Reviews are the single most under-managed asset in contracting. Most companies have a handful, ask occasionally, and hope. We've taken multiple clients from under 20 reviews to over 100 in a single quarter using the same simple system. Here it is, end to end.
The principle: ask everyone, ask fast, make it one tap
Every paying customer gets asked. The ask happens within 60 minutes of job completion. The link drops them directly into the review box, no searching, no logging in.
The exact text message script
Short, personal, and from a real number, not a marketing shortcode.
'Hi [First Name], it's [Tech] from [Company]. Really enjoyed working with you today. If you have 30 seconds, would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It genuinely helps our small team. [Direct Review Link]'
Timing that actually works
Send the text 30-60 minutes after the tech leaves. The job is fresh, the customer is happy, and they're still on their phone. Asking 24 hours later cuts response rates roughly in half.
Get the direct review link right
Use Google's official 'review link' generator inside your Business Profile dashboard, then run it through a short URL so it's friendly in a text. Never link to your homepage and expect the customer to find the reviews tab, they won't.
Automate the send, keep the message human
Connect your CRM or scheduling tool (Jobber, Housecall, ServiceTitan) so the text fires automatically when a job is marked complete. Personalize the {{first_name}} and {{tech_name}} variables, that alone roughly doubles open rates compared to generic blasts.
One follow-up, never two
If they don't respond in 48 hours, send a single soft nudge: 'No worries if you're busy, if you do get a second, here's the link.' A second follow-up tips into pushy and gets unsubscribes.
Reply to every review the same day
Use the customer's first name, reference the specific service, and avoid templated replies. Google's algorithm rewards replied profiles, and prospective customers read the replies as closely as the reviews themselves.
The takeaway
5x growth isn't a clever hack, it's a fast, automated ask sent to every customer within an hour of job completion. Set it up once and the reviews compound on autopilot.