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Review response policy for multi-site brands (free template)

A free review response policy template for multi-site brands: who replies, how fast, what every reply includes, what to escalate, and how to check it's working.

Lexi Priestley9 min read
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A review response policy is a short written guide that tells everyone in your business who replies to reviews, how quickly, what every reply should include, and which reviews go to head office. For a multi-site brand, it is what keeps 20 site managers sounding like one brand.

This article explains what the policy should cover and gives you a free template to copy and adapt, whether you run shops, gyms, cafés or restaurants.

Why does a multi-site brand need a review response policy?

Without a policy, every site replies in its own way, or not at all, and each of those replies is public and carries your brand name. Google shows a reply as coming from the business, not from the person who wrote it (Google help).

Customers notice how you reply:

  • Most expect a reply. In BrightLocal's 2026 survey of 1,002 US adults, 89% expected businesses to respond to reviews, and 42% were unlikely to use a business that never replies (BrightLocal, 2026).
  • Speed matters. In the same survey, 32% expected a reply by the next day and 81% within a week.
  • Copied replies backfire. Half of the same respondents said templated or generic replies put them off. A policy should set standards, not hand out one paragraph to paste everywhere.
  • Replying can lift ratings. Hotels that started replying to reviews received 12% more reviews and gained 0.12 stars on average (Proserpio and Zervas, Marketing Science, 2017).

There are rules to follow too. UK rules on fake and misleading reviews have applied since April 2025. They ban reviews that hide an incentive and ban presenting reviews in a misleading way, such as hiding negative ones (CMS, 2025). Google separately prohibits offering anything in return for changing or removing a review (Google help). A written policy is the simplest way to make sure every site knows the rules.

The survey is American and the rating study covers hotels, so treat them as a guide to behaviour rather than a forecast for your business.

What should a review response policy include?

A good policy fits on two pages and answers ten questions.

  1. Purpose. Why the business replies to reviews, in one or two sentences.
  2. Scope. Which platforms it covers, such as Google, Tripadvisor, Trustpilot, delivery apps and social media.
  3. Ownership. Who replies for each site, and who covers when they're away.
  4. Response times. How quickly each type of review gets a reply.
  5. What every reply includes. A short, fixed structure that works for any review.
  6. What replies must never include. Personal details, staff names, arguments and offers in return for changing a review.
  7. Escalation. Which reviews go to head office, and how.
  8. Positive reviews. Whether and how to reply to good reviews, not only bad ones.
  9. Fake or abusive reviews. How to flag them, and what to say if they stay up.
  10. Checking and training. How replies are reviewed, and how new managers learn the policy.

The template below covers all ten. Replace the words in [square brackets] with your own details.

Free review response policy template

Download it as a Word file, or copy the text into your operations manual or staff handbook, then edit it to suit your business.

Review response policy templateDownload Word file

[Brand name] review response policy

Version [1.0] · Owner: [name, role] · Last reviewed: [date]

1. Purpose

We reply to customer reviews to thank people, put problems right and show future customers that we listen. Every reply speaks for [brand name], not for one site or one person.

2. Scope

This policy covers reviews and public comments on: [Google, Tripadvisor, Trustpilot, delivery apps, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok].

3. Who replies

  • Each site's [manager] replies to reviews about their site.
  • [Deputy manager] covers when the manager is away.
  • [Head office team] replies to the reviews listed in section 7.
  • Head office holds owner access to every profile. Site managers have manager access, so they can reply but cannot change who has access.

4. Response times

  • Routine reviews: within [one working day].
  • Reviews listed in section 7: a holding reply the [same day], once head office has agreed the wording.
  • Positive reviews: within [three working days].

5. What every reply includes

  1. Thank the reviewer, using their name.
  2. Name the specific thing they mentioned, good or bad.
  3. Say what happens next, or what has already changed.
  4. For complaints, give a private contact: [site email or care@brand].

Sign off with your first name and site, for example "Sam, [site name]". Keep replies to three to five sentences.

6. What replies must never include

  • A customer's personal details, order numbers or visit times.
  • Staff names or blame.
  • Arguments about the facts. If you disagree, offer to look into it privately.
  • Any offer in return for changing or removing a review.
  • The same paragraph copied under different reviews.
  • Promises the site hasn't actually made.

7. Reviews that go to head office first

  • Illness, injury, allergic reactions or safety concerns.
  • Complaints about how a staff member behaved, or about discrimination.
  • Legal threats, or interest from journalists.
  • A post that is spreading quickly on social media.
  • Anything about a brand-wide promise: prices, offers, loyalty schemes, memberships or the app.

Send these to [email or channel] with a link to the review. Don't reply until head office has agreed the wording.

8. Positive reviews

Reply to positive reviews too. Mention the specific thing they liked, and pass praise for named team members on internally rather than in the reply.

9. Fake or abusive reviews

If a review looks fake, abusive or breaks the platform's rules, send it to [head office team], who will report it to the platform. If it stays up, reply once, briefly and factually, and don't argue.

10. Checking and training

  • Head office tracks each site's reply rate and median reply time monthly.
  • [Head office team] reads [five] replies per site each month.
  • Results are discussed at [monthly site reviews].
  • New managers read this policy and write three practice replies before replying in public.

Free to use and edit. Highlighted words in [square brackets] are the parts to replace.

How do you roll out a review response policy across your sites?

Adapt the template, sort out profile access, show managers good examples, and check replies monthly. Five steps cover it.

  1. Adapt the template to your sector. A gym chain might add memberships and cancellations to the escalation list. A retailer might add returns and stock. A café group might add allergens and delivery apps.
  2. Sort out who has access. On Google, owners can add and remove users, while managers can reply to reviews but can't change access (Google help). Check every site's profile before launch, especially at older sites where a former manager may still hold access.
  3. Show examples, not just rules. Share three or four good replies from your own sites for common situations, such as a slow service complaint, a product fault and a positive review. Our guide to replying to negative reviews across a franchise has worked examples you can adapt.
  4. Start tracking from day one. Record each site's reply rate and median reply time, so you can see whether the policy is being followed. Our guide to tracking Google reviews across every branch shows how.
  5. Review the policy every six months. Update the escalation list as new platforms, products or risks appear, and change the version number so everyone knows which one is current.

If you run a franchise, decide who replies before you roll out the policy. Our guide to whether head office or the franchisee should reply compares the options.

A policy only works if people can keep up with it, and this is the work Akili's review management software was built to take on. It brings every site's reviews into one place, drafts replies for your team to check and send, and shows each site's reply rate and reply time so you can see where the policy is slipping. It's well suited to multi-site retail, leisure and food and drink brands. If you'd like to see it on your own sites, book a demo.

Frequently asked questions

What is a review response policy?

A review response policy is a short written guide that sets out who replies to customer reviews, how quickly, what each reply includes, and which reviews are passed to head office.

Should every review get a reply?

Aim to reply to every negative review and as many positive ones as you can. In BrightLocal's 2026 US survey, 89% of consumers expected businesses to respond to reviews.

How long should a reply to a review be?

Three to five sentences is enough for most reviews. Google advises keeping replies short, polite and professional.

Can staff use templates to reply to reviews?

Share example openings and sign-offs, but ask staff to write the middle of each reply themselves. Half of BrightLocal's 2026 US respondents said templated or generic replies put them off.

Can you offer a discount if a customer changes their review?

No. Google prohibits offering anything in return for changing or removing a review. You can put a problem right privately, as long as the offer doesn't depend on what the customer does with their review.

Sources

Lexi PriestleyCustomer Experience, Akili
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