Why Neutral Reviews Matter and How to Respond Effectively

Picture this: you’re looking at reviews on Google and BestCompany.com for a home service you’re thinking about investing in. Whether it's solar, roofing, pest control, or moving, the stakes are high, and you want to make the right choice. As you scroll through the reviews, two types stand out. First, there are the negative ones, which were clearly written by people in the heat of frustration, filled with lots of complaints. Then there are the overly positive ones, praising the company without offering many useful details. Both leave you with more questions than answers.

But then you come across a 3-star review. It’s not overly praiseworthy or angry. Instead, it offers a balanced take — sharing both what went well and what could be improved. In many ways, these neutral reviews feel the most level-headed, the most honest, and the most useful for making an informed decision. After all, potential customers like you are looking for the whole story, not just extremes.

For businesses, neutral reviews are a goldmine of opportunity. Responding to these reviews thoughtfully can show prospects that you're listening, engaging, and always trying to improve. Let’s look at how you can turn neutral feedback into a powerful tool for building trust and improving your online reputation.

• 4 Best Practices for Responding to Neutral Reviews
• Avoid These Missteps
• Writing the Best Response
• Use Neutral Reviews to Grow
• Nurture Neutral Reviews Into Positive Ones

4 Best Practices for Responding to Neutral Reviews

Take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your commitment to customer satisfaction by responding to neutral or mixed online reviews. These reviews most often share balanced feedback, giving you the chance to address positive and negative points in a thoughtful way. If you reply in a professional manner, you can build trust with potential customers and improve your online reputation. Here are some best practices to consider when responding to neutral reviews.

1. Acknowledge the Positive and the Negative

Start by recognizing both the good and the bad parts of the review. Thank the reviewer for their feedback and call attention to the positive points they mentioned. Then, calmly address any concerns or criticisms they shared. This balanced response shows that you were listening and paying attention to both types of feedback, not just accepting the praise and ignoring the critiques. 

2. Stay Professional and Courteous

No matter how constructive a review is, your response should always remain professional and courteous. Even if the feedback feels overly negative and unjustified, do not make excuses or argue with the customer. Because neutral reviews share both the pros and cons, prospects see them as more realistic and trustworthy, so they are often read closely. How you respond can say as much about your company as the review itself. Show that you take feedback seriously and with grace.

3. Offer Solutions or Improvements

If the reviewer mentioned areas for improvement, explain the steps the company is taking to address them. Whether it's updating a process, providing additional training to staff, or adjusting a service, showing that you're acting on feedback can turn a mixed review into a win.

4. Invite Continued Conversation

Sometimes you might feel that the reviewer’s concern would be better handled offline. If that is the case, invite the reviewer to contact you directly. Offering a private conversation shows that you’re willing to go the extra mile to hear them out and resolve their concerns. 

Other times the review might be mostly positive and you could invite them to engage with the company offline in a different way. Perhaps you could encourage them to follow your social media pages, attend an upcoming event, or even refer a friend.

Avoid These Missteps

Responding to neutral or mixed reviews can be tricky, and if you’re not careful, you might end up damaging your reputation instead of improving it. These missteps often happen because companies want to defend their services or ignore thoughtful engagement.

It’s key to avoid…

• Being defensive. Responding defensively to any critique, even something very small, can make your business appear unapproachable. Instead of defending your position, try to show a willingness to improve.
• Ignoring the positive feedback. Neutral reviews often include praise alongside criticism. Failing to recognize the positive can make your response seem one-sided and overly focused on the negative. Always show appreciation for the positive comments.
• Generic responses. Using a copy-paste response or overly generic language can make customers feel like their feedback wasn’t taken seriously. Tailor each response to the specific review to show that you value their input and are paying attention.
• Not addressing the concerns directly. Dodging the reviewer’s concerns or providing vague answers can make it seem like you’re not interested in improving. Instead, be specific in addressing their points and, when possible, offer solutions.

Writing the Best Response

It can be incredibly helpful to have a template to respond to neutral reviews. It ensures you address both the positive and negative aspects of the feedback and helps you stay professional and consistent in your responses. However, it’s crucial to remember that each response should be personalized to each individual review. Using the template as a starting point is great, but if you don't tailor it to the unique situation, it can come off as generic or insincere, which can backfire.

