Review requests — Ask every customer for a review at the right moment
Review requests send each customer a short message after a completed job or visit, with a direct link to the review page. The request goes out at a set point, such as when the invoice is paid, so nobody has to remember to ask. New reviews are flagged so the owner or staff can reply.
By Julia Ja, Owner
Review request
Sat 2:30 pm · after checkoutLow ratings
A two-star review about a long wait goes to the top of the owner's list, so she can call that client.
Why it matters
The problem it solves
Most satisfied customers never think to leave a review. Many would if asked at the right moment, but asking depends on a busy person remembering.
Requests tend to go out in bursts when someone has time, then stop. Meanwhile new reviews, including unhappy ones, sit without a reply where future customers read them.
BrightLocal found that 78% of consumers were asked to write a review in the last 12 months, and 65% wrote one after being asked.
Example · illustrative
A salon on a Saturday
- A client finishes a color appointment at 11:30 am and pays at the front desk.
- That afternoon she gets a text thanking her for visiting Jess, with a link that opens the Google review form.
- She leaves five stars and a short note.
- Later that week another client leaves two stars about a long wait.
- The owner sees it at the top of the review list and calls her that day.
How it works
How review requests works
- Starts whenA job is marked complete, an invoice is paid or a visit is checked out
- 1Step 1Wait for the right momentThe request waits until the job is done or the customer has left, using rules the business sets.
- 2Step 2Send the requestA short text or email thanks the customer and links straight to the review form.
- 3Step 3Remind onceIf no review comes in, one reminder can follow. After that, it stops.
- 4Step 4Flag new reviewsNew reviews arrive in one place, with low ratings shown first.
- A person decidesReply to reviewsThe owner or staff write or approve each reply, especially to unhappy customers.
Before · by hand
- Reviews depend on staff remembering to ask.
- In busy weeks, nobody asks at all.
- Customers who would leave a review don't know where to go.
- Negative reviews sit unanswered.
With review requests
- Every finished job gets a request.
- The link opens the review form directly.
- New reviews are flagged so each one gets a reply.
- The owner sees unhappy feedback quickly.
What we build
The parts of review requests
Your systems
- Google Business Profile
- Twilio
- ServiceTitan
- Housecall Pro
- Jobber
- Square
What we build
1Completion trigger
Watches the job, invoice or checkout system and starts a request when the work is done and paid.
2Timing rules
Sets how long to wait, avoids late-night sends, and skips customers who were asked recently.
3Direct review link
A link that opens the review form on Google or another site, so the customer doesn't have to search.
4One reminder
A single follow-up for customers who haven't left a review, then the sequence stops.
5Review monitor
Pulls new reviews into one list, lowest ratings first, and alerts the owner.
6Reply drafts
Optional draft replies to each review, which a person edits and approves before posting.
Your team decides
- The owner or staff write or approve every reply to a review.
- Unhappy customers get a call or message from a person.
Industries it fits
What review requests looks like in each industry
HVAC, plumbing & electrical
The request goes out when the technician closes the job in ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro, and names the tech. Jobs that need a second visit get the request after the final visit, not the first.
Everything for hvac, plumbing & electricalYour industry isn’t listed, or works differently? Describe it and get an answer in a minute.
Getting started
What you need first
We go through these with you in the audit, before anything is built.
Before we start
4 things to have ready- A Google Business Profile you manage, with access for the review link and review monitoring.
- A job, invoice or checkout system that clearly marks when work is done.
- Customer phone numbers or emails, with permission to text where required.
- A decision on timing, wording and who replies to reviews.
How a rollout runs
- 1Pick the momentWe agree on the event that starts a request, such as a paid invoice or checkout, and how long to wait after it.
- 2Connect the systemsWe connect the job or booking system and the review profile, and build the direct review link.
- 3Write and testWe write the request and reminder, then run test customers through to check timing, links and stop rules.
- 4Switch on monitoringNew reviews start flowing into one list, and the owner gets an alert for low ratings.
