While this may make you feel like you have little control over how potential customers perceive your brand, you can still actively participate in improving your online reputation. One of the best ways to do so is by responding to your reviews.
Simply say “you’re welcome”
If it’s the case where you completed something for someone that was either unexpected (perhaps a surprise) or requested and they say thank you, simply say you’re welcome. Although this message could tell the sender that they were welcome to allow what action occurred that yielded a thank you, it can still be considered a harmless response. The acronym K.I.S.S. or Keep It Simple Silly seems permissible in this situation.
It could be the case where doing something that wasn’t necessarily your responsibility still yielded a “thank you” from an individual. Now what? What do you say? It might not pan out in your favor to say something like “not a problem” or “anytime.”
Due to the fact that it may have actually been a problem for you, and you don’t see yourself doing the favor again literally anytime, do yourself and the other party favor and stop yourself from saying those phrases. This can send a message to others that you may be available to complete whatever task it was again and again— a risk you might not want to take on.
The best way to respond to “Thank you” is by truly receiving it
It doesn’t matter what the person is thanking you for or how they express it. The key is in receiving the energy and appreciation that are coming your way. Most of the time, when we hear ‘Thank you,’ we just go over it, thinking: “Yeah, right, that was nothing“. By doing this, we even push the other person away.
If you are having trouble receiving the gratitude of others, here are a few questions to play with through journaling or introspection: “What is really holding me back from receiving another person’s gratitude? What beliefs do I have around this?” Could it be that you believe that if you receive their gratitude, you would need to do something again to give back to this person?
Make a conscious effort to go beyond just hearing the words, and take in the gratitude of the person. Allow it to sink in and let yourself be touched. When you start receiving the gratitude of others, you will start gaining more and more insight into how much people are grateful for you.
It’s often said that it’s not what we say but how we say it that has the greatest impact on people. For instance, just because someone says thank you does not mean that it’s a genuine expression of appreciation.
It could possibly be a habitual behavior that we’ve been conditioned to do from a young age. However, a simple “thank you” can go a long way and build unprecedented connections with others or unravel pent-up frustration. Thus, the response can affirm or shift the dynamics of the relationship at stake.
Yet, the response depends on the situation, the context of the thank you, and the relational background of all parties involved. For instance, if a teacher provides a student with supplies because they are unprepared for the lesson, the student should reply with a grateful “you’re welcome” because the student could not complete their assignments otherwise.
If your best friend picks up your kids from school because you and your partner both have to work late, the best friend may reply with “no problem” because they want to help. If your partner sneezes, your reply may consist of silence because of a mutual understanding.
If you constantly have to wait on a colleague to complete their work tasks before you can complete your part, they may respond with “sure” or “okay” because they are sarcastically being petty due to their slow productivity.
If your parents keep their grandkids for spring break, which they haven’t seen for a long time, they may reply with “my pleasure” or “it was an honor” because they receive joy spoiling their grandkids then sending them back home to you.
If an elder makes a donation at the local charity organization, they’d kindly respond with a head nod. If your sibling borrowed your car and brought it back later than the agreed upon time, they’d reply with a sleazy “whatever” because they have no consideration for your schedule.
How to Respond to ‘Thinking Of You’ Via Text
1. “How do you always seem to know when I need to hear that? You’re the best.”
Do you have that friend that always seems to know what to send without even the slightest hint? If so, here’s a note to send back to them that recognizes their intuition and lets them know how important they are to you.
2. “Back at you! Hope all is well.”
Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to say when you really don’t want to say anything at all. So, if you’re feeling like you just need some privacy, here’s a response that will let you deflect with grace until you feel like being chatty.
3. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll have everything under control sometime next year.”
It’s okay to add some light-hearted sarcasm if what you are going through is overwhelming. Just, know your audience and make sure your audience knows you, so they don’t feel slighted by the attempt at humor.
4. “Thank you. I needed that. Chat soon?”
Sometimes the short and sweet response is the perfect response, especially if you are too overwhelmed to get into details or continue the conversation. Adding that you’ll take an opportunity to talk later will also avert any more commentary at that very moment.
5. “Thank you for thinking of me!”
Not everyone who sends you a message of support is a trusted friend. Sometimes they are concerned acquaintances that are just trying to be thoughtful. If that’s the case here, you can offer a thank you in a way that returns the kindness without adding any details.
6. “I am so glad I have friends like you.”
Responding with a compliment when people are doing good deeds is an easy way to throw on the charm. They may be expecting just a quick “thanks,” so this response will give them a second dose of good feelings for the day.
How to Respond to ‘Thinking of You’ in an Email or Letter
Whether you are going through some stress, trauma, or getting into a new relationship, here are a few ways to offer a thank you note in response. You may want to take the following options as starting points and then launch from there if you’ve got more to say.
7. “I was just thinking of you, too! But I was wishing that you weren’t so far away. Do you want to facetime a cocktail hour with me soon? I really need to talk to a friend about everything that’s been going on lately.”
Having family surround you during tough times can be a critical step towards well-being, especially in times of crisis or stress. So, try to find ways where you can connect even if it means that all you’ll be able to do is chat over the phone.
8. “That makes two of us.”
