A good reply to a negative review is short and calm. It says sorry for the experience, deals with the specific complaint, and gives the customer a way to sort it out away from the review page. Below are 20 example replies grouped by situation, from slow service to reviews left by people who were never customers. Swap in your own names and details, and avoid pasting the same reply under every review.
What a good reply does
- Uses the customer's name if they've given one, and signs off with yours.
- Mentions the actual complaint, so it doesn't read as a template.
- Admits a mistake plainly when you made one.
- Gives a phone number or email address and a name to ask for.
- Stays short, usually three or four sentences.
Write it for the next customer reading your reviews as much as for the person who left it. For the basics of replying on Google, see our guide on how to respond to Google reviews.
Service and order problems
Slow service or long waits
- "Hi Sarah, I'm sorry you waited so long for your food on Friday. We were a chef down that night and should have told you when you sat down. I'd like to make it up to you, so please give me a call on [phone number]. Tom."
- "Thanks for letting us know, James. Forty minutes past your appointment time isn't good enough, and I'm sorry. We're looking at how we book back-to-back appointments so it doesn't happen again."
- "Sorry we were slow to get back to you about the quote, Helen. It's not how we want to work. If you're still looking for someone, I'd be glad to come out this week. Call me on [phone number]."
Wrong or faulty order
- "Hi Dan, I'm sorry your order was missing the sides. That's our mistake, and I'd like to put it right. Please ring us on [phone number] and ask for Asha."
- "Thanks for the review, Chloe. I'm sorry the parcel arrived damaged. Please email [email] with your order number and a photo, and we'll send a replacement."
- "Sorry the part we fitted failed so soon, Mr Ahmed. That shouldn't happen, and we'll look at it again at no cost. Please call the workshop on [phone number] to book it in."
Price and value complaints
- "Thanks for your feedback, Gary. I understand the bill was higher than you expected. The extra work on the drain was agreed on the day, but I'm sorry if that wasn't explained clearly. I'm happy to go through the invoice with you."
- "Hi Becky, sorry you felt it wasn't good value. Our prices are on the menu by the door, but I take the point about portion sizes and I've passed it on to the kitchen."
- "Thanks for the review. Our prices have gone up this year, mainly because of our own costs, and we know that's not welcome. If anything about your visit wasn't right, please let me know on [email]."
Complaints about staff
- "Hi Lauren, I'm sorry you felt you were spoken to rudely. That's not how we want anyone treated. I've spoken to the team and I'd like to hear more from you directly on [phone number]."
- "Thanks for telling us, Mike. I'm sorry the visit felt rushed and you didn't feel listened to. I've passed this on, and if you'd like to talk it through, please email me at [email]."
- "Sorry to read this, Jo. I wasn't in on Tuesday, but I've asked the team what happened. Could you give me a ring on [phone number] so I can hear your side properly?"
Reviews from people who weren't customers
If you can't find any record of the reviewer, say so politely and leave the door open. Don't accuse anyone of lying or name a competitor. Report the review to Google as well. Our guide on removing fake Google reviews explains how.
- "Hi, we can't find a booking under this name, and we don't offer the service mentioned. If you did visit us, please call [phone number] so we can look into it."
- "Thanks for the review. We don't have any record of a job at this address, so we think this may be meant for another company. If we've got that wrong, please email [email]."
- "Hi, we're not able to match this review to a customer. We'd be happy to talk if there's something we've missed. You can reach me on [phone number]. Sam, owner."
When you see it differently, or it was your fault
When you disagree
- "Thanks for the feedback, Rachel. We matched the colour to the swatch you chose, but I understand it looks different on the wall. I'd be happy to come back and take a look. Please email [email]."
- "Hi Paul, I'm sorry you weren't happy. We can't offer refunds on opened items, which is on our returns page, but if the product is faulty we'll replace it. Please get in touch on [email]."
- "Thanks for the review. We did call twice on the morning to say we were running late, but I'm sorry the timing didn't work out for you."
When you got it wrong
- "You're right, Nina, and I'm sorry. We double-booked your table and didn't handle it well. I'd like to put it right, so please call me on [phone number]."
- "Thanks for being honest, Ben. We missed the date we agreed, and that's on us. We've refunded the call-out charge, and I'm sorry for the trouble it caused."
Mistakes to avoid
- Arguing point by point, or calling the customer a liar.
- Sharing personal details, such as what treatment someone had or where they live.
- Offering a refund or discount on condition that they change or remove the review. Google doesn't allow it.
- Posting the same reply under every complaint.
If the review is a single star with no text, there's a separate guide on replying to a 1-star review with no comment.
Common questions
Should I apologise if the review is unfair?
You can be sorry the customer had a poor experience without agreeing with every point. That tone usually goes down better with readers than a correction.
How long should a reply to a negative review be?
Three or four sentences is plenty. Longer replies tend to read as defensive.
Can I reply to a negative review more than once?
Google lets you post one reply per review, which you can edit later. If you sort the problem out, you can update your reply to say so.