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Reply to an angry online review without arguing

Practice: Getting the tone right. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

A customer left an angry 2-star review of your bakery, Maple & Rye. Write your public reply under 70 words, in plain text, owning the late cake without disputing how long she waited or the frosting color. Offer only your current make-it-right deal and your manager's number, and skip robotic phrases like "we value your feedback." Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 70 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "3-4 short sentences, each under 15 words."
  • Letting the AI defend you. The AI sees the receipt time and order form in your notes and uses them to correct the customer in public. Try: Add: "Own the late cake. Don't argue: don't mention the receipt, the order form or how long she waited."
  • Offering the old deal. Your notes mention the free replacement cake, and the AI may offer it because it sounds generous. Try: Add: "Offer 25% off her next order only. No free cake."
  • Sounding like a robot. AI review replies default to stock lines like "we value your feedback" that make angry customers angrier. Try: Add: "No filler phrases. Ask her to call Dana at 555-0186."
  • Forgetting where it's posted. AI may bold the offer, and review sites show that as stray asterisks. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Says it's a public reply
  • Sets a word limit
  • Says not to argue
  • Names the current offer
  • Bans filler phrases

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