How to handle unhappy guests and answer bad reviews
Say sorry, put it right the same day, and never tie what you give to a review.
Put it right the same day
- 1
Listen to the end
No interrupting, no “but”.
- 2
Say “I'm sorry”
For the specific thing that went wrong.
- 3
Explain in one line
Never blame the guest, or the weather, for what was yours.
- 4
Fix it now
With what matches the loss (below). Give guides an amount they can spend without calling you.
- 5
Meet the guest yourself
In person if they're still in town, or else call.
| What went wrong | Put it right with |
|---|---|
| A missed or shortened activity | A free place on another date, or a refund for the part missed |
| Money the guest lost, such as a taxi after a missed pickup | That amount back, on the spot |
| Rudeness, or being ignored | A personal apology from the owner |
Refunds and gifts are unconditional. Never ask a guest to change or remove a review: Google, Tripadvisor and Viator forbid it.
Give first aid, call emergency services if needed, and stay with the guest. Say you're sorry, and write down the facts the same day: see Safety plan.
Answer every review
Within a few days, by name, with one real detail. To a bad review:
- Thank them.
- Say sorry for the specific thing.
- Explain in one line.
- Say what you changed.
- Offer to talk privately.
- Sign with your first name and role.
Example reply to a bad review
Thank you for telling us, Laura, and I'm sorry our pickup was 25 minutes late: you missed part of the sunrise. That one is on us, as the stop before yours ran long. We now leave 20 minutes between pickups, and I've e-mailed you. Diego, owner
- Unfair review? State the facts once, calmly, and never share private details.
- GetYourGuide allows one reply, within 30 days, with no edits (2025): draft it first.
- Asked to pay to remove fake reviews? Never pay: report it to the site.
When a crisis stops your tours
A park closes, or a strike, wildfire or flood hits:
- 1
Stop sales for the days affected
On your website and every booking site.
- 2
Tell every booked guest at once
What happened and their choice: another date or a full refund. Booking sites' guests through each site's messages.
- 3
Cancel booking sites' bookings on each site
Their guests get their refund there. Pick the reason for events outside your control: see Booking policies.
- 4
Post a short notice
On your website and Google Business Profile, updated daily until you reopen.
Win a chargeback
A guest can reverse a card payment through their bank, a chargeback, up to 120 days after the tour (Visa, 2026): keep each booking's records that long. If the guest is right, refund them before they dispute: disputes usually cost a fee even when you win. If not, answer by your payment provider's deadline, often one to three weeks, with:
- 1The terms they accepted
With your cancellation and no-show rules, and where they saw them before paying.
- 2The booking confirmation and voucher
- 3Proof they came, or that you were there
Check-in records, the passenger list, your calls and messages that day.
- 4Every message with the guest
- 5Any refund you already gave
In TourTask
Low ratings wait under Reviews to handle on your dashboard; click Mark handled once you've contacted the guest. Refund from the booking (Payments and refunds), and record who came with Mark as used or by scanning tickets (Vouchers and tickets).