Metrics
Response time
Response time is the interval between a review being published and the business replying to it.
Speed matters most on negative reviews because the reviewer's willingness to edit or upgrade decays quickly. Most platforms notify the reviewer by email the moment a reply publishes, which is the window where an amendment is realistic.
Tripadvisor is the exception: management responses are moderated, so the practical clock is about drafting quality rather than minutes.
In practice
Same day for negatives, within a week for everything else. Set an alert rather than checking manually.
Common questions
- How fast is fast enough?
- Within 24 hours for a negative review. After a week, a reply is documentation for future readers rather than recovery with the reviewer.