The Contractor's Guide to Automating Review Collection

Online reviews are the modern word-of-mouth referral. For home service contractors, they are often the single biggest factor in whether a potential customer calls you or your competitor. The problem is that most contractors know reviews matter but have no system for collecting them. This guide walks you through a practical, automated approach to building a 5-star reputation — from timing and channel strategy to follow-up sequences and negative review interception.

Why Reviews Are Your Most Valuable Marketing Asset

When a homeowner searches for a contractor, the first thing they look at is reviews. Not your website. Not your logo. Reviews. A BrightLocal study found that 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, and 73% only pay attention to reviews written in the last month.

That means even if you have 50 great reviews, if the most recent one is from six months ago, it loses its impact. Review recency matters just as much as review volume. You need a steady, consistent flow of new reviews — not a one-time push.

Step 1: Get the Timing Right

The single most important factor in getting a review is when you ask. Ask too early and the customer has not had time to appreciate the result. Ask too late and the emotional high of a job well done has faded.

The sweet spot is 24 hours after the job is marked complete. At this point, the customer has had time to see the finished result, use the repaired appliance, or walk through the cleaned house — but the positive experience is still fresh in their mind.

Timing Guidelines by Service Type

| Service | Best Time to Ask | |---------|-----------------| | Cleaning services | Same day (evening) | | Plumbing / HVAC repair | 24 hours | | Renovation / remodel | 2 to 3 days | | Landscaping / exterior | 24 to 48 hours |

Step 2: Use Multiple Channels (SMS + Email)

Not everyone checks their email. Not everyone responds to texts. A multi-channel approach dramatically increases your review collection rate. Here is the sequence that works best for most contractors:

1. SMS first (Hour 0)

Send a short, personal text message with a direct link to your Google review page. SMS has a 98% open rate compared to 20% for email. Keep it under 160 characters and make it feel personal, not corporate.

2. Email follow-up (Hour 24)

If no review has been left, send a brief email with a slightly different message. Include your company name, the service performed, and a one-click review link. Some customers prefer email and will respond to this instead.

3. Final nudge via SMS (Day 3)

A gentle final reminder: "We would really appreciate it if you have 30 seconds to share your experience." After three touches, stop. You do not want to annoy a happy customer into becoming an unhappy one.

Step 3: Build Follow-Up Sequences That Convert

The key to a high-converting review sequence is making it as easy as possible for the customer. Every extra click or step reduces your completion rate. Here are the principles that matter most:

• Direct link to Google. Do not send them to your website first. Link directly to the Google review form so it takes one tap.
• Personalize the message. Use their first name and reference the specific service. "Hi Sarah, thanks for letting us handle your AC repair" converts far better than generic requests.
• Set the time expectation. Tell them it takes less than 30 seconds. Reducing perceived effort is one of the biggest conversion levers.
• Stop after 3 touches. Three requests spread over 3 days is enough. More than that crosses the line from helpful to annoying.

Step 4: Intercept Negative Reviews Before They Go Public

This is the part most contractors miss entirely. Not every customer is going to be thrilled, and that is okay. What matters is how you handle it. A negative review interception system routes unhappy customers to a private feedback form instead of a public review site.

Here is how it works. Before sending the review link, ask a simple satisfaction question: "How was your experience? Rate us 1 to 5." If the customer selects 4 or 5, they get the Google review link. If they select 1 to 3, they get a private feedback form that comes directly to you.

Why This Works

Unhappy customers want to be heard. By giving them a private channel, you accomplish two things: you prevent a public negative review, and you get a chance to make it right. Many customers who go through this process end up becoming loyal repeat customers because you took the time to address their concern directly. This is not about hiding negative feedback — it is about creating the right channel for it.

What to Expect: Realistic Results

Contractors who implement this full system typically see 8 to 15 new Google reviews per month, depending on job volume. Over 6 months, that is 48 to 90 new reviews. In a year, you will have transformed your online presence.

| Metric | Result | |--------|--------| | New reviews per month | 8 to 15 | | Average star rating | 4.7+ | | Negative review interception | 90% |

The compounding effect is significant. More reviews lead to higher Google rankings. Higher rankings mean more visibility. More visibility means more calls. And more calls — combined with your other automations — means more booked jobs.

The best part is that once the system is built, it runs on its own. Every completed job automatically triggers the review sequence. You do not need to remember to ask, send a text, or follow up. It all happens in the background while you focus on the next job.