Responding to Negative Reviews

How Negative Reviews Are Flagged

ResponseIQ automatically flags reviews with 1, 2, or 3 stars as negative reviews. These reviews are given a visual indicator in your dashboard — a colored label or icon — so they stand out from positive reviews and get the attention they deserve. When filtering your review list, you can use the star rating filter to see only negative reviews.

How the AI Handles Negative Reviews

The AI adjusts its tone and approach based on the star rating. For negative reviews, the AI-generated response follows a proven framework:

• Acknowledgment — the response begins by thanking the reviewer for their feedback and acknowledging their experience.
• Empathy — the response expresses genuine concern about the issue the customer experienced.
• Accountability — where appropriate, the response takes responsibility without being defensive.
• Resolution — the response offers to make things right, often suggesting the customer contact the business directly.
• Invitation to return — the response ends on a positive note, inviting the customer to give the business another chance.

Tips for Handling Negative Reviews

While the AI provides a strong foundation, here are best practices for responding to negative reviews that can protect and even improve your reputation:

• Respond quickly — a prompt response shows that you take customer feedback seriously. Aim to publish within 24 hours.
• Stay professional — never argue, blame the customer, or get defensive, even if the review seems unfair.
• Take the conversation offline — include a phone number or email where the customer can contact you directly to resolve the issue.
• Be specific — if you can identify the situation the customer is describing, reference it. Generic responses feel dismissive.
• Do not offer compensation publicly — if you want to offer a discount or refund, do so in the private conversation, not in the public reply.
• Remember your audience — your response is not just for the reviewer. Future customers will read it to judge how you handle problems.

When to Edit Before Publishing

Consider editing the AI response in these scenarios (Premium plan required):

• The customer describes a specific incident that you can address directly.
• You want to include a direct contact number or email for follow-up.
• The AI response is too generic for a highly specific complaint.
• The review mentions a staff member by name and you want to handle the response delicately.
• The review contains factual inaccuracies that you want to correct diplomatically.

Flagging Reviews for Internal Follow-Up

Not every negative review requires only a public response. Some indicate systemic issues that need internal attention — recurring complaints about cleanliness, service speed, or specific staff members. Use negative reviews as actionable feedback for your team. While ResponseIQ focuses on the public response side, the patterns you notice in negative reviews can drive meaningful operational improvements.