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The short answer: read it, decide what actually happened, reply in a calm and specific way, and move the conversation offline. Do it within one business day, because a fast and sensible reply is read by everyone who comes after the reviewer.
Step 1: Triage
- Real customer, fair complaint. Apologize and fix it.
- Real customer, unfair or mistaken. Reply politely with facts and no blame.
- Not a customer, or clearly false. This needs a different process, covered below.
Step 2: Write the reply
- Thank them for the feedback and use their name if it is shown.
- Acknowledge the specific issue in one sentence.
- Say what you will do, or have done.
- Give a direct way to continue the conversation offline.
- Keep it short. Two to four sentences is enough.
Example: “Thank you for telling us, Sam. A 40-minute wait is not how we want anyone to start a visit, and we are sorry. Our manager would like to put this right. Please email us at the address on our profile and we will follow up personally.”
What never to put in a reply
- Arguments, sarcasm or blame
- Private details about the customer’s visit, account, health or case. In regulated fields such as medical and legal, do not even confirm the person is a patient or client.
- Offers of money for a changed review
- Copy-and-paste replies that ignore what was written
Who approves it
Decide in advance who may publish replies for each location. A common rule is that the location manager drafts, and one named person approves before it goes live.
When a review needs a different process
If a review is fake, off-topic or defamatory, answering it is not the same as removing it. Removal and defamation work is specialist work. At MGMT Core we answer and monitor reviews, and for removal we introduce you to the team at MGMT Reputation.
Want every location covered?
MGMT Core’s Reviews AI monitors reviews, and every negative review is answered within one business day, in your voice, with a person approving what goes out. See pricing on the pricing page.