Here’s a template to help you get started:

The personalization tokens included in brackets are to help you remember to customize each response. If you need a little help with each token, here’s a guide:

• [Reviewer’s Name]: Always begin each reply with the reviewer’s name. This starts it off on a personalized note.
• [Express Gratitude]: Thank the reviewer for sharing their experience. Avoid using cliche phrases like, “We value your feedback.”
• [Specific Service / Product Mentioned]: If they mentioned something specific that they enjoyed, call attention to it here.
• [Positive Emotion / Outcome]: Reference a positive emotion the reviewer wrote about or a positive outcome the company strives to leave customers with.
• [Specific Problem / Situation Mentioned]: Show that you care about their criticism by repeating their specific concern.
• [Empathize with Emotion Mentioned]: Customers want to feel heard. Along with an apology, empathize with how frustrated they must be.
• [Offer Solution]: If possible, explain the solution or steps that are being taken to correct their problem.
• [Call to Action]: If they mainly shared a negative experience, invite them to continue the conversation offline by sharing contact information. If they mainly shared a positive experience, invite them to engage with the company through social media, a rewards program, etc.

This is a great example of how a solar company responded to a neutral review on their BestCompany.com profile.

3-star review from Paul:

“Overall, I would rate my experience with SunRun poorly. The initial customer service and installation were fantastic, with great workmanship and efficiency. However, after the installation, the communication fell short when the person I was dealing with left the company and no one replaced her. This lack of follow-up made it difficult to understand the process, especially when there were delays due to external factors. While I'm happy with my solar panels and their performance, the post-installation support was lacking, leading to frustration for me and my neighbors who also got solar panels.”

Sunrun’s response: 

“Paul, we are so sorry to hear that you have not had a pleasant experience and our team would love the opportunity to speak with you further about your concerns. We will be sending you a private message requesting additional account information. Thanks!”

The above review from Paul provides a balanced perspective, highlighting both positive and negative experiences. Paul praises the initial customer service and installation, pointing out the excellent workmanship and efficiency, so Sunrun delivered well in the early stages of the service. However, he also expresses frustration with the lack of post-installation support, specifically due to poor communication and follow-up. This nuanced feedback is valuable because it not only points out where Sunrun excelled but also where they need to improve.

Sunrun’s decision to respond and take the conversation offline is a smart approach. Publicly acknowledging the issue shows that they care and are willing to address customer concerns. By moving the conversation to a private channel, they can handle sensitive account details and resolve the issue more effectively, without creating a prolonged back-and-forth in the public review space. This approach allows Sunrun to directly address Paul’s frustration and, by resolving his issue, potentially turn him from a neutral reviewer into a satisfied customer who might update his review or even provide a referral.

Use Neutral Reviews to Grow

Neutral reviews provide a unique opportunity for companies to grow, improve, and strengthen their customer relationships. After responding appropriately to the review, we suggest considering these best practices to get the most out of each neutral review. If your company gleans insights from negative reviews or turns positive reviews into marketing assets, be sure to funnel neutral reviews into these processes as well.

Assess the Review for Actionable Insights

Carefully analyze both the positive and negative aspects of the review. Neutral reviews often highlight small wins and areas needing improvement, making them a gold mine of actionable insights. Identify specific pain points or suggestions that can be implemented to improve your product or service.

Use the Review as a Training Tool

Neutral reviews provide a balanced perspective of your business processes. Share them with your team as part of ongoing training, highlighting both the positive aspects to reinforce strengths and the areas that need attention to inspire improvements. This can both boost morale and improve internal processes moving forward.

Incorporate Feedback

If the review calls out specific areas where your product or service can be improved, take those recommendations seriously. Create a process for evaluating whether changes need to be made, and keep the reviewer informed of any changes that come from their feedback.

Encourage Reviewers to Update Their Feedback

While a 3-star review isn’t bad, wouldn’t a 5-star review be better? After addressing the concerns in the neutral review, consider reaching out to the reviewer and asking them to update their review. Share what you did to resolve their concern, whether it was a quick fix or a change to an internal process. Following up could lead to a better review that mentions your company’s exceptional customer service and how you took the time to help them.

Pro Tip:

After you have talked to the customer and resolved their concern, don't be afraid to reach out and ask them to update their review. If you had patience and took the time to help them, there's a good chance they'll change their neutral review to a 4- or 5-star review.

Leverage Neutral Reviews as Trust-Building Content

Neutral reviews may not seem as flashy and eye-catching as 5-star reviews, but they carry a high level of authenticity and can be used as trust-building content. Share neutral reviews alongside positive ones to give potential customers a balanced view of your business. If possible, share a neutral review that turned into a positive one, showcasing that you handle constructive feedback well and are able to solve customer concerns.

Nurture Neutral Reviews Into Positive Ones

Snoball’s ability to nurture ongoing conversations is key to turning neutral reviews into positive ones. When a Snoball Agent reaches out and receives neutral feedback, the platform directs that customer back to your service team to address any concerns before moving forward with a review or referral request. This approach ensures that the customer’s issues are resolved, making them feel heard and valued. By taking the time to solve their problems first, we increase their satisfaction and make them more likely to leave a positive review or refer your business to others. It’s this personalized follow-up and commitment to improvement that sets Snoball apart, ultimately transforming neutral customers into loyal advocates.