Find out how to respond to positive, neutral or negative reviews

Probably everyone understands that reviews help to sell. And yes, their number directly affects conversion. However, on a product page, you do not just have to rely on customers and how many reviews they leave, you can also increase your chances by how (and if) you respond to each review. Each type of review requires a different response, and that is what we will focus on in this article.

What impact do your responses have?

Their influence is greater than what you might expect. Despite the original tone of the review and rating, your response will bring the following benefits:

• 65% of buyers will experience an increase in brand loyalty.
• The likelihood of customers switching to a competitor is reduced by 25%.
• 75% of customers will share their experience, boosting word of mouth or Off-Page SEO.

In addition, by responding to the reviews, your product page will act as a dialogue between you and your customers. By providing replies, you will ensure a closer and closer relationship with your customers as well as give the impression that you are available to your customers and that you see, perceive, and value them. This will also encourage other customers to leave a review, whether positive, neutral, or negative. Everyone wants to be seen and valued, and you can offer that to your customers along with your product.

Use your brand voice

Do not forget about your brand's voice and image when responding to reviews and communicating with customers. Take advantage of this and create a more distinctive impression. Forget robotic and automated responses. Instead, highlight your brand's character.

What is important to you? To sound professional and competent, or friendly and relaxed? Is your brand a jokester, a friend, or a mentor? Reflect that in your answers. And do not forget to sign the person responding. Brand voice is good, but people still want to interact with people. Help them form a bond with you and your representatives that will keep them coming back for your products.

Is it important when you respond?

Yes.

It is important. People do not stick to business hours when leaving reviews. Most of them write a review, remember it for a while, but then move on with their lives. They may understand that a brand employee will read the review when they get to work, but the longer they wait for a response, the less relevant the response is to them.

• 53% of customers expect brands to respond to a negative review within a week.
• A third of them expect a response within 3 days.

In contrast, a response to a review will help them to remember the brand, form a bond with it, and remember and prefer it the next time they make a purchase. This does not mean you should not respond to overdue reviews. At that point, your response is simply worth more to the new potential customer than it is to the person who wrote the review.

We see this phenomenon much more pronounced on social media although the principle remains the same. In both cases, it pays well to “strike while the iron is hot”.

Source: https://media.sproutsocial.com/uploads/2017/08/The-Q2-2016-Sprout-Social-Index-Sprout-Social.pdf

Is it necessary to reply to all reviews?

It is not necessary. It depends on the number of reviews and their nature. The response should be proportionate to what the review is. A poor and inadequate response can harm your brand. On the other hand, your responses can increase your brand's reach. That is why it is a good idea to consider the response carefully each time.

• 97% of potential customers are interested in the brand's reactions when reading reviews.
• More than 50% will prefer a brand that regularly responds to reviews.
• 64% of customers will prefer to buy from a brand that responds to reviews rather than one that has better reviews but remains silent.

Tailored response

In practice, you will come across several types of reviews and each one offers different options and requires a certain type of reaction.

• Positive reviews  
• Negative reviews
• Neutral reviews
• Rating reviews without any text

For positive reviews, be graceful and establish a relationship

In segments such as electronics, food, FMCG, or pharmaceuticals, only 1% of customers will write a review. If that 1% leaves a review and it is positive, you have clear evidence that your product has made a truly good impression. It would be a shame to lose this momentum. But where to go from here?

• Thank them first. Namely, for their trust, time, and willingness to share their opinion. Show that you value them as an individual customer.
• Encourage them to buy again. Positive experiences earn loyal customers who love to come back. Use the opportunity to organically show them what else they can experience.
• Be brief. Try to capture the first two points mentioned in a few sentences. Lengthy statements can come across as self-serving and overload other customers while reading, which can reduce sales.
• Be sure to sign at the end. This will show that a real person wrote the answer, not a robot.

If you are starting out as a brand or have launched a new product, and you only have a few positive reviews so far, it is important to respond to each one. People will scrutinize them, with 97% focusing primarily on your response. If it is a proper one, they will get a sense of a community lovebrand that cares about all aspects of their business. This increases brandtrust and the resulting sales.

If your product exceeds hundreds of reviews, scale back on your reviews and their complexity. Copious amounts of text will exhaust customers more quickly. There is a risk that after reading them, they will not have the energy to continue their purchase and will postpone it for another time. Consider implementing responses that show your interest and appreciation for the review but do not overwhelm the customer. Even a heart, thumbs up or a visible "the brand likes this review" can be effective.

Example of a response to a positive review

Hello Mr./Ms. X, thank you for your review! We are glad that you are satisfied with our product. We look forward to your next purchase. You might be interested in (description of a good deal, offer, discount, or other product). Have a lovely day! Your XY.

