When One Star Speaks Louder than Five: Decoding Managerial Responses Using Signaling Theory and the Heuristic–Systematic Model

This study examines how consumers interpret managerial responses to one-star reviews in hospitality contexts, where negative feedback strongly shapes trust and purchase intentions. While prior research has identified statistical effects on ratings and sales, little is known about how consumers decode such responses. Drawing on Signaling Theory (ST) and the Heuristic–Systematic Model (HSM), we conducted interviews with 29 participants, each exposed to four adjusted review–response pairs—accommodative, defensive, generic, and silence—across hygiene, service, and operational failures. The stimuli were adapted from authentic Google Maps cases and edited to ensure anonymity and readability while preserving tone and structure. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed seven interpretive themes illustrating that reply quality—rather than mere presence—shaped perceived credibility: accommodative and verifiable replies conveyed accountability, defensive or templated replies implied avoidance, and silence signaled neglect. The study reframes managerial replies as public trust signals, refining ST and extending HSM by highlighting how consumers shift from heuristic rejection to systematic evaluation.