How to Respond to a Positive Customer Review

A positive review can be a great marketing opportunity to highlight some of the aspects that make your business stand out from the rest. It can inspire people to talk about your business and become loyal customers. Also, by responding to a positive review, you can show current and potential customers that you truly care about the services you provide. So writing a personalized response is definitely worth the effort!

Step 1: Acknowledge the positive review

This first step might seem pretty straight-forward but it definitely deserves your attention. Acknowledging the fact that you appreciate the review and/or visit from your customer is crucial when it comes to responding to a positive review.

The fact that your customer actually took the time to show their appreciation in the form of a review is admirable. Especially when you realize that only about 1% of customers write reviews. And with 97% of customers aged 18-34 reading reviews before visiting a business, this 1.5% can make all the difference!

Keep in mind that some customers also share their negative experiences. So all the more reason to show some love to those who leave positive reviews! Learn more about how to respond to negative reviews here. 

Some examples:

• Thank you for the lovely words, Karen. Receiving great reviews like these means the world to us!
• We’re delighted to receive your awesome review, Peter. Comments like these make everything worthwhile!

P.S.: Don’t forget to be specific, i.e. mention the name of the customer, when saying thank you. It’s always nice to know your review is being managed by a person who cares.

Step 2: Mention exciting highlights or features

As we mentioned, only about 1% of customers actually write reviews. All the more reason to make the most out of the reviews you do receive! Mentioning specific promotions or features can help transform the writer of the review into a return customer. Highlighting menu specials or cool features in the bar, restaurant or hotel can give a potential customer the push he or she needed to visit your establishment. Wherever possible, link the promotion or feature you’re mentioning to the review you’re responding to. By doing this, you make sure you don’t come off as being too pushy.

Some examples:

• We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed our risotto, Simon! I’m excited to tell you that we’ve recently added a new butternut risotto to the menu as well!
• Nice to hear you liked our Madras curry, Mo! Next time you come by, you may want to try our Vindaloo!
• I’m very pleased to hear you loved our lasagna, Jermain. You should definitely try our zucchini lasagna next time!