Feature: Replying to reviews

Our recent platform update allows drivers to add their comments under each review left by a customer. We hope that this added functionality helps you build stronger customer relations, showing your willingness to engage with them after completing the delivery.

However, there is a right way of replying to a review… and then, there’s that other way too. Here are some basic guidelines on responding to the reviews that your customers leave on your profile page.

Replying to a positive review

As we all know, positive feedback is what builds business. Be sure to appreciate the effort that each customer has made to leave a good review. 

When adding your comments to a positive review, consider the following suggestions.

Express your gratitude

This one’s a no-brainer: you need to tell them how much you appreciate their input. There’s no need to be overly elaborate, a simple “thanks for the feedback” usually works well enough.

Acknowledge them by name

Responding to reviews is personal engagement. Don’t think about your future customers while commenting; don’t try to sell your business. Instead, focus on this one person that you’ve dealt with already. Calling them by their name indicates they were more than an earning opportunity to you.

Match their tone

If the tone of the review was friendly and casual, make sure your reply is as well. If it’s more formal, then you keep it formal too, using whatever honorifics are required. Be as flexible and adaptable as you can. 

Keep it short and sweet

Don’t go overboard with any single reply. Stay on point, say what you want to say, and move on to the next review. Writing multiple paragraphs only reduces the chance of anyone actually reading your comment.

Time your response

There are two schools of thought when it comes to timing positive review replies. Some people recommend replying as soon as possible to show that your business values user feedback. Others suggest you wait until the positive review starts getting pushed down by newer, perhaps less stellar reviews; then, you reply to move it back up the cue and help it catch the reader’s attention.

Replying to a negative review

It’s bound to happen sooner or later — someone will hit you with a particularly bad review. Could be you were late, could be you canceled on them, could be any number of things. Replying to this sort of feedback is arguably even more important than replying to the praise that you get. 

Here’s a couple of things to keep in mind when commenting on negative reviews:

Get in there ASAP

When it comes to bad reviews, there’s no use in waiting. The longer it goes unaddressed, the worse effect it will have on your prospects. Try to act fast and stay on top of things. Drivers usually know when to expect negative feedback, so you might want to start preparing your reply ahead of time.

Don’t be too defensive

Your first impulse may be to offer up excuses or even deny any wrongdoing. This is understandable, but very rarely has the desired effect. What most readers appreciate is some measure of contrition. Show your professionalism by shouldering at least some of the responsibility for what's happened.

Offer sincere regrets

This should go without saying, but expressing regret for the situation that led to the bad review is an absolute must. Even if the circumstances were out of your control, you still need to say that you’re sorry that things went the way they did.

State what you’re doing to change things

If possible, try to be constructive about the situation. What steps are you taking to make sure something like this won’t happen again? It might be cold comfort to the disgruntled customer, but new ones will appreciate you taking this route.

Don’t make it personal

If you come away with only one piece of advice, make it this one! Whatever you do, don’t engage with complaints on a personal level. Don’t get angry, don’t call the customer names, don’t try to win an argument. This is about your business, not your feelings. And it’s best for your business if you keep your cool and stay professional.

What to read next

For a closer look into our June 2020 update to the drivers' profile pages, click here (4-min read).

For a few more words of advice on communicating with customers, check out this article (2-min read).

If you have any additional questions or comments, you can always contact our support team directly.