apology and provide a brief explanation on what happened.

Take It Offline for More Details

If you’re asking the customer for more details, do so with the intention of taking it offline. That way, you can investigate the situation more thoroughly while preventing details of a possibly negative experience from becoming public.

You can say something to the effect of the following:

“Your business means a lot to us, so if you ever have additional feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out via [your contact information].”

Real-World Examples of How to Respond to Neutral Reviews

Many brands excel at responding to positive and negative reviews, and there are a select few that we found that proficiently navigated the tightrope of responding to a neutral review. Take a look below and see for why these businesses succeeded in their responses.

Responding to a Neutral Salon Review

Kréme de la Kréme Nail Lounge is the recipient of numerous positive reviews on Yelp. Angela T., the business owner, takes the time out to thank Yelpers who put in these good words for her.

When this neutral review came along, Angela responded with:

Why it works: Her review response reinforces the positive (“So glad you enjoyed the cupcakes and liked our jewelry…”), while also providing information that’s useful to the customer who wondered about the price, as well as to readers of the review who might be curious why the nail salon’s prices are slightly higher than that of her competitors.

The response also gives an idea of the great lengths the business goes to in order to provide quality services and products.

Responding to a Neutral Restaurant Review

Etta in Chicago received this 3-star review on Yelp, and what followed was an ideal response, penned by general manager Adam Scholten:

Why it works: Like the review itself, the response is short and simple. Adam thanked the customer for his honesty, but also expressed his eagerness to investigate the matter further so that the restaurant can deliver a better dining experience next time.

Responding to a Neutral Retail Review

Another good example of how to handle a mixed or neutral review is from Joseph D., the owner of Flowers for Dreams in Chicago.

Why it works: The review response takes responsibility for an uncommon instance in which the flower arrangement ordered by the customer kind of differed from the arrangement delivered.

Joseph was quick to apologize, explaining that the product the customer received was not up to the business’ usual quality standards. His response concluded with an invitation to privately discuss the matter in more detail and an offer to make things right for the customer.

How to Respond to Employee Reviews

Crucial to the success and growth of any organization is its ability to attract and retain the best talent. That’s why it’s so important for your leadership and HR teams to embrace — instead of fear — online reviews and public employee feedback posted online. Responding to negative reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed can help a company improve its online reputation and attract more prospective employees in the future.

Consider these employer brand stats:

• 83% of candidates are likely to check a company’s employee reviews and ratings when deciding on where to apply for a job.
• Furthermore, 84% of job seekers say that the reputation of a company as an employer is very important when making a decision on where to apply for a job.

Businesses that respond to employee reviews provide job candidates with an extra measure of reassurance, particularly when they see that you, as an employer, are active on employee review sites.

By responding to employee reviews, you can drive engagement with employees as well as support efforts to improve the overall employee experience. Here’s how to do it properly.

Respond in a Timely and Organized Manner

The first step to responding to reviews is developing an organized way to do so. Timeliness is crucial: whether it is once a week or once a month, find a cadence that works for your team’s bandwidth.

Show Your Appreciation

When responding to employee reviews, make it a priority to thank the reviewer, regardless of whether they’re singing your praises or highlighting areas for improvement.

Respond Professionally and with Authenticity

The strongest responses to employee reviews show respect for the reviewer by addressing feedback in a way that’s professional and authentic.

Take Action

Correct any organizational problems discussed in online reviews posted by your employees. By using their reviews to improve the employee experience, you can build not only a strong employer brand but also a happier and more productive workforce.

Ask for More Feedback

Asking for more details can be tricky when you’re dealing with employee reviews—which are anonymous on a site like Glassdoor. You’ll want to respect that anonymity and encourage the reviewer to give private feedback to your HR team.

For example, an employee may feel comfortable offering negative feedback about their boss while on Glassdoor, but not in person. Direct them to your HR team so that you can get more details about their experience, but make sure they also feel comfortable.

Real-World Examples of How to Respond to Employee Reviews

The best responses to employee reviews are able to highlight or reinforce the positives, capitalizing on the opportunity to show how strong the employer brand is. Check out this example from Genentech:

As you can see in the response, Genentech elaborates on the positive aspects of the review, noting, “We are delighted to hear that you value the efforts we have put toward creating an environment where everyone at Genentech can thrive.”

The response also addresses the negative concerns, but not before showing appreciation for the positive feedback.

