How To Respond To Positive Customer Feedback?

Are you still responding “thank you for your kind words” or “we are so glad that you had a good experience with us” when you receive a positive customer review? 

Or are you trying to do something innovative and find a pool of alternate responses that do not come out as stale and uninspiring?

Most of us get overwhelmed when someone has good things to say about us. 

It happens more so when it is about your business, and you often get lost for words. 

If you belong to the other side where you try to be cheeky, there is a thin line between being humorous and being rude. 

This article helps you try to decode responding to positive customer feedback and add some valuable tips to help you excel at it.  

Why should you respond?

A customer reads an average of 10 reviews before they start trusting a local business. 

So, reviews are an integral part of the overall customer experience. 

On the other hand, when a customer takes the time to leave a review, they would appreciate it when you respond to their reviews. 

Here is why responding to reviews is vital – 

• You can add relevant keywords to influence SEO (Search Engine Optimization) positively.
• We found that an astonishing 89% of consumers would be ‘likely’ or ‘highly likely’ to use businesses that respond to all reviews.
• They provide you with ways to promote your business for free.
• It makes the customer feel appreciated.
• It can humanize your brand.
• It helps expand your customer reach.

Tips for responding to positive customer feedback

Good job getting positive customer feedback, but the assignment is not done yet. 

You can do more to induce them to visit again and create a trail for others to follow. 

All of this is possible via the way you respond to the feedback. Here are some tips that differentiate the top restaurant marketers from the rest – 

1. Do not forget to thank the customer

If someone is leaving behind a review, and especially a positive one, even when they are not obligated to do so, you should respect the gesture and the time they took for the same. 

Doing so makes your client feel valued. So, thanking customers for their feedback, preferably at the start, is vital to inform them of the same. 

2. Use personalization

In today’s day and age, personalization has become a core part of every marketing plan. When you receive a favourable review, do not come off as a bot by copy-pasting a generic response. 

Instead, try and keep them personal. 

If there is no additional data available, you can do so by adding the reviewer’s name and addressing them via their first name multiple times in your response (depending on the length). It would tell them that you are interested in understanding their feedback and propel them to revisit your place. 

3. Offer some value through your response

Positive reviews often intrigue new people to try your restaurant and do a lot to build goodwill. 

So, once they do so, instead of merely acknowledging the same, you can give back by informing them of a dish they could try the next time or a free trial to one of your niche offerings. 

It works as the icing on the cake!

4. Respond quickly

You cannot eat a piece of stale bread, can you? Similarly, late responses barely carry the same impact. Responding swiftly to positive feedback gives an impression that you value the customer and what they have to say about your offerings. 

5. Keep it short and crisp

Even the search engines are not interested in scanning through long responses, let alone human beings! Keeping it short, crisp, and simple does the job well here. 

6. Encourage them to spread the word

When a customer has something positive to say about your business, you can request them to spread the word through social media posts or informing their close circles about your brand. But make sure you do not bring out the salesman in you while doing so. 

7. Invite them for future deals

When someone has a positive word to say about what you do, it is imperative to ensure that a response should not be the last piece of the puzzle. Instead, it should act as the hook to entice them to come back for more. 

You can request them to try one of your signature dishes the next time they are around or find another way to invite them for future deals.

Positive customer feedback examples for restaurants 

Now that you know the importance of responding meaningfully to a positive review, here are some samples to give you a headstart –

1. A thank you note

Hi [Customer name],

Thanks for your kind words about [name of staff members]. They remember your visit and are looking forward to seeing you again soon!

It is extremely thoughtful of you to take the time to write such nice feedback. As a small restaurant trying to establish itself, these things really make our day!

We’re very grateful for your visit and looking forward to seeing you back soon!

Thanks again!

[Name]

‍

[Name of the Business]

2. Discount offered

Dear [Customer name]

We can’t thank you enough for the kind words about [restaurant/food/beverage]. Your review means a lot to us and reinstates that we’re doing alright!

We thought of returning the gesture by giving you an offer you cannot deny. We would like to offer you a 15% discount next time you visit our place in [their town]. We have your contact information and will allocate your coupon straight over! 

Looking forward to seeing you soon, thanks for liking what we do!

‍

[Name]

[Business Name]

Momos allows partners to provide single use coupons directly as part of the feedback response across all channels, all in one platform!

3. Free trial 

Hi [Customer name],

Thank you so much for your encouraging words! We’re so happy to hear that you liked our [food/beverage]. It is a definite customer favourite!

Here’s what we’ve got for you. Join our popular loyalty program that gives you points every time you check in to our restaurant. Redeem your points for free food and beverage items while you’re dining with friends and family!

We’ll drop you a message to let you know about the details of the program and how to grab the offer!

Thank you for the review and for being such a valued customer.

‍

[Name]

[Business name]

Wrap up 

While responding to a positive customer review, it is vital for you to put yourself in their shoes and understand the reply that they would like to see. 

Once you have the template, the next step is to act at the earliest and start responding to your customers. 

Check out Momos platform to set up a library of customizable auto-responses on positive customer feedback!

The article is a part of our comprehensive series on “How to Respond to Your Restaurant’s Food Reviews?”