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Community management playbook: reply library and escalation plan

A community management playbook tells whoever answers your comments, messages and reviews what to say, when to pass something on and what to remove. This one has a reply library, an escalation plan, house rules and a daily routine, filled in for a fictional bakery with three shops. Copy the replies, change the details, and download the blank CSV free.

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In Google Sheets: File, Import, Upload, then pick the CSV.

What's inside

  • A reply library: 13 common situations, each with an example comment, the reply the team uses, where to reply and a tone note
  • An escalation plan with four levels, who handles each, the reply time the business has set itself and what to do
  • House rules: what the team leaves, hides, removes, reports or blocks, and why
  • A daily routine so comments, messages and reviews are checked at set times by a named person
  • A filled example for Crumb & Co, a fictional bakery (every name is made up), and a blank CSV of each sheet

How to use it

  1. List the comments and messages you get most often. A week of your own inbox is the best source.
  2. Write one reply for each that sounds like a person at your business, and let staff adjust the wording to fit.
  3. Decide what counts as routine, a complaint, sensitive and a crisis, and who handles each level.
  4. Set reply times you can keep and write them down, so everyone works to the same promise.
  5. Agree house rules before you need them. It's easier to point to a rule than to decide in the moment.
  6. Give one named person the daily routine for each day, with a back-up for holidays and sick days.
  7. Review the playbook every quarter and add any situation the team had to improvise.

Preview: Reply library

A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 13 rows.

SituationExample comment or messageOur replyWhere we replyTone note
PraiseBest sourdough in Cardiff!Thank you, that's made the bakers' morning. See you at the counter soon.Public replyUse their name if you can; no sales pitch
Opening hoursAre you open on Sunday?We are: Pontcanna and Roath are open 8am to 2pm on Sundays, and the city centre shop is closed. All our hours are on our Google profile.Public replyAnswer in full; don't just send people elsewhere
AllergensIs the brownie nut free?Thanks for checking. Our kitchen handles nuts, so we can't promise any bake is nut free. Please ask at the counter, where the team can show you the allergen information for each bake.Public replyNever guess on allergens; point to the allergen information
Wrong orderMy cake order was wrong.I'm really sorry, that's not what you should have had. Could you send us a message with the name on the order and the date? We'll sort it today.Public, then private messageApologise once; move details to private messages
Price complaint£4 for a croissant?!Fair question. We use butter from a dairy in Monmouthshire and make the dough over two days, which is why ours cost more than a supermarket's. We'd love you to try one and tell us if it's worth it.Public replyExplain, don't argue; reply once only
DeliveryDo you deliver?Not yet, but you can order online and collect from any of our three shops. The link is in our bio.Public replySay what you do offer
Spam or scamWant a collab? DM this account for promo.No reply.NoneDelete and report; see house rules
AbuseA comment insulting a member of staffNo reply.NoneHide; block if it happens again; level 2 if a staff member is named

Preview: Escalation plan

A filled example for a made-up small business.

LevelExamplesWho handles itReply within (our own target)What to doRecord it?
1 RoutineQuestions, praise, bookings, opening hoursWhoever is on the daily routineSame working dayUse the reply libraryNo
2 ComplaintWrong order, slow service, a rude comment naming staffShop manager4 working hoursApologise in public, move details to messages, fix it, follow upYes, in the complaints log
3 SensitiveIllness after eating, an allergic reaction, an injury, a legal threat, a press enquiry, a post spreading fastOwner (Megan)1 hour during opening timesOne short holding reply; no arguing or details in public; the owner calls the person; keep screenshotsYes, with screenshots
4 CrisisA food safety incident, a story in the media, a serious accusation against staffOwner, using the crisis planImmediatelyPause scheduled posts and follow the crisis planYes
NoteThe reply times are this bakery's own targets, not an industry standard

Preview: House rules

A filled example for a made-up small business.

What we seeWhat we doWhy
Spam, scam links, fake giveaways using our nameDelete, report to the platform, blockProtects customers from scams
Insults aimed at staff or customersHide; block if repeatedEveryone should feel safe in our comments
Hate speech or threatsRemove, report to the platform, keep a screenshot; threats to safety go to the policeNot acceptable anywhere
Someone else's personal details, such as a phone numberHide and message the person who posted itPrivacy
Honest criticism of our food, service or pricesNever hide; reply once, calmlyHiding fair criticism rarely ends it
Another business promoting itself in our commentsHideKeeps the conversation about our customers
Off-topic but harmlessLeave itNot every comment needs a decision

Preview: Daily routine

A filled example for a made-up small business.

WhenTaskWhereWhoMinutes
9:00Read overnight comments and messages; reply to level 1, pass on anything higherInstagram, Facebook, TikTokLowri (back-up: Dafydd)15
9:15Reply to new reviewsGoogle Business ProfileLowri10
12:30Check comments on today's postWherever it was postedLowri10
16:30Last check; hand anything at level 2 or above to the shop manager before closingAllLowri15
Friday 16:00Add new situations to the reply library; count complaints by typeThis playbookMegan20

Tips

  • Crumb & Co, its shops, staff and suppliers are made up. The replies are examples to adapt, and the reply times are the example bakery's own choices.
  • Reply in public first, then move personal details to private messages. Other customers see that you answered.
  • Never guess about allergens, health or safety. The reply library sends those questions to people who can check.
  • Keep screenshots of anything at level 3 or 4 before it's edited or deleted.
  • Write down the one or two phrases you never use, such as blaming the customer, and add them to your brand voice guide.
  • If you use Zolyp, our product, its Brand Brain can hold the tone notes and banned topics from this playbook, so the posts Zolyp writes follow the same rules as your replies.

Common questions

What is a community management playbook?

A shared document that tells everyone who answers your social media comments, messages and reviews what to say in common situations, what to pass on and to whom, what to remove, and when to check.

How fast should a business reply to comments and messages?

Set a target you can keep and write it down. The example bakery replies to routine comments the same working day and to sensitive issues within an hour during opening times. Those are its own choices, not an industry standard.

Should I delete negative comments?

Not if they're honest criticism. Remove spam, abuse, threats and other people's personal details. Reply once, calmly, to complaints, and move the details to a private message.

What's the difference between community management and social customer service?

Community management covers the whole conversation around your accounts: replies, moderation and starting conversations. Social customer service is the part that solves individual customers' problems. A playbook like this covers both.

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