Three levels of control: how much do you want to review each response?

The most common question we get before someone starts isn't about response quality, or price, or Google. It's this: 'Do I approve each response or does the system publish on its own?'

Short answer: you decide. Westify has three levels of control and each one fits a different type of business. This is the guide to picking yours.

Hands off: maximum automation

The 'Hands off' preset publishes every response automatically. You don't approve anything in the moment. Instead, on the first day of every week you get an email with a summary of every response published, so you can see the tone, audit if something doesn't fit, and adjust the voice configuration if needed.

Who does this fit? Businesses with high review volume, where approving each one would be a part-time job. Big restaurants, multi-location groups, beach hotels in high season. Also businesses whose owner trusts the system after testing it for a month and prefers to get the time back.

It's not the preset we recommend at the start. It's the one many customers adopt after the first 30-60 days, once they've seen the system responds well and they don't want to approve every little thing.

Review critical reviews: the recommended balance

This is the most popular step after the initial mode, and it exists for a reason. Here's what happens: 3, 4, and 5-star reviews publish automatically; they're the majority and the least risky. 1-2 star reviews come to you via SMS for approval from your phone.

The flow looks like this: a 2-star review comes in. Your phone buzzes with an SMS from Westify: 'New critical review at [business name]. Tap to review.' You tap the link, see the original review and the suggested response on a simple page, decide whether to approve as-is, edit, or dismiss. Approving takes 15-30 seconds.

Who does this fit? Most businesses. Mid-sized restaurants, boutique hotels, dental clinics, salons, auto shops. The approval load is low (most reviews are positive and don't interrupt you), but you maintain control where it matters most.

Approve everything: maximum control

Here every response, whether 1 star or 5, comes via SMS before publishing. It's the strictest of the three and the initial mode for every new account: by default, nothing publishes without your approval.

Who does this fit? Businesses where the weight per response is very high. Medical clinics where every response can have privacy implications. Law firms where tone matters more than speed. High-end restaurants where the owner wants to make sure every response reflects the brand. Hotel chains during the first months, before moving to 'Review critical reviews.'

The trade-off: it's the preset that takes the most time. If you receive 30 reviews a week, that's 30 SMS a week. Most businesses don't need this level of control after the first month. But if your business is one that does, it's available on every plan — SMS approvals are included from Basic up.

How to choose and when to change

General recommendation: start with 'Approve everything'. It's the initial mode for a reason: nothing publishes without your approval while the voice gets tuned. Once the responses consistently please you, the most popular next step is 'Review critical reviews'; it's the balance that works for most.

After 30 days, evaluate. If the 3-5 star responses that auto-published consistently pleased you, consider moving to 'Hands off' to get time back. If instead you found yourself mentally editing the 3-5 star responses (without actually changing them), consider going back to 'Approve everything' temporarily until the voice is tuned.

Most important: you can switch presets anytime, at no cost, without reconfiguring anything. The change is overnight. This means you can adjust your control level by season: stricter in December when there's more volume and more risk, more relaxed in slow season.

Start at westify.app/pricing. It's the best way to feel which of the three fits your business.