Review request text and email templates

What makes a review request work

A good request is personal, short and easy to act on. It reminds the customer who you are, refers to the job they will recognize and puts the review link one tap away. Everything else is noise.

Text is usually the right channel. Pew Research Center reports that 91% of US adults own a smartphone^[3]. And calling to ask for a review rarely works: eight in ten Americans say they generally do not answer calls from unknown numbers^[1]. A text from the same number the customer used to book is recognized and can be read when convenient.

Some people still prefer a call or an email. When Pew asked people who text whether they preferred a text or a voice call, 31% preferred texts, 53% preferred calls and 14% said it depended on the situation^[4]. That survey is old, but the lesson holds: ask customers how they want to be contacted and record it, then use email or a call for those who choose it.

Rules every template follows

• Same request to every customer, regardless of how the visit went.
• No reward, discount, raffle or free service in exchange for a review; FTC guidance says an incentive cannot be conditional on a review being positive^[2], and Google prohibits review incentives altogether.
• No star rating suggested, no example wording, no 'if you were happy'.
• Business name in the first words so the customer knows who is texting.
• One link, to the Google review form directly. Google's help center describes using a link or a QR code^[5].
• Only text customers who gave a mobile number for service updates, and stop if they reply STOP. See A2P 10DLC registration for the carrier registration that business texting needs.

Templates by moment in the job

Replace the bracketed parts. Keep the finished text short enough to read in one glance on a lock screen.

1. Same day, repair or service call: 'Hi [first name], it's [company]. Thanks for having [tech name] out today for your [job]. Would you share how we did? [link]'
2. Day two after an install: 'Hi [first name], [company] here. Your new [system] has had a day to settle in. If you have a minute, we'd value a review of the install: [link]. Reply here if anything needs a look.'
3. Next morning after an emergency: 'Hi [first name], it's [company]. We hope things are back to normal after last night's [problem]. When you have a moment, could you tell others about your experience? [link]'
4. After the first recurring visit: 'Hi [first name], [company] here. Thanks for starting service with us. We'd love your honest review of the first visit: [link]'
5. One reminder, three days later: 'Hi [first name], just a quick reminder from [company]. If you have a minute to review your recent [job], here's the link: [link]. Thanks either way.'

Templates by trade

Trade-specific details make a text feel personal. Use the job the customer will remember, not your internal job code.

• HVAC: 'Hi [name], it's [company]. [Tech] finished your [furnace tune-up / AC repair] today. How did we do? [link]'
• Electrical: 'Hi [name], [company] here. Thanks for trusting [tech] with your [panel / outlets / lighting]. We'd appreciate your review: [link]'
• Roofing: 'Hi [name], it's [company]. Your roof is complete and the crew has cleared the site. Would you review the project? [link]'
• House cleaning: 'Hi [name], [company] here. Thanks for letting [team] clean your home today. Tell others how it went: [link]'
• Pest control: 'Hi [name], it's [company]. [Tech] completed your [treatment] today. If you have a minute, please review the visit: [link]'
• Lawn and landscaping: 'Hi [name], [company] here. Your [cleanup / install] is done. We'd value your review: [link]'
• Handyman: 'Hi [name], it's [company]. Thanks for having [name] knock out your list today. How did we do? [link]'
• Garage doors: 'Hi [name], [company] here. Your door is back on track. Would you share your experience? [link]'
• Appliance repair: 'Hi [name], it's [company]. [Tech] repaired your [appliance] today. Please tell others how it went: [link]'

Email version

Use email for customers who asked for it, for commercial accounts and for larger projects where a short note of thanks fits. Keep the subject line plain and the body short.

Put the link as a visible button or a plain line, not hidden in an image. Many email apps block images by default, and a customer who cannot see the button will not click it.

Who reads your reviews, and why the wording matters

Younger customers are the heaviest review readers. Pew found that 53% of 18- to 29-year-olds and 47% of 30- to 49-year-olds always or almost always read online reviews before buying something new, compared with 40% of all adults^[6]. Those are the homeowners and renters booking their first HVAC tune-up or their first deep clean, and they will notice whether reviews mention specific technicians and real jobs.

Templates that mention the technician by name often lead to reviews that mention the technician too. That is useful for readers and for your team, and it gives you specific praise to share at the morning meeting.

Example: setting up templates in your field software

1. 01

   Pick the trigger

   Most field service tools can send a text when a job is marked complete. Set a delay of one to two hours for repairs and one day for installs.

2. 02

   Load the templates

   Create one template per job type with merge fields for first name, technician and job description.

3. 03

   Exclude the right jobs

   Hold the request for jobs that are not actually finished, such as a part on order or a return visit booked, and send it when the work is complete. Skip customers who opted out of texts. Do not exclude anyone based on how satisfied you think they are or because they complained.

4. 04

   Test on yourself

   Book a fake job to your own phone and read the text as a customer would.

5. 05

   Review results monthly

   Compare reviews received against requests sent by job type and technician, and rewrite any template that underperforms.

Example: a fictional pest control company finds its install-day template gets few reviews because customers have not seen results yet. It moves the request to day ten, after the follow-up inspection, and the response improves.

Mistakes that lower the response

• Sending from a random short code or a number the customer has never seen, so the text looks like spam.
• Opening with a long thank-you paragraph that pushes the link below the fold.
• Using a link to your website's review page that then asks the customer to pick a platform, adding a step.
• Sending at night or very early in the morning. Mid-morning to early evening in the customer's time zone works best.
• Writing in a generic voice that could come from any company. Mention the job.
• Sending a request for a job the customer has already complained about without first calling them about the complaint. Call first, then send the same standard request everyone gets.

Review the replies to your texts as well. Customers often answer a review request with a question, a thank-you or a problem. Someone in the office should read those replies daily and act on them, because a review text that goes unanswered when the customer writes back undoes the goodwill it was meant to capture.