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05 December 2025
Team Up
Review
A negative customer review can appear at any moment : a delay, a defective product, or a poor experience. Yet responding effectively not only reassures the concerned customer, but also convinces potential customers who read online reviews.
The proof : 88 % of consumers say they prefer businesses that consistently respond to reviews, according to Brightlocal (2023).
Today, managing customer reviews, negative comments, or even fake reviews has become essential for any business that cares about its reputation, whether it operates on Google, Facebook, or Tripadvisor.
👉 Here are 8 examples and templates for responding to negative reviews.
Customer review : “The service was far too slow and my dish arrived cold.”
Example response : “Hello [First name], thank you for sharing your experience. We are sincerely sorry that the service took longer than expected and that your dish was not served at the right temperature. We have reminded our team to ensure this does not happen again. Please feel free to let us know during your next visit, we will be happy to react immediately to offer you a better experience. We hope to see you again very soon.”
Customer review : “The atmosphere was disappointing and the server was unpleasant.”
Example response : “Hello [First name], we are sorry that your experience did not meet your expectations. We have taken your comments into account regarding the atmosphere and service quality. We are already working on offering new activities and have reminded our team of the importance of a warm welcome. We hope to see you again soon to offer you a more pleasant experience.”
Customer review : “The room was dirty and the reception staff were cold.”
Example response : “Hello [First name], thank you for your feedback and please accept our sincere apologies for an experience that does not reflect our quality standards. We have immediately reinforced our housekeeping checks and reminded our front desk team to ensure this does not happen again. If you come back to our establishment, please contact us directly, we will be happy to offer you a commercial gesture.
Kind regards.”
Customer review : “My glasses took too long to be ready and I am not satisfied with the frame choice.”
Example response : “Hello [First name], we are sorry that your glasses were not ready within the announced timeframe and that our advice did not meet your expectations. We have reviewed our organisation with our suppliers to improve delivery speed and we are strengthening our team’s training to better support our customers. Thank you for your patience and for your feedback, it helps us improve.”
Customer review : “The product is poor quality and the salesperson was unpleasant.”
Example response : “Hello [First name], thank you for taking the time to share your review. We are sorry that the product quality and the in store welcome did not meet your expectations. Your comments have been forwarded to our team so we can improve our product selection and reinforce our customer service training. We hope to have the opportunity to offer you a better experience on a future visit.”
Customer review : “The event was poorly organised and we didn’t receive enough information beforehand.”
Example response : “Hello [First name], we are sorry that the organisation of our event did not meet your expectations and that our communication was not clear enough. We have already taken measures to strengthen our logistics and improve our communication channels. Thank you for your feedback, it will help us make our future events smoother and more enjoyable for everyone.”
Customer review : “The quality is not the same from one store to another and it is impossible to reach the head office.”
Example response : “Hello [First name], thank you for your review. We are sorry that your experience varied between our locations. We are actively working on harmonising our quality standards and have recently strengthened our centralised customer service to respond faster to requests. We hope your next experience with our network meets your expectations.”
Customer review : “The project was delayed and the results are disappointing.”
Example response : “Hello [First name], we apologise for the delay and for the results not meeting your expectations. We have reviewed our project management process to better meet deadlines and we are already adjusting the strategy to reach your objectives. Thank you for your feedback, it helps us improve and provide better support.”
Every review, whether positive or negative, influences your prospects’ decisions. Simply responding can turn a criticism into an opportunity. It is therefore essential to reply with courtesy and professionalism !
Negative comments left unanswered give the impression that you are ignoring your customers.
On the other hand, a professional and empathetic response shows that you take feedback seriously and that you are committed to continuously improving your services.
This reassures not only the unhappy customer, but also all prospects and other customers who will read your profile.
👉 More than 80 % of consumers read online reviews before choosing a business or service provider (Brightlocal,2023)
That is huge !
So when they see a thoughtful response to a negative comment, they understand that the company listens and values all feedback.
In many cases, this professionalism compensates for negative reviews and encourages people to give the business a chance anyway.
Google rewards businesses that consistently engage with their customers. Regular responses to both positive and negative reviews signal to the algorithm that your profile is active and trustworthy.
According to the Moz Local Search Ranking Factors study (Moz, 2023), high Google ratings and review management are among the Top 7 factors that directly influence placement in the local pack (Google Maps).
👉 You gain visibility in local search results, especially in the well known “Google Maps pack”.
Responding to comments is not something you improvise : there are a few principles and best practices to ensure you reply in the most effective way.
A review should ideally receive a reply within 24 to 48 hours, no more !
Always start by thanking the customer, even if they left a negative review. This shows that you value feedback and take every comment seriously.
Expressing sincere regret helps ease tension and proves that you take responsibility. Even if the issue is minor or isolated, acknowledging the inconvenience the customer experienced is essential.
A vague response can feel automatic. Responding appropriately means showing that you understood the comment by addressing the specific elements mentioned in the review.
Providing a concrete solution (a new experience, a discount, a replacement product…) demonstrates that you do more than just offer words — you take real action to improve your customer’s experience.
Invite the customer to continue the conversation via your Google Business Profile, by email or by phone. This allows you to resolve the issue in depth without sharing too many details publicly.
Silence gives the impression that you do not take your customers seriously.
An aggressive response will only make the situation worse.
Generic answers damage your image and reduce your business’s credibility.
Downplaying the issue is equivalent to denying the customer’s feelings, which can cause even more frustration.
Sometimes, reviews posted on Google do not reflect a real customer experience : fake testimonials from a competitor, insulting or defamatory comments. A negative review on Google may hide malicious intent, meaning fake reviews.
In such cases, the steps to follow are different from those used to respond to a genuinely unhappy customer.
Google Business Profile provides a reporting feature. From your dashboard, you can flag a review as inappropriate and specify the reason (defamation, hateful content, spam, etc.). The Google team then reviews the request and may remove the review if it violates their policies.
👉 See here how to remove an illegitimate negative Google review.
Even if you dispute the review, we recommend posting a clarification comment. For example, mention that you could not find any record of the customer’s visit and invite them to continue the conversation privately. This shows that you take the matter seriously, even if the negative review may be unfair.
The goal is to preserve a strong online reputation !
If the review contains serious or false accusations that damage your company’s reputation, you can initiate legal action for defamation.
👉 When faced with a particularly harmful negative comment, this is the only solution when Google refuses to intervene.
A negative Google review may seem suspicious, especially if it comes from a profile with no photo, no history, or very vague content. If you cannot find any trace of the situation in your customer records, it may be a fake review.
The ideal is to respond within 24 to 48 hours. This shows that you are attentive and reactive, while avoiding letting the review sit unanswered for too long.
Yes, absolutely. Even if you use templates, each review must receive a personalized reply. Mentioning the customer’s name or a detail from their experience shows that you take their feedback seriously.
Yes, some tools like Up Review allow you to centralize feedback and generate response templates. However, it is still essential to reply appropriately and add a human touch to maintain authenticity.
An ignored comment can give the impression that you do not listen to your customers. Conversely, simply responding can turn criticism into an opportunity and reassure prospects.
You should remain active on all platforms where your customers leave feedback : Google Business Profile, Facebook, Tripadvisor, Booking, and more. You must respond to reviews, whether positive or negative, to show your professionalism and commitment.
Receiving a negative review online is never pleasant, but it is far from hopeless. With the right response, sincere and professional, you can turn criticism into an opportunity and convince new potential customers.
And to stay on top of review management without wasting time, Up Review helps you save hours every week.
Nathanaël Butet, for the Up Review team ❤️
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