In recent times, opinions and reviews have become crucial for most businesses of all sizes. Consumers read reviews to decide if that particular business or store is worth their time and money. Most of us rely on the reviews; hence, they are pivotal for your business and to respond and reply to them is very crucial.

Google reviews are necessary for any local business, as 73% of users search for online reviews, and consumers are twice as likely to search for new local businesses on Google.

Replying to customers or customer feedback can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. This blog is to help you avoid common mistakes that could fuel negative word-of-mouth and make it difficult to attract new customers. Let us see how creatively you can reply to google reviews and facebook feedback.

 

Why Are Reviews Important?

It is a legitimate question because the most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason! Reviews for any business are crucial for three main reasons, and let’s look at each one of them now.

 

The first is to get new customers. Every business needs new customers for growth and revenue. 

Imagine a scenario where a customer is looking for a cake shop to buy a cake, and he comes across two shops.

Shop A has ten reviews with a 4.3 rating out of 5

Shop B has six reviews with a  3.1 rating out of 5

The person will probably choose Shop A as it has better Google reviews. He is among those 57% of consumers who only opt for businesses with a higher rating (4 or above). 

If you have been avoiding reviews, this example should help you do otherwise. 

Note that if your shop or business has fewer reviews, new customers might not even find your business in the first place. And you certainly DO NOT want that!

According to Local SEO Guide, “The prominence of review isn’t particularly shocking, as it’s a way for Google to crowdsource ranking factors, it’s hard to spam, and the most problematic type of abuse is illegal.”

 

The second reason is that reviews boost your business’s local SEO. You might already know Google’s proximity factor for filtering local search results. Good reviews are the factors that impact Google’s search results. 

Here’s an easy example for you to understand. Imagine you are in a new city looking for the best store to buy a new dress. When you search in Google for the same, you will have options closest to you. But if a shop has better ratings than the one closest to you, Google will recommend that shop.

Managing your online reputation and brand visibility will help you reach potential customers.

If you are wondering why Google produces such results, the main reason is to provide the best results against your searches and reviews.

 

The third reason is that reviews are an opportunity to get better! Organisations usually conduct customer satisfaction surveys to know how customers feel about their products and services! Reviews are the same. You get positive, neutral, and negative comments. 

So engage with the reviews and take full advantage of the opportunity.

 

Why do we need to reply to Google reviews?

Google ranks those businesses that are reliable and trustworthy. As Google wants to provide the best result to a search query, it looks for quality also. 

When we respond to Google reviews, we help Google see us as a trustworthy place of business, boosting our credibility online and offline.

It also greatly affects local SEO. So, if you have Google reviews, then make sure you reply to them.

 

How to Respond to Positive Google Reviews?

Positive reviews make you happy and keep you motivated. Customers love your business, and they tell their friends about it. So, you must acknowledge your delighted customers by replying to their positive feedback. The following ways will help you create that bond between your ‘happy’ customer and you.

1. Personalise the review:

When replying, personalise it using the person’s name, mention the product, and emphasise thanking them.

2. Timely response:

Respond quickly to the feedback if possible. The customer has gone out of their way to leave a review. Your responses promptly create a good impression and sense of acknowledgement for the customer.

3. State your happiness:

Construct your reply to show you are happy to help/serve them and appreciate them taking their time to share a review.

4. Match reviewers’ energy:

Try to respond in the same energy band as a customer. For example, if the customer has responded with enthusiasm, be sure to respond to him with great energy.

 

Best Tips or Strategies You Should Follow While Replying to Positive Reviews

Use these tips or strategies to reply to positive reviews:

• If the customer has taken an employee’s or product’s name, then ensure to mention that name in your response. 
• Add local business keywords to your response. These keywords could be your business name, location, products, and services.
• Mention the customer’s name without fail. It would make the customer feel valued and add a personal touch to your response.
• It would be best to mention other products and services relevant to the customer.

 

Best Examples for Positive Review Response

You can use the following as a guide or as a template for replying to positive reviews:

• Example 1

A customer praises you and says they had a great experience. They even mention the product or the service. They also praise the entire experience during their purchase. How do you respond?

Your response should emphasise thanking them.

It can go like this – 

Thank you so much (customer’s name) for sharing your review. We are glad you liked (product name or service name). We take pride in serving our valued customers with (quality products/ quality service). Thank you for choosing us. We would be honoured to bring you such great experiences in future as well. 

This response resonates with the customer as it uses their name and thanks them. It is personalised and is professional. It also prompts the customer to visit again. 

Another way to reply to this positive review 

Dear (customer’s name), thank you for saying (repeat the appreciation here). It truly made our day. We are grateful to you. We hope to serve you with a delightful experience again. Thank you!

This response shows how happy you were that the customer was happy and you are ready to do it again.

