· 1 min read
How to Reply to a Bad Review: 6 Rules and Examples
How to reply to negative reviews like a pro, with examples for Google, Tripadvisor and Trustpilot.
Your reply is not only read by the reviewer, but by all future customers. A calm, friendly reply shows: someone cares here. It often has a stronger effect than the criticism itself.
The 6 rules
- Reply quickly, ideally within one or two days.
- Say thank you, even for harsh criticism: “Thank you for your honest feedback.”
- Be specific: Address the point the guest mentions.
- Do not argue and do not make details about the customer public.
- Offer a solution: a conversation, a contact address, a new appointment.
- Keep it short: three to five sentences are enough.
Example: restaurant, long wait
“Thank you for your honest review, Ms. Yılmaz. We are sorry that you had to wait so long for your food on Saturday. Our team was short-staffed that evening, but that should still not happen. We would love to invite you again; just write to us at info@… Kind regards, your team at …”
Example: review with no text, just one star
“Thank you for your review. We are sorry that you were not happy. We would like to understand what went wrong. Please write to us at info@… so we can do better.”
What to avoid
- Excuses or blame (“You could have come earlier”).
- Copied standard texts under every review.
- Discounts in exchange for changing the review. This breaks the rules of the platforms.
How VOQX helps
For every new review, VOQX writes a suitable reply in the language of the review. You read it, adjust it if needed and publish it on Google with one click. With Radar Pro, VOQX can also reply automatically – sensitive reviews always come to you for approval first.
VOQX is software. You report yourself; whether a platform removes anything is up to the platform.