"The girl at the front desk was so rude." Reviews about staff attitude sting twice: once for the business, once for the team member. A good reply takes the complaint seriously in public and deals with the people side in private.
First, find out what happened
Before you reply, talk to the team member and anyone else on shift. Was it a misunderstanding, a stressful moment, or a pattern? Do not reply in anger, and do not decide who was right in public.
The public reply
- Thank the reviewer.
- Apologise that their experience was not what they expected.
- Say what good service looks like at your business.
- Offer a direct route to a manager.
- Never name, blame or defend the staff member publicly.
Example: "Thank you for letting us know, and we're sorry your visit left you feeling this way. We want everyone to feel welcome here, and we've shared your feedback with the team. Our manager, Sarah, would like to hear more. You can reach her on [number] or [email]."
What not to do
- Name the employee. Even if the reviewer did. It can embarrass or endanger them. See when a review names an employee.
- Argue the facts. "Our CCTV shows you were shouting" ends the conversation and puts off every reader.
- Offer something for removal. Asking someone to change or remove a review in return for a refund or gift can breach platform rules. Our guide on asking a customer to change or remove a review explains what is allowed.
When the review is unfair
If the review contains threats, hate speech or personal details about your employee, report it to the platform. Most platforms remove reviews that break their content rules, but not reviews that are simply negative.
Turn it into training, not blame
One rude-staff review is a moment. Three in a month about the same shift is a pattern. Look for causes: understaffing, a confusing policy, someone who needs support. Praise matters too: share good reviews that mention staff by name, with their permission.
For more reply examples, see reply templates by star rating.
How Reputfy helps
Reputfy tags reviews that mention staff, shows when they cluster, and drafts calm, specific replies that a person approves before anything is posted. It never posts on your behalf without approval.
