Writing bank
3 Product reviews
Lead-in Product reviews can be brief, informal comments on a website or longer, more formal
reviews in a blog or magazine. A balanced review will highlight both positive and negative
aspects of a product or service and include details to support opinions. Online reviews
are increasingly important to businesses. If a company responds to a review online, the
language should remain neutral and try to encourage a solution to any problems.
Model answers Brief review
Attractive design, bad fit
Comment
This smart cover looks great but doesn’t fit my device. Product details are wrong.
Wouldn’t buy again – very disappointed.
Reply
We are very sorry to hear that you have experienced this problem with our
product. Customer satisfaction is very important to us and we will be in contact
to arrange a suitable replacement or offer a full refund.
Longer review
SmarTech Interior Systems Rating RRP €2,700
After a lot of research I selected SmarTech Interior Systems to fit smart
technology in our house. I sometimes work from home but also frequently travel
on business, so I needed a system which was flexible and reliable and could also
be fitted quickly.
I approached two other companies for quotations, but they were both more
expensive and also took a minimum of six weeks to complete the task. In
contrast, the online reviews and testimonials on the SmarTech website said that
they offered quick, dependable service and worked closely with customers. I was
impressed by the expertise and experience they displayed in our initial
consultation and opted for the silver package. This package included fitting
smart technology to my home office, kitchen and living areas.
The technology I purchased in the silver package included:
• smart lighting, where lamps turn on and off automatically when a person
enters or leaves the room in the evening.
• device-connected technology in the kitchen (so that appliances can be
checked and controlled from my phone when I am out of the house).
• multiple screens so that video conferences can be held in different rooms.
The company fitted the technology within the agreed deadline and were friendly
and helpful. They have a great deal of experience in fitting this home technology,
which helped me feel confident.
At first, I was delighted with the work they carried out. They fitted the items
within the agreed deadline and offered advice on use. Unfortunately, despite this
positive experience, the customer service stops this from being a five-star review.
I have needed to contact the company three times with queries and problems
with the technology. Each time I have had to wait several days to receive a
response from an engineer. This can lead to frustration and delays in solving
simple technological issues.
So, in summary, I would certainly recommend the products that the company
uses and also their expertise and their excellent, speedy fitting service. However,
the poor after-sales care makes it impossible to give a full recommendation. My
advice to SmarTech is improve your customer service and you will soon have
five-star feedback.
Business Partner B1 © Pearson Education 2018 5
Writing bank
Functional language
Brief review
Section Information Examples
Headings Some website reviews have Great performance
headings. They can be used to
Excellent value for money
summarise opinion but usually
don’t repeat the exact words Unhelpful customer service
used in the review.
Good idea, poor design
Identify positive or Brief reviews often use This machine makes great bread.
negative short sentences, cutting out Makes great bread!
unnecessary words.
The service is very slow and too expensive.
Slow and expensive service.
The design is beautiful and I would recommend the product.
Beautiful design – would recommend.
Responses An online response from the Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are
supplier should be polite, use delighted that you had such a positive experience – customer
neutral language and a more satisfaction is very important to us.
formal, professional style.
We are very sorry that you experienced this problem with our
service. We will be in contact soon to discuss the issue and offer
a solution.
Longer review
Introduction After a lot of research, I chose the updated model.
I opted for the premium package.
I selected model X145.
Describing the The website says that the products are high quality.
product or service The package includes consultation, fitting and repairs.
The specifications include additional memory and storage.
The product features a front- and back-facing camera.
Good points I was impressed by the quick delivery.
The product matched the online description.
It has an attractive and stylish design.
Support with detail The goods arrived on time and in excellent condition.
This machine cleans perfectly every time.
Bad points Unfortunately, the product stopped working after three days.
The product did not match the description.
It has a lot of features but the results are not always reliable.
The main downside is the cost.
One thing I didn’t like was the colour.
Support with detail The quality was poor.
Each time I turn on the device, it makes a noise.
I rang the company twice but received no response.
For example, the plug gets very hot when the printer is in use.
Compare or contrast In contrast, the previous model, Zi24, was much slower.
The software update is an attractive design, but it has fewer features compared to the original
version.
Despite the fact that it is less expensive than most of its competitors, it is a better design.
Conclusion To summarise, I would recommend this product for quality, price and reliability.
In summary, the design is innovative but not all the features work effectively.
Business Partner B1 © Pearson Education 2018 6
