Customer Reviews and Online Reputation Management

Why Reviews Are Your Most Powerful Marketing Asset

Here is a stat that should change how you think about reviews: 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. And most will not even consider hiring you if you have fewer than 10 reviews or a rating below 4.0 stars.

Reviews are not just social proof. They directly impact your Google ranking. Businesses with more (and higher quality) reviews consistently appear higher in local search results and the Google Map Pack.

Think of it this way: every review is a free advertisement written by someone your potential customer trusts more than you.

The Review Landscape

Where Reviews Matter Most

1. Google Business Profile: By far the most important. This is where the majority of potential customers see your rating. Prioritize Google above all else.
2. Yelp: Important in some markets and industries. Yelp has an aggressive review filter that can hide legitimate reviews, which is frustrating but not something you can control.
3. Facebook: Reviews on your Facebook page add credibility and appear in search results.
4. Industry-Specific Sites: Angi, HomeAdvisor, Houzz, Thumbtack -- depending on your industry.
5. Better Business Bureau: An A+ BBB rating still carries weight with certain demographics.

Do not try to dominate every platform. Focus 80% of your effort on Google and spread the remaining 20% across one or two others.

Generating Reviews Systematically

The businesses with hundreds of reviews did not get them by accident. They have a system.

The Ask

Most happy customers will leave a review if you ask. Most business owners never ask. Close that gap.

In person (highest success rate): After completing a job, when the customer is satisfied: "We really appreciate your business. If you have a minute, a Google review would mean a lot to us. I can text you the link right now."

Via text (second highest): Send within 24-48 hours of job completion: "Hi [Name], thanks for choosing [Business Name]! If you are happy with the work, we would love a Google review. Here is a direct link: [link]. It takes less than a minute. Thanks!"

Via email (lowest but still effective): Include in your post-job follow-up email sequence. Make the review link prominent and the ask simple.

Generating Your Google Review Link

1. Log into your Google Business Profile
2. Go to the Home tab
3. Look for "Get more reviews" and copy the link
4. Shorten it using a service like bit.ly for texts

Timing Is Everything

Ask when the customer is happiest:

• Right after a successful job completion
• After they compliment your work
• When they tell you they will refer you to someone
• NOT when there was an issue, even if you resolved it

Volume Matters

Aim for 2-5 new reviews per month. Steady, consistent growth looks natural to both Google and potential customers. A sudden burst of 50 reviews in a week looks suspicious and may trigger a filter.

Responding to Reviews

Positive Reviews

Always respond. Every time. It shows appreciation and signals to future customers that you engage with feedback.

Keep it personal and brief:

"Thanks so much, [Name]! We really enjoyed working on your [project type]. Glad everything turned out great. Do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything down the road."

Avoid copy-pasting the same response to every review. Mix it up.

Negative Reviews

Negative reviews sting. But they are also your biggest opportunity to demonstrate professionalism. Potential customers pay close attention to how you handle criticism.

Step 1: Do not react immediately. Take at least an hour (ideally 24 hours) before responding. Never respond emotionally.

Step 2: Respond publicly with empathy and professionalism.

"[Name], I am sorry to hear about your experience. That is not the standard we hold ourselves to. I would like to learn more about what happened and make this right. Could you please call us at [phone] or email [email] so we can discuss this directly?"

Step 3: Take it offline. Resolve the issue through direct communication, not in a public thread.

Step 4: If you resolve the issue, the customer may update or remove their review on their own. Never ask them to do so as a condition of the resolution.

Fake or Unfair Reviews

If you receive a review from someone who was never a customer:

1. Flag it through Google's review reporting tool
2. Respond publicly: "We do not have a record of this customer in our system. We encourage anyone with a concern to contact us directly at [phone]."
3. Google's removal process is slow and inconsistent. Do not count on it. The best defense is overwhelming the fake review with genuine positive ones.

What You Cannot Do

The FTC's Consumer Review Fairness Act and Google's policies are clear:

• You cannot prohibit customers from leaving negative reviews. Contract clauses that penalize or restrict honest reviews are illegal under federal law.
• You cannot offer compensation for positive reviews. You can ask for reviews. You cannot pay for them or offer discounts specifically for positive ones.
• You cannot leave fake reviews. Not for yourself, not against competitors. This includes having employees, friends, or family leave reviews without disclosing their relationship.
• You cannot "review-gate." Google prohibits selectively asking only customers you believe will leave positive reviews while filtering out others.

Building a Review Generation Machine

Here is the system:

1. Make it part of your process: Add "request review" as a step in your job completion checklist
2. Automate the follow-up: Use your CRM or email tool to send a review request 24-48 hours after every completed job
3. Train your team: Every technician and crew lead should know how to ask for a review and have the link on their phone
4. Track weekly: Monitor your review count and average rating every week
5. Celebrate milestones: When you hit 50, 100, or 200 reviews, thank your team and your customers

Monitoring Your Reputation

Set up Google Alerts for your business name to catch mentions across the web. Check your Google Business Profile weekly for new reviews and questions. Monitor Facebook and industry-specific platforms monthly.

Consider a tool like Google Alerts (free), or paid options like BrightLocal or Podium for more comprehensive monitoring across platforms.

The Compound Effect

A business with 200+ reviews and a 4.7-star rating has a moat that competitors cannot easily replicate. Every new review makes it harder for competitors to catch up and easier for customers to choose you.

Start today. Ask your next five customers for a review. Then your next five. Make it automatic. Within a year, you will have a review portfolio that sells for you 24/7.