When you run one location, you feel how it is going. When you run ten, you need numbers. But not too many. Five review metrics, checked weekly, tell you almost everything you need to know.
1. Rating over the last 90 days
Your all-time rating moves slowly and hides recent problems. A rolling 90-day rating shows what customers are experiencing now. The BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 found 74% of consumers want reviews from the last three months, so recent ratings are what new customers weigh too.
2. Trend against the previous 90 days
A location at 4.3 that was 4.6 last quarter needs more attention than one at 4.1 that was 3.8. Look at the change, not just the level. A drop of 0.2 stars or more over a quarter deserves a conversation.
3. Response rate
The share of reviews that got a reply. Aim for every review answered, starting with the negative ones. 89% of consumers expect a response, according to the same BrightLocal survey.
4. Reviews waiting
How many reviews have had no reply for more than two days. This is the most actionable number on the list: it is a to-do list.
5. Recurring themes
Group reviews by what they mention: wait time, cleanliness, price, staff, a specific product. If one location keeps getting "wait time", that is a staffing or process problem, not a review problem.
A simple weekly routine
- Rank locations by 90-day rating, lowest first.
- Highlight any location whose rating dropped, or whose response rate is under 70%.
- Call the managers of the bottom two. Ask what is going on, not why the number is low.
- Clear the "reviews waiting" list across the network.
- Share one good review from each location with the whole team.
Mistakes to avoid
- League tables as punishment. Managers stop asking for reviews if low numbers only bring blame.
- Uneven asking. If one location asks every customer and another never does, the ratings are not comparable. Standardise how you ask. See review stickers and receipt links.
- Chasing the average. A brand average can look healthy while one site struggles.
For franchise-specific advice, see review management for franchises.
How Reputfy helps
Reputfy's locations view ranks every site by rating, 90-day trend, response rate and reviews waiting, flags the ones that need attention, and switches the whole dashboard to one location with a click.
