Tutorial 5 · 5 min read · Works with ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini (free plans)
Reply to reviews (even the bad ones)
Future customers read your replies as much as the reviews. A calm, short reply — especially to a bad review — can win you more work than the review costs you.
What you'll need
- Access to your Google Business Profile
- A free AI app
Step 1: Good reviews — thank and be specific
Mention the job type and suburb if the customer did. Keep it to two sentences.
Copy this prompt and fill in the [square brackets]:
Write a 2-sentence reply to this Google review for my [trade] business. Thank them by first name, mention the job, sound genuine and local, NZ English. Review: [paste]
Step 2: Bad reviews — wait, then reply calmly
Don't reply angry. Wait a few hours. Then use AI to help you stay calm and factual.
Copy this prompt and fill in the [square brackets]:
Help me reply to this negative review. Be calm, polite and brief (under 80 words). Acknowledge their frustration, state facts without arguing, and offer to sort it out by phone on [number]. Don't admit legal fault or share private details. Review: [paste] Facts from my side: [what happened]
Step 3: Edit and post
Read it out loud. If it sounds defensive, ask AI to 'make it warmer and shorter'. Post it from your Business Profile.
Step 4: Take it offline
If they call, sort it out. Many customers update a review after a good phone call.
Checklist
- ☐ Every review gets a reply within a week
- ☐ Bad reviews: waited, calm, under 80 words
- ☐ No private customer details in replies
Common mistakes to avoid
- Arguing in public
- Copy-pasting the same reply to every review
- Sharing job details the customer didn't mention