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Replying to a positive review
Say thank you and mention one detail from the review, and keep it short. Change the wording a little from one review to the next: the same sentence copied everywhere gets noticed.
Short thank-you
Positive review with a small comment.
Thank you [first name] for your review! Your words about [specific point] mean a lot to us. See you very soon at [business name].
Detailed review
The customer took the time to write several sentences.
Hello [first name], thank you for taking the time to write to us. Your comment about [specific point] makes the whole team very happy: it is exactly what we aim to offer. We look forward to seeing you again at [business name].
Regular customer
You recognise a regular, or the review says “as always”.
Thank you [first name], and above all thank you for your loyalty! Knowing you keep coming back to [business name] is the best reward. See you very soon.
Rating with no comment
The customer left stars but wrote nothing.
Hello [first name], thank you for your rating! If you have a moment, tell us what you liked or what we could improve: it is precious to us. See you soon at [business name].
Replying to a negative review
Reply when you are calm, not in the heat of the moment. Acknowledge what went wrong without justifying yourself at length, give no details about the person or the order, and offer to continue in private.
Service or waiting time
The customer describes a moment that went badly.
Hello [first name], thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that your visit to [business name] was not up to standard, in particular because of [problem]: it is not the experience we want to offer. Could you write to us at [contact] so we can look into it together?
Quality of the product or the work
The customer is not satisfied with what they received.
Hello [first name], we are very sorry to read what you describe about [problem]. Your feedback is taken seriously and we are discussing it with the team. If you wish, write to us at [contact]: we would like to understand what happened and look for a solution.
A mistake on your side
The customer is right and you know it.
Hello [first name], what you describe about [problem] should not have happened, and we apologise. We are going over this point with the team. Write to us at [contact] so that we can find a solution with you.
Remark about prices
The review says it is too expensive.
Hello [first name], thank you for sharing how you felt about our prices. We try to stay fair, taking into account the quality and the time our work requires. If you wish, we can go through the quote or the invoice together: write to us at [contact].
Low rating with no explanation
One or two stars, but not a word.
Hello [first name], we saw your rating and we are sorry that your experience at [business name] was not up to standard. If you are willing to tell us what did not work, write to us at [contact]: we want to improve.
Replying to a fake or unfair review
A harsh review based on a real experience remains a valid review. These templates are for cases where you can’t find the customer, where the review is about another business, or where it breaks Google’s rules. Stay factual and don’t accuse anyone.
Customer not found
You looked and found no trace of the visit or the order.
Hello, we have searched on our side and cannot find any trace of this visit or this order. Could you contact us at [contact] with a few details so that we can look into it? We are listening.
Review about another business
The comment is about a place or a service that is not yours.
Hello, it seems this review is about a business other than [business name]. If we are mistaken, please feel free to write to us at [contact].
Review that breaks Google’s rules
Insults, off-topic content, spam. Only write this after you have really reported the review to Google.
We are open to any reasoned criticism and happy to answer at [contact]. This review does not seem to us to respect Google’s rules and we have reported it.
Before publishing
- Read the text over and change a few words: a reply that looks written for this person beats a copy-paste.
- Don't give any detail about the order, the appointment or the person in a public reply.
- Don't promise a goodwill gesture you won't be able to keep.
- If a review makes you angry, wait a bit before replying.
Looking for examples for your trade? Google reviews, trade by trade : restaurant, hairdresser, tradesperson, garage, bakery, beauty salon.
More tips in our guides: replying to Google reviews and unfair or fake review, what to do.
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