Manage & Collect
How To Respond To Positive & Negative Reviews (With Examples)
August 7, 2020
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3 min read
To help you learn right from wrong and nail your responses to reviews every time,, we're showcasing an assortment of replies we've spotted across our site, from a number of different companies in a variety of industries. We’ll be giving each review response its own feedback, plus a REVIEWS.io score out of 5.
With more customers leaving reviews each day, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the idea of responding to them all. But even a small investment of time can have a big impact on your business.
Responding to reviews shows customers that you value their feedback, building loyalty and increasing your chances of repeat business.
In fact, 30% of customers consider review responses essential when judging a business. And 95% of customers are likely to return if their issue is resolved.
By responding, you reassure customers that you’re committed to their experience and to improving your offerings.
Ultimately, a simple reply can make your brand look more approachable and attentive, strengthening customer relationships and even improving conversions over time.
The Good:
We always recommend beginning a response to a negative review with an apology to get the customer on the side, and this company do that well - it's a tick from us. A clear explanation is also included which helps to reassure the customer that the company has investigated the issue thoroughly and isn't relying on a scripted response.
The Bad:
We've all been told that 'the customer is always right' and here, the word 'but' could signal that the company believes otherwise.
Even though the explanation is completely reasonable, it's important to remember the customer is disappointed regardless and it's best not to rattle them. 'But' signals the beginning of an argument, and a review reply is neither the time nor the place.
We know responding to negative reviews can be tricky, but it's important to keep your cool.
REVIEWS.io Score: 3/5
The Good:
One thing we can say for this review reply is that an explanation is clearly given, showing knowledge and referring to company policies.
The Bad:
This review response comes across as rather aggressive. The customer isn’t addressed directly l and therefore the purpose of the reply seems not to apologise or rectify The issue but for the company to justify itself. Sentences are short, blunt and come across as overly defensive and dismissive of the customer's complaint.
REVIEWS.io Score: 2/5
The Good:
This company repeatedly write some of our favourite review responses. Why? They're always genuine, understanding and extremely apologetic.
In this reply, there’s no defensiveness or excuses - they show they’re truly sorry for the customer’s disappointment. They even come across as disappointed in themselves by outlining their usual standards, which helps reassure the customer that they can expect better in the future.
The Bad:
There's little to say here. The only real improvement we can think of is elaborating on the solution instructions slightly - for example, does the company need the order number in an email to resolve the issue?
REVIEWS.io Score 4.5/5
The Good:
The tone of voice is really great here, being both informal whilst also retaining professionalism. The company appear to have taken the issue seriously and apologise profusely, making no excuses whatsoever.
Added bonus: they also make promises to prevent such instances in the future. This shows real respect and appreciation for their customers and also that they have an attitude of accepting and learning from their mistakes - a human quality which makes them more forgivable.
The Bad:
While the content is great, the sentence structure could use polishing. If possible, it's ideal for someone who has experience with writing content to deal with reviews to ensure a polished lasting impression.
REVIEWS.io Score: 4.5/5
The Good:
Here's another company getting it right early on with an apology on the second line. They also thank the customer for taking the time out to leave a review - a feature we really like.
So many customers fail to leave companies feedback, so when they do, it's good to show appreciation. Instructions for further support are included, showing that customer satisfaction is a priority and that their customer service team is on hand to help.
The Bad:
The review is overall, quite solid, but certain phrases could be adjusted.
'Had you' is almost like that 'but' we saw earlier - it suggests the responsibility - or, fault - lies with the customer, which should never be the goal here. And although the customer is welcomed to contact customer services, no specific instructions on how to do this are given - the process should be made as easy and seamless as possible.
REVIEWS.io Score: 3/5
The Good:
When customers leave a review, they want answers. Here, a very precise explanation is given of the events that led up to the problem, showing the person responding - and indeed, the company as a whole - have a thorough system in place to track and update the order process.
It's reassuring for the customer to know that every step of their order has been recorded.
The Bad:
This is another review response which comes across as a bit passive aggressive.
No greeting is included, or real apology given, and the explanation is so detailed that it may seem smarmy.
The result is a company that appears unprofessional and 'petty' in places.
REVIEWS.io Score: 1.5/5
The Good:
Straight off the bat, it's clear the replier actually read the review and put some thought into their response. Immediately, they apologise and offer a solution - no excuses are made or fingers pointed.
The standout here? It's human. It has personality, a bit of humour and is generally upbeat and happy.
It leaves a positive lasting impression of the business in question, and the customer's unlikely to still be angry after reading it.
The Bad:
Only point to mention here is that the apology could've been a little stronger. Other than that, we'd say this review response is pretty much bang on.
REVIEWS.io Score: 4.5/5
Managing review responses efficiently is crucial for building strong customer relationships.
With REVIEWS.io, you can easily track, respond to, and manage all your incoming reviews on your timeline. The timeline shows reviews in reverse chronological order, so you can quickly spot new feedback and take action.
From here, you can respond to reviews publicly or privately, forward them, moderate content, or even request video reviews.
Our platform also offers intelligent tools like AI-driven reply generation, which tailors responses based on the sentiment and style of your previous interactions.
This ensures that your replies always match your brand’s voice and maintain consistency across all customer communications.
With REVIEWS.io’s online review management tools, you can streamline your review response process and ensure no customer feedback goes unnoticed.
When it comes to responding to reviews, it's essential to take some time to get it right.
Taking that static review and turning it into a conversation is an extremely powerful thing, but get it wrong and it could come back to bite you.
Always apologise, be responsible - whether you agree or not - provide a solution, and you're likely to go too far wrong.