Here’s another example, which comes from DocuSign:

Why it works: It’s a short, simple response that shows appreciation for the time the employee took to write the review. DocuSign actually does this for every review posted on their Glassdoor profile, demonstrating that the company cares about its employees and their experience working there.

The key to responding effectively to negative employee reviews is to acknowledge and try to understand the individual employee experience. Doing so can even benefit your organization, resulting in improved employee satisfaction and plentiful wins for your business.

In the example above, WillowTree doesn’t sweep the rather difficult concerns under the rug by ignoring the employee’s comments. The response specifically addresses problematic areas brought up and discusses what is being done to remedy them.

How to Respond on Google, Yelp, and Facebook

Responding to reviews posted by customers and taking part in their conversation can have a very real and measurable effect on your business.

Keep in mind, however, that every single review site will have its own set of rules, terms, or guidelines for review responses. Make sure that the person assigned to respond to your reviews is aware of these rules.

How to Respond to Google Reviews

Reviews on Google show up in two places: Google Search and Google Maps.

To respond to Google reviews, you must be logged into your Google My Business (GMB) account. From your GMB account, click the Reviews tab.

You can click on the “Reply” button below each review to formulate a response. You can also edit your response if it has a typographical error or inaccurate information, but try to keep those mistakes to a minimum.

Keep in mind that customers are told when a business responds to their online review on Google via email notifications. The business’ response is published immediately and the email notification is sent to the customer 5 minutes later. The 5-minute delay allows the business to edit or make any corrections to their response after initial submission.

Businesses will be notified of any new reviews that come in through their GMB notifications. However, it’s important to note that brands with over 100 locations don’t receive Google review alerts.

How to Respond to Yelp Reviews

You can respond to your Yelp Business reviews through the Yelp for Business Owners page. Make sure you have already claimed your business page on the site before getting started with responding to reviews.

To see your Yelp reviews using Yelp for Business Owners, simply log in and click the Reviews tab.

Apart from reading each individual review, you’ll also be able to respond to your Yelp reviews with a public comment or a direct message. Or you can simply press the Thank button to show your appreciation for customers who took the time to review your business on Yelp. You can find these response options under each individual review.

How to Respond to Facebook Reviews

Facebook reviews are activated by default when you create a business Page.

Any review, whether or not it includes additional text feedback, appears like a post in the Reviews or Recommendations section. You can respond to Facebook reviews and Recommendations the same way you can respond to comments on your Facebook Page or through your Facebook Business Manager account.

Should You Respond to Every Single Review?

What is the ideal response rate? Should your business respond to every single review that comes in?

The short answer is: it depends. There are many factors you should take into consideration.

Think About Review Sites that Matter to You

Not all review websites will be highly relevant to your business. Understanding which sites are most impactful given your industry or business category will help you determine the value of the reviews.

Hoteliers and hospitality executives, for example, should definitely have a TripAdvisor “responding to reviews” plan in place. Restaurants should respond to Yelp reviews. For local businesses of all types, it makes sense to focus on responding to Google reviews.

Do your homework and become familiar with the most popular reviews for your type of business, and make it a priority to respond to those reviews.

Don’t Respond for the Sake of Responding

Don’t respond if you’re only going to write the same generic “Thank you” message  for, say, two dozen positive reviews. Take the time to personalize your responses and make them unique.

This also ensures that your responses will meet individual review sites’ guidelines. For instance, some sites (Booking.com, for example) don’t approve of identical responses.

If you’re responding to negative reviews, do so to provide balance and express your viewpoint in a positive way. Don’t respond to blame customers. Remember: how you respond to a negative review says more about your business than the negative review itself.

Take Your Review Volume into Account

If you have only four or five reviews on your profile, it’s best to respond to every single one of them. However, you don’t have to aim for the same 100% response rate if you’re consistently getting dozens or hundreds of reviews across multiple review sites.

Ratings-only reviews or comments that are five or six words long are not likely to make a big impact on your online reputation. When deciding which reviews get a response, choose the detailed feedback that lend themselves to informative, expanded responses. You can use these types of reviews as opportunities to drive customer engagement, as well as highlight the strengths of your business.

Final Thoughts

Online reviews influence the way customers think about your business.

Keep in mind that your reputation is shaped not only by what you say about the business but also — and probably mostly — by what customers are saying on online review websites.

While this may make you feel like you have little control over how potential customers perceive your brand, you can still actively participate in improving your online reputation. One of the best ways to do so is by responding to your reviews.

By responding to positive, negative, neutral, and employee reviews and applying best practices in review response, you can make a positive impact on your brand reputation and even boost financial outcomes.