Situations that come up
The treatment result that disappoints
Acknowledge the disappointment without justifying yourself technically in public. Say nothing about the condition of the skin, the products used or the person’s profile: it is personal information. Offer a private conversation.
The appointment that slipped
A delay breaks the relaxed mood. Apologise simply and, if you can, say what you are changing to limit slippage.
The atmosphere or the cleanliness
The cleanliness of a treatment room is a sensitive subject. Thank them for the remark, say you take it seriously and are discussing it with the team, without listing what you usually do.
The enthusiastic review
Say thank you and mention a specific moment (the welcome, the massage, the advice). Avoid announcing promotions in the reply: Google pays attention to that.
Three reply templates to adapt
Fill in the fields (optional)
An empty field stays in square brackets in the text: fill it in before publishing. Read it over and change a few words, a reply that looks written for this person beats a copy-paste.
Treatment that didn’t suit
The customer is not satisfied with the result.
Hello [first name], thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that your treatment at [business name] did not suit you, in particular [problem]. We would like to talk about it with you in complete discretion: write to us at [contact].
Delay or shifted appointment
The time slot was not respected.
Hello [first name], thank you for writing to us. The delay you describe, [problem], should not have happened and we apologise. The [business name] team is reviewing how appointments are organised. You can also write to us at [contact].
Thank-you
Positive review.
Thank you [first name] for your message! Your words about [specific point] touch us. See you very soon at [business name].
Other cases (fake, unfair, no comment reviews): the twelve general templates.
Where to put your review QR code
- At reception, on the counter, just before or after payment.
- On the receipt or the treatment sheet handed over at the end, with a very short sentence.
- In the reminder text or email for the next appointment, with the direct link.
The direct link, the QR code and an A4 poster with your name are made here: Google review link and QR code (free, no account). The same QR code for all your customers, with no sorting.
To check on your Google listing
- Your treatments and services listed with their duration, in simple words.
- Opening hours and how to book, checked from your phone.
- Photos of the reception area and the treatment rooms, with no recognisable customers.
To go through the rest: the 17-point listing check-up. A complete listing doesn't guarantee a better ranking, it mostly keeps you from losing a customer over wrong info.
To avoid
- Talking about a customer’s skin, weight or health in a public reply.
- Publishing before-and-after photos of a person without their written agreement.
- Announcing discounts or gifts in the reply to a review.
Google's rules change: read its official help from time to time. More details: getting more Google reviews, honestly. These tips are practical, they don't replace legal advice.
A review to deal with now?
With a free SwimUp account, you paste the review and get a tailored reply draft (3 per day). Always read it over before publishing. No bank card. SwimUp also offers paid services around Google reviews, shown on the home page.
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