How to Respond to Negative Customer Reviews

Each negative review is an opportunity to win more customers. It all lies within your response—a strong response can win customers, but a defensive, emotional response can lose them. Our checklist will help you form strong responses to negative reviews that will build your brand.

A Checklist For Responding To Negative Customer Reviews

Cool down, but reply quickly

Take a moment to cool down, but ensure you reply promptly to show that you care about customer feedback.

Use varied words, rather than a copied/pasted response

Personalize each response to show genuine concern and avoid sounding robotic.

Have a senior staff member respond

A response from a senior staff member adds credibility and shows that the issue is taken seriously.

Greet by name, with a friendly, upbeat tone

Start with a friendly greeting and address the reviewer by name to make the response more personal.

Reinforce your brand message

Use the opportunity to reinforce your brand’s values and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Acknowledge feedback, and apologize when appropriate

Acknowledge the feedback and offer a sincere apology if necessary.

Share how you will resolve the problem

Explain the steps you will take to resolve the issue and prevent it from happening again.

Invite the reviewer back

Encourage the reviewer to give your business another chance and offer an incentive if possible.

Move detailed follow-up offline

Offer to continue the conversation offline to resolve the issue more effectively.

Communicate & resolve issues with staff

Ensure that the feedback is communicated to your team and that steps are taken to address the issue internally.

An Example Negative Review And Response

Here’s an example of a response to a review in the 2-4 star range:

Review Example:

“The wine tour was disappointing. While the vineyards were beautiful, the guide seemed unprepared and didn’t provide much information about the wines. Additionally, the transportation was late, which cut our tour short. I expected a more organized and informative experience.” – Maria

Here’s a strong response that has gone through the checklist:

Response Example:

Maria, thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are truly sorry to hear that your wine tour did not meet your expectations. We understand how important it is for our guests to have a well-organized and informative experience. We have addressed your concerns with our team to ensure that our guides are better prepared and that transportation schedules are strictly adhered to. We would love to make it up to you with a complimentary tour on your next visit. Please contact me, Anna, the General Manager, at 123-456-7890 to arrange your next tour.

So, don’t miss the opportunity to win customers with tactical, timely, calm, and respectful responses to negative reviews. Responding in this way is rare, and prioritizing this will put you ahead of the competition. If you want more in-depth examples and guidance, check out our blog post on How to Respond to Negative Reviews.