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- Replies by situation: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
- Platform rules: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
- Review log: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
In Google Sheets: File, Import, Upload, then pick the CSV.
What's inside
- Replies by situation: 12 kinds of review, each with a template with [placeholders], a filled example and what to watch out for
- A rules sheet summarising Google's and Facebook's help pages on replying to and reporting reviews, with what the example business does
- A review log: date, platform, rating, summary, who replied, when, and any follow-up
- A filled example for Calder Plumbing & Heating, a fictional business (every name and review is made up), and a blank CSV of each sheet
How to use it
- Read the review twice before replying, and reply when you're calm, not straight away if it stings.
- Find the closest situation in the sheet and start from its template.
- Change every [placeholder] and add one detail from the review itself, so it reads as written for that person.
- Never share a customer's personal details or job details in public, even to correct them.
- Move anything that needs fixing to a phone call or private message, and say how to reach you.
- Don't offer discounts or freebies in a reply. Google's tips advise against offering deals or promotions in review replies.
- Log every review and reply, and check the log monthly for patterns worth fixing in the business.
Preview: Replies by situation
A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 12 rows.
| Situation | Template | Filled example | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 stars, detailed praise | Thank you, [name]. [Detail they mentioned] is exactly what we aim for, and I'll pass your words on to [team member]. [Short, specific close]. | Thank you, Fiona. Turning up when we said we would is exactly what we aim for, and I'll pass your words on to Raj. Enjoy the warm radiators. | Don't copy the same reply onto every five-star review |
| 5 stars, no text | Thank you for the five stars, [name]. We're glad the [job] went well. | Thank you for the five stars, Mark. We're glad the boiler service went smoothly. | Keep it short; a long reply to a star rating looks automatic |
| 4 stars with a small niggle | Thanks, [name]. Glad [what went well]. You're right about [niggle], and we've [what you changed]. | Thanks, Hannah. Glad the new shower is working well. You're right that we left the bathroom dustier than we should have, and we now put sheets down on every job. | Thank them for the niggle; it's useful |
| 3 stars, mixed | Thank you for the honest review, [name]. [Acknowledge the good]. I'm sorry [the problem]. I'd like to hear more: please call me on our main number and ask for [name]. | Thank you for the honest review, Peter. I'm glad the leak is fixed. I'm sorry the first visit didn't find it. I'd like to hear more: please call the office and ask for me, Dave. | Don't put a phone number in the reply text; point to the one on your profile |
| 1 star: late or missed appointment | [Name], I'm sorry. [Plain statement of what went wrong]. That isn't good enough. Please call the office and ask for [name] so we can put it right. | Sarah, I'm sorry. We were two hours late and didn't call to say so. That isn't good enough. Please call the office and ask for me, Dave, so we can put it right. | Apologise for the effect, without excuses |
| 1 star: price | Thanks for the feedback, [name]. [What the price included, in one sentence]. If anything on the invoice isn't clear, please call and we'll go through it. | Thanks for the feedback, James. The price included the new valve, two hours' labour and the call-out on a Sunday. If anything on the invoice isn't clear, please call and we'll go through it. | Explain once; don't argue or list every cost |
| 1 star: we can't find them as a customer | Hello [name]. We can't find a job under this name, and we'd like to understand what happened. Please call the office so we can look into it. | Hello Chris. We can't find a job under this name, and we'd like to understand what happened. Please call the office so we can look into it. | Don't accuse them of lying; flag the review only if it breaks the platform's policies |
| Review names a staff member | Thank you, [name]. I'll make sure [first name] sees this. | Thank you, Amy. I'll make sure Raj sees this. It made his week. | If the review criticises a named person, don't discuss them in public; take it offline |
Preview: Platform rules
A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 9 rows.