• Example 2

A customer had a great experience. They explain the entire process and the salesperson’s name. They even gave you a five-star rating. How do you respond?

It can go like this – 

Greet them (Hi/Hello), thank you. (Saleperson’s name) is highly passionate about his/her job. He/She is knowledgeable and loves assisting customers. Thank you for your business! Visit us again.

This response resonates with the customer as it uses their name and the salesperson’s name. It is personalised and is professional. It also shows you value your employees. 

Other ways you can respond are:

• Be humble about the great review you have received. “Thank you so much for your kind words. We appreciate you for using our (product/service)”
• Show how you found the right (service/product) without exaggerating. “We are glad we have the (product name/service) for you.”

 

How to Respond to Neutral Google Reviews

You can respond to neutral Google reviews as follows:

Acknowledge and thank the reviewer: I appreciate the customer’s taking the time to write a review. Acknowledge that you have seen the feedback.

1. Emphasise:

Emphasise the valid points from the customer’s review. If they have a valid point or reason, assure them their changes will be done soon and take the necessary action to improve your product or service.

2. Turn a Neutral review into a positive:

If your customer has written a neutral review, try to turn the average experience into a good one by offering discounts on your next purchase or complimentary service.

3. Upsell or cross-sell:

If a customer has an average experience, but you think the other products or services might make them happier, then offer them a deal on the upgrade. Suggest other products or services to the customer that can prove to be better and an upgrade.

 

Best Examples for Neutral Review Response

Below are examples of how to respond to neutral reviews.

• Example 1

Hey (Reviewer name),

Thank you for your feedback. We aim to provide the best possible experience to our customers, but we’re sorry to hear that your experience was just average. 

Please let us know if there’s anything else we can do to improve our offerings. Share your suggestions at (Business email or phone number). It would be our pleasure to correct any mistakes that may have occurred.

We are looking forward to hearing back from you soon. Cheers!

• Example 2

Hi (Reviewer name),

We’re happy you enjoyed our (Product name), but we’re sorry it wasn’t a delightful experience. Our team constantly strives to improve, so we’d love to know what we could do differently the next time.

Don’t hesitate to contact us directly at(Business email or phone number); we’ll gladly help. Thank you for your time!

 

How to Respond to Negative Google Reviews

These are a few things to keep in mind while responding to negative feedback:

• Take your time for assessment:
• Do not panic, and take your time to understand and review the issue the customer faced.
• Check if it was your fault or not.
• Try to come up with a solution.

1. Acknowledge and be apologetic:

Acknowledge the customer’s review. Apologise and let them know you have read the review, value your customers’ opinions, and apologise for their bad experience.

2. Ask for contact details:

Ask them for their contact details to share with relevant teams or used to contact and discuss solutions.

3. Take matters private:

Do not discuss the problems or the offers you will make to the customer in public comments. Take matters private on call or email and provide a solution to customers to try to make things right. 

4. Provide a productive step:

Inform customers that you are working on making your product or service better using their feedback.

 

Best Tips or strategies you should follow while replying to negative reviews

• Be polite and professional in your reply. Any impolite response will reflect negatively on your part.
• Avoid showing your emotions. It is not about how you are feeling. It is about your customer’s experience.
• Apologise to the customer, but only if it is necessary. Focus on the fact that your customer is not happy. Empathise with the customer and make them feel heard.
• Make sure it is productive and restores faith in the customer’s mind. It will also show your potential customers your willingness to take action.
• If a customer has not mentioned the reason for their frustration, simply ask them but avoid taking guesses. Ask them to share their reason and try resolving it.
• In case of fake reviews, please report them using the correct channels.

 

Best Examples for Negative Review Response

Some of the examples are as follows:

• Example 1

I’m sorry to hear that you had a bad experience. We strive to improve our products and services, so we’ll consider your customer feedback.” “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We apologise for the inconvenience and will do everything possible to fix the issue.

• Example 2

Hello (NAME),

We apologise for your recent experience. We’re sorry you were less than satisfied with [product/service].

We pride ourselves on our (product/service) and the high-quality standards we maintain. We would like to make things right.

You can expect a <call/email> from <name> soon to discuss what occurred and how we might make it up to you.

Yours sincerely,

(Name)

(Company name and position)

• Example 3

Hello (NAME),

‍You’re right — this is unacceptable. I can’t imagine how this may have happened, but if you allow me to speak with you at your earliest convenience, I would like to make it right so we can get this sorted.

My number is <phone>, or you can email me at (email).

‍I’m sorry this happened. I look forward to speaking with you.

Yours sincerely,

(Name)

(Company name and position)

 

How should we deal with fake reviews?

Fake reviews can seriously hurt your business reputation, whether good or bad. Some indicators used to find whether the reviews are fake or not are as follows:

• They are extremely positive or negative.
• The same way of phrasing a sentence can be seen throughout.
• They do not contain any details of the person’s product or service.

