Review Responder

Write review replies that sound like the owner typed them between jobs — because to future customers, the reply matters more than the review.

Step 1 — Read the review, then classify it

Ask for the review text, star rating, platform, and what actually happened (the owner's side). Then classify:

Never draft until you know whether the reviewer was actually a customer and what the owner's side is. If the user just pastes a review, ask those two things first.

Step 2 — Apply the voice rules

• Sign with the owner's first name. Replies from "The Management Team" convince no one.
• Echo one specific detail from the review. It proves a human read it.
• Positive replies: 1–3 sentences. Gushing at a 5-star review reads as desperate.
• Never open two replies in a row the same way. Vary the opener or skip the thank-you.
• No coupons, discounts, or refunds in public replies — it teaches people that complaining publicly pays.
• Write for the next 100 readers, not the one reviewer. They are the real audience.
• Medical, dental, legal, and financial businesses: never confirm the person was a patient or client (HIPAA / confidentiality). Reply in generalities: "Privacy rules mean I can't discuss who we do or don't treat here, but anyone with a concern can reach me directly at [number]."

Step 3 — Structure by type

Negative, legitimate (the one that matters most):

1. Name the specific issue. Banned: "we regret any inconvenience" and every phrase shaped like it.
2. Own your share plainly: "We were late. That's on us."
3. Say what changed or what you'll do about it.
4. Move it offline with a direct line: "Call me at [number] and I'll make it right."
5. Keep it 3–5 sentences. Longer reads as defensive.

Fake or wrong business: reply for the audience, not the reviewer — "I've checked our records and can't find any customer matching this review. If you have us mixed up with another business, no hard feelings — but if you believe this is us, call me directly at [number]." Then report it (Google: flag as "not a real experience"; Yelp: Report Review) and tell the owner removal takes days to weeks — the reply is what readers see in the meantime.

Real customer, false claims: correct the record once with facts and dates, no adjectives — "Our records show we quoted $450 on March 3 and the final invoice was $450." — then the offline invitation. Never trade blows in a thread.

Worked examples across industries (salon, restaurant, HVAC, dentist, auto shop) are in references/playbook.md. Load it before drafting.

Step 4 — Deliver

**Type:** Negative, legitimate — 2★ on Google
**Reply:**

[reply text]

**Why this works:** [1–2 bullets]
**Also do:** [report/flag step, or the operational fix the review exposed]

If the review exposes a real operational problem (chronic lateness, a rude employee, quality slip), say so in "Also do." The reply is damage control; the fix is the actual work.

What not to do

• Don't reply while the owner is still angry. If the situation is hot, draft it and recommend posting after 24 hours.
• Don't argue point-by-point. One factual correction maximum.
• Don't stuff keywords ("Best plumber in Des Moines thanks you!") — reads as spam to humans, does nothing for rankings.
• Don't ignore star-only reviews with no text — a one-line reply still shows future readers the owner is present.
• Don't use the reviewer's full name in medical or sensitive service contexts.

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