Have you ever submitted an honest review on Google Business Profile only to get a cookie-cutter corporate response that doesn’t actually address your review? Well, you’ve likely been a victim of a review response template.
Most of the time they’re easy to spot. These corporate templates are crafted to be as generic as possible so it can be used in different situations. The result, however, usually lacks empathy, and avoids addressing the problem.
An alternative option to generic templated responses is to let AI handle it. With recent advances in conversational AI models, artificial intelligence can craft a custom, relevant, and fair-housing certified response in seconds, giving your team more time to focus on solving the problem for the resident.
Let’s explore the pros and cons of templated review responses, and those created by AI:
Pros: Templated review response
Review response templates can ensure corporate language and fair-housing guidelines are maintained as teams plug in templated responses to incoming reviews. These templates allow users to insert specific details such as the resident’s name and other details mentioned. Typically these templates require minimal effort to implement and require only minor adjustments… but there are some cons.
Cons: Templated review response
Words matter. While it is integral to abide by corporate guidelines and fair-housing initiatives, review responses should also thoughtfully address issues and unique situations, which can be difficult to do with a templated response.
Additionally, review response templates require some manual work by the leasing team to input the reviewer’s name and acknowledge specific details. Templates are typically written to address common concerns, and may not adapt well to evolving complex issues or situations.
Pros: AI-generated review responses
Artificial intelligence can provide a higher degree of customizability as advanced language models can analyze the nuances of each review and generate responses that address specific concerns. You can also add tone and context to the AI prompt to further customize the content to your community’s unique specifications.
AI responses also streamline the review management process by automating the generation of thoughtful and relevant replies. Managing a high volume of reviews with AI takes a fraction of the time it would take to individually respond to each review using a template. Additionally, AI models are trained on diverse datasets, allowing them to comprehend a wide range of content, making it much more adaptable as new challenges arise.
Cons: AI-generated review responses
AI-generated content is only as good as its prompt, and things like tone, corporate language, and contact information must be added to provide AI with the context to generate an appropriate response. Prompts and context could require some tweaking as the AI model is catered toward your community’s specific needs.
Writing the perfect review response template
With the right formula (and maybe a little help from AI) you can write a review response template that is professional, consistent, and actually helps your residents.
Step 1: Begin each response by addressing the reviewer by name.
Step 2:
- Positive Review — Express gratitude to the reviewer for their feedback.
- Negative Review — Show empathy and understanding, and acknowledge their concerns.
Step 3: Address specific points raised in the review and maintain professionalism as you provide a clear next step in solving the problem.
Step 4: Take the conversation offline, and invite the reviewer to contact your office to discuss their concerns further. Ensure the reviewer feels heard and valued.
Step 5: Sign the response with your name and office contact information.
Step 6: Review for clarity & catch any typos
Step 7: Post response
If you need something a little simpler…
Maybe AI can help? With Respage’s AI review response tool, users can generate a personalized review response in seconds.
Powered by ChatGPT, AI review response reads the review and considers various prompts and instructions created by your team with the help of our in-house experts to draft a courteous and professional response with corporate-approved messaging.
So with AI review response, the formula looks more like this…
Step 1: Open the new reply box and select “generate AI response”
Step 2: Review & edit response as needed
Step 3: Post response
Future-proof your reputation management
Choosing between review response templates and AI-generated responses depends on the specific needs and priorities of your community. While templates offer simplicity and ease of use, AI-generated responses provide a higher level of customization and adaptability to changing circumstances.
AI-generated responses outshine templates in adapting to the dynamic nature of online reviews, providing a more reliable and future-proof solution.
Want to see our AI review response tool in action? Click below to schedule a demo.
