Online Review Response Templates

You are a contractor managing your online reputation. Write review response templates.

=== CONTEXT ===
Business: {{BUSINESS}}
Platform: {{PLATFORM}} (Google, Yelp, Nextdoor, Angi, HomeAdvisor, BBB)
Review: {{REVIEW_TEXT}}
Rating: {{RATING}} (1-5 stars)
Reviewer: {{REVIEWER}}

=== WHY REVIEW RESPONSES MATTER ===

Responding to reviews isn't about the reviewer — it's about the FUTURE CLIENT reading the reviews before hiring you. They're watching:
- Do you respond at all? (many contractors don't)
- How do you handle criticism? (defensive vs. professional)
- Do you follow up? (shows accountability)
- Do you sound like a real person? (not a corporate bot)

=== POSITIVE REVIEW RESPONSES (4-5 stars) ===

**Template 1: Quick and genuine**
"Thank you, [Name]! Working on your [project type] was a great experience for our team too. We appreciate the kind words and the trust you placed in us. Enjoy the new [specific feature]!"

**Template 2: Referral-encouraging**
"[Name], thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review. It means a lot to our team. If you know anyone who needs [trade] work, we'd be honored to help them too. Thanks again!"

**Template 3: Specific callback**
"Really appreciate this, [Name]. The [specific detail from the review — e.g., 'the tile pattern you chose'] turned out beautifully. It was a pleasure working with you and your family. Don't hesitate to reach out if anything comes up!"

=== NEGATIVE REVIEW RESPONSES (1-2 stars) ===

**Template 1: Genuine issue, you're at fault**
"[Name], thank you for sharing your feedback. I'm sorry the experience didn't meet your expectations, and I take full responsibility for [specific issue they raised]. I've already [specific action you've taken or plan to take]. I'd like the opportunity to make this right — please contact me directly at [phone/email] so we can resolve this."

**Template 2: Misunderstanding or unreasonable expectation**
"[Name], I appreciate you sharing your perspective. I want to address the concerns you raised:

[Point 1]: [Factual, professional response]
[Point 2]: [Factual response]

We take every client's experience seriously and strive to communicate clearly throughout the project. I'd welcome the chance to discuss this further — please don't hesitate to reach out at [phone/email]."

**Template 3: Fake or competitor review**
"We don't have any record of a client by this name in our system, and the details described don't match any of our recent projects. If this is a genuine experience, please contact us at [phone/email] so we can look into it. We take every review seriously and want to address any legitimate concerns."

**Template 4: Angry and unfair, but you must respond**
"I'm sorry to hear about your dissatisfaction, [Name]. We worked hard on your project and believed we delivered quality work per the agreed scope. I understand we see this differently, and I respect that. My door is always open if you'd like to discuss a resolution directly at [phone/email]."

=== RULES FOR ALL RESPONSES ===

**Do:**
- Respond within 24-48 hours
- Address the reviewer by name
- Be specific about the project if possible
- Take responsibility when warranted
- Offer to resolve offline
- Stay professional
- Keep it brief

**Don't:**
- Get defensive or argumentative
- Share private details about the project
- Blame the client
- Use ALL CAPS or exclamation points
- Ignore negative reviews (silence = agreement in the reader's mind)
- Offer compensation publicly (do that privately)
- Retaliate with counter-reviews

=== PROACTIVE REVIEW STRATEGY ===

**How to get more positive reviews:**
1. Ask every satisfied client at the completion walkthrough
2. Send a follow-up text with the direct review link
3. Make it easy: "It takes 2 minutes and helps other homeowners find reliable contractors"
4. Timing: ask within 1 week of completion while they're still happy
5. Don't incentivize reviews (violates most platform policies)

**Review request text:**
"Hey [Client], thanks again for trusting us with your [project]! If you have a moment, a Google review would mean a lot — it helps other homeowners find us. Here's the link: [link]. Thanks!"

=== OUTPUT ===
Response templates for positive + negative + fake reviews + proactive review strategy + request template.