In such cases, you can ask Google to review it; if the review goes against the guidelines, they will remove it for you. Also, remember to reply to the fake review. An example is shared below.

Example:

Hi, (Fake Customer Name),

We take these matters very seriously. Unfortunately, we have no record or recollection of your experience with us, nor can we verify anything about your identity from your name in our records.

We want to investigate further if you have done business with us. Please contact (Manager’s Name) immediately at (Email/Phone Number) so we can resolve this issue.

 

Why do we need to reply to Facebook Feedback?

While running a business on Facebook, you might consider taking your reviews seriously, as they greatly impact your presence on the platform.

Facebook reviews appear in your business page’s ‘Reviews or Recommendations section’. Compared to Google, Facebook can turn off the reviews, but it is recommended not to do it as reviews impact your potential customers, and it is one of the ways to establish your brand’s voice.

When you are running a Facebook business page, reviews are one of the ways of introducing and educating people on Facebook about your business. Managing the Facebook business page and working continuously to improve your overall public image is important.

 

How to respond to positive Facebook Feedback Example

As a business owner, reviewing and replying to reviews shared about your product or services is important. 

• Always address the customer by name to add a more personalised touch to your comment. 
• Acknowledge the review and thank the customer for sharing their feedback. Rather than just writing ‘Thank you’, write a more personalised reply appreciating the customer.
• Quick replies play a major role as the customer goes out of their way to write and boost your public image. Always try to reply as quickly as possible. It makes customers feel wanted as well.
• Always try to retain the customers by welcoming them back soon. Try to do so by providing exclusive offers and discounts only for them.

Some of the examples of responses to positive Facebook feedback are:

• Example 1

Thank you, <Customer Name>, for the amazing review! We put in the work to keep you and all our clients happy. We hope to see you again. Have a nice day ahead!”

• Example 2

Thank you, <Customer Name>. We are glad you enjoyed your time with us. You can also experience our <Product range or suggestion>. You will find more details on our <social media or Website>. Hope to see you soon! Cheers!

 

How to respond to neutral Facebook Feedback Example

In case you get a 3-star or a neutral review, try to write a response based on the following:

Thank the customer for providing you with the chance to provide them with a service or product. Let them know that you are thankful for the review.

Try to find out the customers’ issue, which turned a potential good review into an average one. If a customer has a valid point, acknowledge it and inform them you are working on the feedback to apply the changes.

Try to convert the average experience to a good one by offering them better products, upgrades, discounts, and exchange offers.

Inform customers of other ranges and product varieties that can improve their experience.

Here are some examples:

• Example 1

Hey <Reviewer name>,

Thanks a ton for your feedback. We aim to provide the greatest possible experience for our customers, but we’re sorry to hear that your experience was just average. 

Please let us know if there’s anything else we can do to improve our offerings. Share your suggestions at <Business email or phone number>. It would be our pleasure to correct any mistakes that may have occurred.

We are looking forward to hearing back from you soon. Cheers!

• Example 2

Hi <Reviewer name>,

We’re happy you enjoyed our (Product name) but are sorry it wasn’t an amazing experience. Our team constantly strives to improve, so we’d love to know what we could do differently the next time. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us directly at <Business email or phone number>; we’ll gladly help. Thank you for your time!

 

How to respond to negative Facebook Feedback with example

When you get negative feedback, it is important to think before replying, as this will impact your public image. These are a few of the points to consider.

Apologise and thank customers for their feedback. Review and try to understand why the customer had a bad experience. 

Once you finish reviewing, ask customers to share their contact details so that you can discuss the issue they faced and come up with a solution.

Inform customers that their negative feedback will be checked, and necessary changes will be made to the product or services.

A few of the examples of these comments are as follows:

• Example 1

Hi (Reviewer name),

We’re sorry to hear about your bad experience and appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We take customer feedback seriously and are committed to making things right.

Can you please explain, in detail, what happened so we can take the necessary steps to improve our <Product name)? Don’t hesitate to contact our customer support team at (Business email or phone number). We would appreciate any additional feedback you could provide.

Thank you for your patience and understanding! We hope to have the opportunity to turn your experience around.

• Example 2

Hello (NAME),

We’re so sorry this happened. Let us make it up to you. We’ll be in touch today, or please call me on (phone) if it’s more convenient.

Yours sincerely,

(Name)

(Company name and position)

We at Fielmente help you ace your Google review game. We also are India’s leading hospitality digital marketing agency. would love to help you achieve your business goals. Contact us!

 

Conclusion

Reviews are increasingly gaining centre stage when creating opinions, whether a business or product. Reviews on Google Business Profile and Facebook Feedback are crucial for your business. Yes, it takes time to learn to respond courteously. Use this blog as a guide the next time you get feedback. You don’t have to either worry or avoid reviews. Remember to be polite and concise and empathise with your customers.