Correcting the record without sounding defensive means dealing with the concern, privacy, before the specific claim, an ad network call that doesn’t exist. Reverse that order and the reply reads like damage control. State the correction once, plainly, and don’t relitigate it if they respond in the thread again.
Support
Respond to a 1-star review that contains a factual error
A scenario prompt for correcting a specific factual mistake in a public review without sounding defensive or picking a fight.
Works with Claude / GPT1,200 uses★ 4.2
The prompt
support-one-star-review-factual-error
Your plugin gets this review on WordPress.org: "★☆☆☆☆ Avoid this plugin. It secretly sends your customer data to a third-party ad network without telling you, I found this in the network logs myself." ACTUAL FACTS: [the only outbound request the reviewer likely saw is a call to our own license-validation API, documented in the readme and privacy policy; no third-party ad network is contacted; no customer data leaves the site] Write a public reply, as the plugin's support lead. Requirements: - Open by taking the underlying concern seriously (data privacy) before correcting anything, since dismissing the concern first reads as defensive even if the specific claim is wrong. - Correct the factual error once, specifically: name the actual request (license validation), point to where it's documented, and state plainly that no customer data is sent to any ad network. Don't repeat the correction more than once. - Do not accuse the reviewer of lying or acting in bad faith, even if the claim is clearly wrong. Assume they misread a network request, since that's usually what happened, and say so gently. - Invite them to email support directly with the specific log entry so it can be verified together, rather than debating it further in public. - Keep it under 100 words, no legal or corporate hedging language. Replace the review text and ACTUAL FACTS block with your real situation before running this.