Reviews are critical for any small business, and for service businesses in particular. It makes sense—customers trust other customers more than they trust business owners, especially customers who have experienced the service firsthand. In fact, research shows that 98% of customers read online reviews for local businesses.
That's not all. Not only do reviews give your business important exposure and build trust, they also give you insight into your customers’ preferences and needs so that you can better meet them in the future.
So, how do you get people to sit down at the computer and write those all-important reviews? Sometimes it can feel a bit awkward to ask directly, almost like you're fishing for a compliment. But you can't let that hold you back—reviews are too important to your business.
In fact, asking consistently is what evens things out. Happy customers often don’t think to leave a review – it just isn’t top of mind – while unhappy customers usually go looking for somewhere to say so. Asking everyone, every time, is what gets you a review profile that reflects your actual work.
The numbers are proof. Research shows that consumers give an average rating of 4.34 out of 5 stars when businesses actively request customer reviews and only 3.89 stars out of 5 when they don't.
Not sure how to start? Try these 6 easy tips for customer reviews.
1. Ask everyone
Send the review request to every customer, on every job – not just the ones you think will say something nice. Filtering who gets asked, or checking how someone feels before you send the link, is called review gating, and Yelp, Google, and the FTC all prohibit it. It can get your reviews removed or your listing flagged.
The simplest way to stay consistent is to stop deciding case by case. Trigger the request automatically when a job closes, using the same message and the same link for everyone. Nobody gets skipped, nobody gets cherry-picked, and you don’t have to remember.
2. Make follow-up calls
Follow-up calls are a good business practice in general. They show your customers that you care about them and that you take responsibility for the quality of your service, even after the initial work has been completed and you've received payment.
Follow-up calls are also a good moment to ask for a review. Ask at the end of every call, however the conversation went – if something went wrong, that’s worth hearing about publicly too, and a straight answer to a complaint does more for your reputation than another five-star review.
3. Utilize receipts
Customers may ignore emails, but they usually review receipts to make sure they were charged the right amount. So why not leverage their attention to ask for a review on the receipt itself?
There are many ways to use receipts to prompt reviews, for example, adding a request in the receipt email. You can even add a small prompt and a direct link to the review site on the receipt itself.
4. Text customers
Emails have notoriously low open rates, especially ones that end up in a promotions folder. Text messages have a much higher open rate, making them a great channel to ask for reviews. Don't forget to include a direct link to your page on the review site in the text message to make it easier for your customers to find you and complete the review. And, you can even automate the review request text with Workiz automation.
5. Show your appreciation
Writing a review takes a few minutes of someone’s time, and it’s worth acknowledging that. What you can’t do is pay for it – Yelp, Google, and the FTC all prohibit offering anything of value in exchange for a review, whether that’s a discount, a gift card, free service, or a prize draw.
So say thank you instead. A short reply to the review, by name, costs nothing and is visible to everyone reading your profile later. If you want to reward loyalty, do it for the repeat business itself – not for the review.
6. Look beyond the big review sites
Big review sites like Google, Yelp, and Angi are essential and drive the most traffic, so they should be the first place you set up reviews for your business. But don't stop there! Niche review sites like NiceJob and Houzz can also be important and drive traffic—and to make it easy, Workiz even offers integration with NiceJob!
And don't forget open and closed social media groups. For example, neighborhood and mom's groups can be excellent venues to get the word out about your services. Scout out the popular groups and see if any of your loyal customers are members. If they are, ask them if they'd be willing to write a post about your business.
See, it's doable! And with Workiz automation and integrations, it's easier than ever. We include integrations with leading review sites, as well as tools for automating messages and scheduling follow-up calls. Don't put it off—set up a review program today so more new customers can find your business and feel confident about using your services.