| Point | What the help page says | What we do | Source (checked 15 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google: who appears to reply | Replies appear as the business; your personal name isn't shown. | Sign off with a first name so customers know who to ask for | Google Business Profile Help, Manage customer reviews |
| Google: the reviewer is notified | The person who wrote the review is notified when you reply, and can still change their review. | Reply to every review within three working days (our own target) | Manage customer reviews |
| Google: editing and deleting | Replies can be edited or deleted from the reviews list. | Fix typos straight away; never delete a reply to hide a mistake | Manage customer reviews |
| Google: replies are checked | Replies usually take up to 10 minutes to review, but sometimes up to 30 days. | Check the reply has appeared the next day | Manage customer reviews |
| Google: reviews that break policy | If a review violates Google's content policies, you can flag it. You need a verified profile to reply. | Flag only real policy breaches; reply calmly to everything else | Manage customer reviews |
| Google: tips for replies | Be professional and polite, keep it short, personalise the reply, apologise when appropriate, reply in a timely manner, and avoid offering deals or promotions in replies. | Built into our templates | Google Business Profile Help, Tips to get more reviews |
| Google: incentives | Offering incentives, such as free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for reviews is prohibited. | We ask every customer for a review in the follow-up email; we never offer anything for it | Tips to get more reviews |
| Facebook: reporting | Recommendations that don't follow the Community Standards can be reported; ones with only a star rating can't. | Report only real breaches | Facebook Help Centre, Report a recommendation or review |
Preview: Review log
A filled example for a made-up small business.
| Date | Platform | Rating | Summary | Replied by | Date replied | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2 Nov | 5 | On time, tidy, Raj explained everything | Dave | Mon 2 Nov | None | |
| Tue 3 Nov | 1 | Two hours late, no call | Dave | Tue 3 Nov | Called; refunded the call-out; new rule: text if running 30 minutes late | |
| Thu 5 Nov | Recommends | Fixed the boiler on a Sunday | Dave | Thu 5 Nov | None | |
| Mon 9 Nov | 3 | Leak fixed on the second visit | Dave | Mon 9 Nov | Called; offered a free check in a month | |
| Wed 11 Nov | 1 | No matching job; abusive | n/a | n/a | Flagged to Google | |
| Note | Every name, review and date is made up for this example |
Tips
- Calder Plumbing & Heating, its staff and every review in the example are made up. Adapt the wording so it sounds like you.
- Google's 'Manage customer reviews' page says replies appear as the business, the reviewer is notified, replies can be edited or deleted, and replies are reviewed before they appear, usually within 10 minutes but sometimes up to 30 days (checked on 15 October 2026).
- Google's 'Tips to get more reviews' page advises keeping replies short, polite and personal, apologising when appropriate, and avoiding deals or promotions in replies. It also says offering incentives in exchange for reviews is prohibited (checked on 15 October 2026).
- Facebook's help centre says recommendations that break its Community Standards can be reported, that star-rating-only recommendations can't be, and that reviews breaking its spam policies are removed (checked on 15 October 2026).
- Reply to good reviews as well as bad ones. People reading reviews see how you treat everyone, not only the unhappy customers.
- Zolyp, which makes this template, doesn't reply to reviews for you. It plans and publishes posts to Google Business, Facebook and the other platforms it supports, so a review you're proud of can be shared, with the customer's permission, in the same week's plan.
Common questions
How do you respond to a negative review?
Thank them, apologise for what went wrong without excuses, say what you've changed if you have, and ask them to contact you directly to put it right. Keep it short, don't argue, and don't share any of their details in public.
Should I reply to every Google review?
It's good practice to reply to every review with text, good or bad. A short, specific thank-you is enough for praise. Google's tips suggest replying in a timely manner and personalising each reply.
Can I offer a discount for a review, or in my reply?
Google's help page, checked on 15 October 2026, says offering incentives in exchange for reviews is prohibited, and its tips advise against offering deals or promotions in replies. Ask every customer for an honest review instead.
Are the reviews in the example real?
No. The plumbing company, its staff and every review are made up to show how filled templates read.
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