Replying to reviews with AI help, without sounding like AI
Every review deserves a reply, but nobody has time to write twenty personal ones a week. How to have GENI draft replies that sound like you, while you keep the final click.
New to this topic? Start with How to Get More Google Reviews, Automatically and GDPR-Safe
The short answer
Have your assistant draft a reply to every new review, based on what the customer wrote, your own tone and a few fixed rules. You read the draft, change a word if needed and post it. That way you answer every review within a day, without every reply sounding the same. For critical reviews GENI writes a calm draft, but you always decide what gets posted.
Why every reply counts
People choosing between two businesses read not only the reviews but also the replies. A profile where every review has a proper reply shows that someone is listening. Google sees that activity too, and it counts towards how you show on the map.
The problem is time. Replying personally to twenty reviews a week is an hour of work. So it piles up, or you paste "Thanks for your review!" under every one. That is almost worse than nothing: it reads like a robot. Why that is, is covered in replying to negative reviews.
What the assistant needs
A good draft needs three things:
- The review itself. What did the customer write, which job, which details?
- Your tone. Formal or informal, short or longer. Record that once in your knowledge document.
- Fixed rules. For example: always use the first name, refer to the job, never promise what you cannot deliver, never mention details the customer did not mention.
With those three, GENI writes a reply that fits the review and fits you. How to capture your own tone is explained in your own brand voice in AI content.
How to set it up
Step 1: connect your Business Profile
With the Google Business connection GENI reads your new reviews. The Reputation Engine keeps track of your reviews and flags what is going on.
Step 2: write your rules
For example:
"For every new review, write a reply of at most three sentences. Friendly and direct. Use the customer's first name and refer to the job. For three stars or fewer: acknowledge the point, say what we are doing about it and offer a call. Do not post anything yourself, leave the draft for me."
Step 3: make it a routine
Have GENI check for new reviews every morning and prepare the drafts. Combine it with your morning briefing so you see them there straight away.
Step 4: read, adjust, post
Read every draft. For a positive review that often takes seconds. For a critical review you take more time.
Examples
Positive, four stars: "Quick response and tidy work, only the invoice came late."
Draft: "Thank you, Mark. Glad the work was done well. You are right about the invoice, it should reach you within a week. We have changed that."
Critical, two stars: "Engineer arrived two hours late without calling."
Draft: "That should not have happened, Linda, and we are sorry. We should have called you as soon as it was clear we would be late. I would be glad to call you to hear how it went from there."
What you never automate
- Posting without reading. A draft can misread a detail. The final click is yours.
- Getting into an argument. With a heated review, no long defence. Short, calm, and take the conversation offline.
- Mentioning details the customer did not mention. A review is public.
What an assistant may do on its own and what not is covered in what may an AI agent decide on its own.
Getting more reviews
Replying is half of it. The other half is getting more reviews, at the right moment. Read how in the right moment for a review request.
Capturing your tone in five rules
The difference between a draft that sounds like you and one that sounds like a machine comes down to a few agreements. Write them down once in your knowledge document:
- How you address people. Formal or informal, and always the first name if known.
- Length. Two to three sentences. Longer reads like a defence.
- Words you never use. For example "we apologise for any inconvenience" or "we strive to". Too formal, too empty.
- Who signs. Your own name or "the team at". Pick one and stick to it.
- When you offer a call. Always for three stars or fewer, with a way to reach you.
With those five rules the drafts head in the right direction from the first week. What is off, you correct in the chat, and GENI remembers it for next time. After a month most drafts only need reading and posting.
How fast should you reply?
Within a few days, ideally within a day. A reply after three months misses the point: the customer has forgotten and other readers mainly see that it took a long time. A fixed morning routine makes sure no review is left waiting.
Frequently asked questions
Will a customer notice the reply was drafted by AI?
Not if the draft is personal and you read it first. The reply is about their review, with their name and their job.
Does this work for other review platforms?
The Google connection is the easiest. For other platforms, paste the review into the chat and ask for a draft.
What if I posted a wrong reply?
You can always edit or delete a reply in your Business Profile.
Where do I start?
dGENIX is in early access. Join the waitlist, or first read keeping track of your reputation.