- 5Review and adjustWe compare requests with reviews and adjust timing or wording, without ever filtering who gets asked.
What to measure
How to know it's working
Weekly report · review requests
IllustrationRequests sent per completed job
Shows whether every finished job actually triggers a request.
Reviews received after a request
The outcome. Compared with requests sent, it shows whether timing and wording work.
Reviews with a reply
Future customers read replies, so every review should get one.
Time to reply to low ratings
Unhappy customers should hear from a person while the visit is fresh.
Opt-outs and complaints about requests
Shows whether customers find the request welcome or pushy.
We measure the baseline before building, so the change can be compared afterwards.
When it’s not a fit
- It can't fix service problems. If customers are unhappy, asking more of them brings more unhappy reviews.
- It needs a clear 'job done' moment. If jobs are closed late or in batches, requests go out at the wrong time.
- Asking only happy customers breaks Google's rules. Every customer gets the same request.
- Businesses with mostly walk-in customers often lack contact details, which limits who can be asked.
Tool or custom build
Do you need a custom build?
Option A · a ready-made tool
An off-the-shelf tool may be enough
Tools such as Podium, Birdeye and NiceJob send review requests and collect reviews, and Housecall Pro and Jobber include review requests. They fit well when your job system connects to them directly.
Option B · built around your systems
When a custom build is worth it
A custom build makes sense when requests depend on rules from more than one system, or reviews should feed into your CRM and reporting.
Not sure which fits?
What it typically costs
Typical ranges as of October 2026. Not a quote.
Ready-made tool, set up by us
An existing platform on your own account, configured for your business.
- Setup, one timepaid to Lorryn
- $500–$750
- Tool subscriptionpaid to the provider
- $75–$125 / month
Fits when your process matches what the platform already does.
Custom build
Built around how you work, with no platform subscription. You own it.
- Build, one timebasic version to full version
- $1,000–$3,000
- Running costshosting and usage, on your accounts
- ~$10–$40 / month
Fits when your systems, rules or exceptions don't match a ready tool.
Optional Automation Care: $125 · $250 · $375 / month
1, 2 or 3 hours of support a month, with monitoring and alerts included. Without it, you run it yourself after handover.
Typically works with Google Business Profile, Twilio, ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro.
Booking into or writing to your field-service, practice or shop software adds up to $500 to the ready-made tool (often a built-in feature) and $500–$1,500 to a custom build.
Your price depends on volume, the systems involved and how many exceptions need a person. Our team confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Proof and who stays in charge
Who does what
The automation does the routine steps. A person makes the call.
- 1Wait for the right momentAutomated
- 2Send the requestAutomated
- 3Remind onceAutomated
- 4Flag new reviewsAutomated
- 5Reply to reviewsA person
Consent and privacy
Requests go to every customer, since Google's policies don't allow asking only happy ones. Texts go only to customers who gave the business their number, say they're automated and honor STOP.
FAQ
Questions about review requests
No. Google doesn't allow review gating. The system asks everyone and flags unhappy feedback so you can respond quickly.
Usually. It can start from a completed job, a paid invoice or a checkout in tools like ServiceTitan, Jobber, Square or Mindbody.
Each customer gets one request and at most one reminder. Regulars who were asked recently can be skipped.
It can draft replies, but a person approves each one before it's posted.
Google is the usual choice. Links can point to Yelp, Facebook or an industry site instead.
Yes. The request can use each customer's preferred language, with wording you approve.
Requests never mention treatment. Replies to reviews don't confirm that someone is a patient or describe their care.
Yes. You can pause all requests, or skip a single customer, at any time.
Related use cases
Often built together
- Customer communicationCustomer status updatesSends customers a text or email when their job, order or case moves to the next stage.
- Customer communicationWin-back campaignsFinds customers who haven't returned and sends them a message based on their history.
- Customer communicationAI reply draftingDrafts replies to customer emails and messages from your policies and records, for staff to review and send.
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