Service businesses, especially in North America's competitive landscape, live and die by their customer reviews. 45% of customers today read reviews online, mostly before purchasing products or services. Considering that, it's not surprising that even businesses with just one negative review are struggling, and teams with low rankings work tirelessly to raise their ranking. In fact, Harvard Business Review found that for every 1-star increase on Yelp, revenue increased by 5-9%.
But how should you ask – in a way that’s fair to every customer and stays inside the review sites’ rules? Below are the rules that keep you compliant, the right moment to ask, and three templates you can copy.
Ask every customer for a review
Send the request to everyone. Not just the customers you think will say something nice.
Filtering your review requests – asking only happy customers, or checking how someone feels before you send the link – is called review gating. Yelp, Google, and the FTC all prohibit it. It can get your reviews removed, your listing flagged, or put you on the wrong side of an FTC action.
The rule is simple: same request, same timing, same link, every customer, every job.
What that looks like in practice:
Trigger the request automatically when a job closes, so nobody gets skipped
Use the same message for everyone – no warmer version for customers you liked working with
Don’t ask “how did we do?” first and send the link only to people who answer well
Don’t offer discounts, gift cards, free service, or prize entries in exchange for a review
Don’t ask customers to change or take down a review they’ve already left
A bad review isn’t a failure. It’s specific, free feedback – and a public reply that fixes the problem does more for your reputation than a fifth 5-star review.
When to ask for a review
There's no one correct answer here, but the general rule of thumb is only to ask for a review when a job is done. Ask once the work is finished, so the customer has the whole experience to describe. Here's when to ask:
Right after the job’s done: The experience is fresh and the details are easy to recall.
After a few months of recurring work: If a customer has been with you six months or longer, they’ve got more to say than someone you saw once. Ask them the same way you’d ask anyone else.
Following a customer service interaction: When a support ticket closes, send the same review request – whatever the outcome was.
How to ask for a review
That's the million-dollar question! Many businesses have difficulty asking for feedback, even when their customers collaborate and ask how they would like the review to be written. The good news is you don’t have to remember to do this manually. Automated review requests fire the same message to every customer when a job closes – which is easier to run and keeps you compliant, because nobody’s picking who gets asked.
Whichever way is more convenient for you to ask for a review, it's important to consider that most users read reviews on their online devices. Consumers using a mobile phone are actually 127% more likely to purchase products than those using a desktop device. That means that if you have to choose one medium to use for sending review requests, we recommend you choose SMS. That medium is twice as recommended if you send the review requests to younger recipients. Your customer is already on their phone reading your text, so hitting a link and leaving a review is easy.
What should your review request look like? That's where our expertise comes into play. We have written some short templates that you can plug your business info into and send to your clients without breaking a sweat.
Template 1 (recommended for first-time customers):
Hi [First Name], thank you so much for your business!
Most people rely on online reviews to decide who to call. Would you leave us one? Good or bad – it helps us improve, and it helps the next person deciding.
Leaving your thoughts here will only take a minute:
We appreciate your time. Have a great day!
Best,
[Your Name]
Benefits of this messaging:
It acknowledges the customers who have just had their first experience with you.
It asks for honest feedback, which keeps you compliant with Yelp, Google, and FTC rules.
It motivates the customers who wouldn't normally leave a review because they consider it a bother (easy-to-click links are key!)
Template 2 (recommended for loyal customers):
Hello [first name],
Thank you for being a loyal customer!
We’d like your honest feedback on our Google Business Profile – it takes a minute and it helps us get better.
Thank you, and have a great day!
Best,
[Your name]
Benefits of this messaging:
It shows gratitude for your loyal customers.
It motivates loyal customers to help you grow your customer base.
Template 3 (for the general audience):
Hey [First Name],
Thanks so much for supporting our local business!
We’d appreciate your honest feedback on Google – good or bad. Takes a minute:
Thanks and have a great day!
[Your Name]
Benefits of this messaging:
It's a one-size-fits-all for both new customers and recurring ones.
It asks for honest feedback, which keeps you compliant with Yelp, Google, and FTC rules.
Let the reminders run themselves
The hardest part of getting reviews isn’t the wording – it’s remembering to ask, every time, on every job. That’s what automation is for.
Workiz Genius Marketing sends the review request automatically when a job closes. Same message, same timing, every customer. No one gets skipped and no one gets cherry-picked, which is exactly what Yelp, Google, and the FTC expect.