9. “I don’t know how, but you always know what to say and when to say it. Anyways, thank you for always knowing when to check up on me and the kids. Your sixth sense amazes me.”
10. “I keep meaning to send you a note or call you. I’m sorry I have been so absent lately. There’s just a lot going on right now. I don’t have a lot of time to catch you up here, but do you think I could give you a call this weekend? Just let me know what time.”
11. “I’m so happy you sent this. I was just thinking about how much fun we had and wanted to let you know how much you’ve been on my mind, too. Would you like to try it again sometime soon?”
If this sounds like where you are with your new love interest, then take a hint from the email you just got and ask for another date. You’ll be showing both gratitude and interest, plus a ton of confidence.
12. “Everything good, I hope.”
If you just opened your email up and found a “thinking of you” sitting in your inbox from a new love interest, but with nothing else attached, here’s the best way to return to the flirt with some unspoken intrigue.
13. “You really are the best sister anyone could ever ask for.”
14. “How did I get so lucky to have you as a godmother?”
The Rain Check Text
What it means:
They really could have too much work to do, or they could be out of town visiting grandparents, or they really might be way too tired after work to see a movie. “But, on the other hand, they’re being particularly vague about making future plans, so they’re not all that enthusiastic about seeing you,” Dr. Lieberman says.
If your crush wants to see you, it’s fair to assume they’ll want to go well out of their way to ensure that it happens — after all, if they really have a crush, shouldn’t they like you enough to put in the work? While you don’t want to immediately assume the worst when someone can’t keep a date, this type of message should make you wary.
How to respond:
According to Dr. Wanis, your response should be straightforward. “The best way to respond to this is to say, ‘Okay, I’m available Wednesday or Thursday, which day [works for you]?’” he says. “You’re now giving them an option.” If your crush is interested, they will probably willingly agree to make alternative plans and (hopefully) keep them.
The Flake-Out Text
What it means:
With all the emails, texts, tweets, and DMs you’re flooded with on a daily basis, there is a chance your text escaped their notice. But if seeing your name on their phone doesn’t immediately grab attention, chances are they might not regard you as a top priority.
The fact that they acknowledged the lack of response shows that they do have some courtesy, but only enough to respond when it’s convenient. It’s more likely that, instead of truly missing your text, your crush was evading a conversation they didn’t feel like having at the time — or didn’t want to have altogether — and claimed to have “missed” your text as a handy excuse.
How to respond:
Play it cool. If you truly believe they did not see your text, you can respond with a simple “no worries!” or “it’s ok!” However, if you feel they aren’t making your conversation a priority, then make sure they know that they’re not a priority of yours: “Oh, don’t worry about it. I forgot about it!” Your flippancy might just make your person-of-interest step up their game.
How to Respond to Reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook
Keep in mind, however, that every single review site will have its own set of rules, terms, or guidelines for review responses. Make sure that the person assigned to respond to your reviews is aware of these rules.
How to Respond to Google Reviews
You can click on the “Reply” button below each review to formulate a response. Based on the current Google review policy , you can also edit your response if it has a typographical error or inaccurate information, but try to keep those mistakes to a minimum.
Keep in mind that customers are told when a business responds to their online review on Google via email notifications. The business’ response is published immediately and the email notification is sent to the customer 5 minutes later. The 5-minute delay allows the business to edit or make any corrections to their response after initial submission.
How to Respond to Yelp Reviews
Apart from reading each individual review, you’ll also be able to respond to your Yelp reviews with a public comment or a direct message. Or you can simply press the Thank button to show your appreciation for customers who took the time to review your business on Yelp.
How to Respond to Facebook Reviews
Any review, whether or not it includes additional text feedback, appears like a post in the Reviews or Recommendations section. You can respond to Facebook reviews and Recommendations the same way you can respond to comments on your Facebook Page or through your Facebook Business Manager account.
Should You Respond to Every Single Review?
Think About the Review Sites that Matter to You
Hoteliers and hospitality executives, for example, should definitely have a plan in place for how to respond to Tripadvisor reviews . Restaurants, meanwhile, should respond to Yelp reviews as well as feedback on other popular restaurant review sites . For local businesses of all types, it makes sense to focus on responding to Google reviews .
Don’t Respond for the Sake of Responding
If you’re responding to negative reviews, do so to provide balance and express your viewpoint in a positive way. Don’t respond to blame customers. Remember: how you respond to a negative review says more about your business than the negative review itself.
Take Your Review Volume into Account
If you have only four or five reviews on your profile, it’s best to respond to every single one of them. However, you don’t have to aim for the same 100% response rate if you’re consistently getting dozens or hundreds of reviews across multiple review sites.
Ratings-only reviews or comments that are five or six words long are not likely to make a big impact on your online reputation. When deciding which reviews get a response, choose the detailed feedback that lend themselves to informative, expanded responses. You can use these types of reviews as opportunities to drive customer engagement, as well as highlight the strengths of your business.
References:
https://upjourney.com/how-to-respond-to-thank-you
https://www.joincake.com/blog/how-to-respond-to-thinking-of-you/
https://www.hercampus.com/wellness/8-confusing-texts-guys-send-how-respond/
https://www.reviewtrackers.com/guides/examples-responding-reviews/