For negative reviews, it is important to name the core problem and suggest a solution

A negative review is annoying and can be a nightmare for a brand. Take a deep breath and resolve it calmly and gracefully. Your reaction at this point can be extremely dangerous. Put yourself in the customer's shoes. They bought a product that they had certain expectations of, and now those expectations are unfulfilled. Their frustration may make others hesitate to buy, but your frustration will prevent them from doing so. Show that you want to work together to solve the problem.

A brand that responds appropriately to a negative review increases its chances of winning over a future customer. 45% of customers are more likely to buy if the brand responds to a dissatisfied review.

Source: https://www.reviewtrackers.com/reports/online-reviews-survey/

• Keep calm. The response to criticism is often to counterattack, which in PR equals a recipe for disaster. Your response must be clear and thoughtful, and you must never give in to your emotions.
• Thank them. A negative review is also a valuable source of information for you.
• Name the problem. Clearly and concisely. This avoids the "everything is wrong" level of argumentation, makes the case easier for other readers to understand, and shows that you really think about the issue.
• Suggest a solution. The client must be sure about what happens next and should not have to come up with a solution on their own. By suggesting, you will show true professionalism, which often becomes evident when problems are solved.
• Move the conversation to a private place. You must never get into a situation where you are arguing with a client in a public space via several lines of text.

If you are unable to resolve the review calmly without appearing defensive or combative, you are better off responding privately. The same goes for situations where your response makes it sound like you cannot help the customer in any way. Instead, resolve everything with a phone call or an email. If successful, the customer may change their review. However, keep in mind that a negative interaction can make your situation worse. The bad reputation can then drag you down for a long time. Not to mention the power of social media.

Example of a response to a negative review

Hello Mr. X, thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. We are deeply sorry that we did not meet your expectations. We can see that the main problem was X, which fortunately can be easily solved with Y. An operator will contact you shortly to resolve the situation to your full satisfaction. Sincerely, XY.

For neutral reviews, please use prior experience

Neutral reviews around 3 stars are often difficult to grasp. They are not outright negative, but at the same time, the customer is on the fence and may not return. Your challenge in your response will be to cut through this uncertainty. At the same time, remember that mediocre reviews carry a lot of weight for potential customers, and your response to what is the most important review may be what decides a future purchase for them.

• Highlight the positives and offer more. It is easy to lose the good in a neutral text. So, remind the client and other readers of the positive part of the experience in your response.
• For the negatives, name the problem and suggest a solution. Every neutral review includes a snag. By clearly naming it, you again clarify the boundaries of the problem, show concern, and in suggesting a solution, professionalism, and a willingness to advocate for each client.
• Again, take the interaction offline.

Example of a response to a neutral review

Hello Mr/Ms X, Thank you very much for your review. We are glad that you appreciated our X, we pride ourselves on Y and are dedicated to these aspects. We noticed that you had a problem with Z. We suggest the following solution (description). An operator will be in touch with you shortly to follow up. We look forward to seeing you next time. Sincerely, XY.

For reviews without text, the number of stars matters

Here it depends on your review settings. If your reviews allow customers to leave specific ratings for certain categories, you know what to base your reply on. You can respond to individual positive or negative categories and sound both professional and personable.

If your reviews do not offer this option, at least use what you know about the customer. Even if it is just a username, email, or nickname. If you can reach the customer and use what little information you have, you will come across as a brand that cares about everyone.

• If the review is positive, simply say a quick thank you. There is no point in stretching the answer if you cannot mention specific achievements. You would unnecessarily increase the cognitive load of texts and other customers would be overwhelmed.
• For negative reviews, find out more. After thanking them, make it clear that you want to know the details and remedy the situation. Suggest a connection via email or call. In turn, other customers will see that you care and are willing to solve unfamiliar issues.

Example of a reply to a review without any text

Hello Mr. X, thank you for your review. We are glad that you are satisfied with our product. XY.

Hello Mr. X, thank you for your review. We are sorry to hear that you are not satisfied with our product. Our operator will be in touch with you shortly to sort everything out. Sincerely, XY

Conclusion

Responding to reviews can be challenging, especially if they are negative. Consider whether your brand would benefit from (additional) training for your customer-facing staff. Unify your voice and create policies and procedures that are tailored to your brand. Clarify the competencies of individuals so that people addressing negative reviews can offer workable solutions. Communicate both within the company and with customers. If you promise to get in touch with a dissatisfied customer, someone actually needs to reach out and help as soon as possible.

Your brand's response to reviews has a significant impact on customer retention and new customer acquisition. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this powerful opportunity. Since it is a customer communication issue, it must be handled with care. Do not make the situation worse by communicating unprofessionally and building a bad reputation.

Related: "Optimizing E-Commerce Conversion through Authentic Reviews."