How to ask customers for an honest review

You can ask customers for a Google review as long as you ask everyone, keep it neutral, and offer nothing in return. Send a short, friendly message soon after the job or visit, thank them for something specific, and include your review link. That’s the whole idea, and the rest of this page is just the detail.

What Google allows and forbids

Google’s Maps user-contributed content policy is pretty clear, and honestly it’s simpler than most people expect. You may ask customers for a review that reflects a genuine experience. What you can’t do is try to steer it.

So no incentives. That means no payment, no discounts, no free goods or services for posting, changing or removing a review. A “10% off your next visit if you leave us a review” card is out. So is a free coffee.

You also can’t discourage negative reviews, and you can’t selectively ask only the happy ones. Everybody gets asked, or nobody does.

Don’t pressure people either, and definitely don’t require a review while they’re still on your premises. Standing over someone at the till with a phone is exactly what to avoid.

And don’t ask for specific content. That includes asking staff to get reviews that mention a particular team member, or setting staff targets for a number of reviews. It sounds harmless, I know, but it’s on the list.

One UK point on top. Since April 2025, consumer protection law bans fake reviews and concealed incentivised reviews, and the CMA has published guidance on it (CMA208). Worth a read if you’re unsure where a line sits.

When to ask

Soon after the job or visit, while it’s fresh. That’s it. A customer who had their boiler fixed this morning remembers it; a customer who had it fixed a month ago is mostly remembering the invoice.

Pick a sensible time of day too. Mid-morning or early evening, say, rather than the middle of the night. There’s no magic hour, so I won’t pretend there is. Just think about when you’d be happy to get a message yourself.

Then give each customer one reminder at most. One. If they haven’t replied after that, leave it. They’re allowed to say nothing, and a second nudge starts to feel like pestering, which is the opposite of what you want.

What to say

Keep it short. Thank them for something specific, ask for honest feedback, add the link, done.

Specific matters because it shows a real person wrote it. “Thanks for having us fix the leak under your sink” reads better than “Thanks for your custom”.

Don’t say “5 stars”. Don’t hint at the rating you’d like either, with things like “we hope we earned top marks”. You’re asking for their honest view, whatever it turns out to be.

Fictional example Hi Dana, thanks for letting us fit your new bathroom tap today. If you have a spare minute, we’d really value your honest feedback on Google: [link]. Thanks again.

Fictional example Hello Sam, thank you for coming in for your haircut earlier. We’d welcome an honest review of your visit if you’re happy to leave one: [link]. No worries if not.

If you’d rather not write these from scratch, the review request builder writes a neutral message for SMS, WhatsApp or email. And if you don’t have your link yet, how to find your Google review link walks you through it.

Which channel to use

In person first, because it’s the easiest to get wrong. A small card or a QR code at the counter is fine, as long as there’s no pressure. Leave it where people can see it, say “if you’d like to leave feedback, the details are here”, and then let them get on with their day. The Google review QR card maker can make the card for you.

Text or WhatsApp works well for trades and appointment businesses, because you already have the number and the job is fresh. Email suits clinics and shops that collect addresses at booking. Both are easy to keep short.

Receipts and invoices are a quiet option too. A single line at the bottom with your link does the job without being pushy. Customers see it when they’re ready, not when you are.

Whichever you choose, the rule is the same. Everyone gets the same ask and the same link, including the customers you suspect weren’t happy. Especially them, actually. Skipping the awkward ones and only asking the smiling ones is precisely the selective asking Google forbids, and it makes your reviews less useful to the next customer anyway.

Making it a habit without pestering

The trick is to make it part of finishing a job rather than a separate task you’ll forget. Ask when you send the invoice, or when you close the booking, or when you hand over the receipt. Same step, every time.

Then leave it alone. Don’t turn it into a numbers game, and don’t give staff review targets: Google’s policy rules those out, and targets are how people start to lean on customers.

If a review does come in, reply to it (the review reply writer can draft two short options). Google’s own tips are sensible: keep it short, polite and professional, sign with your name or initials, and don’t use a reply to offer deals or promotions.

Questions people ask

Can I offer a discount if someone leaves a review?

No. Google doesn't allow incentives such as payment, discounts, or free goods or services for posting, changing or removing a review. In the UK, concealed incentivised reviews are also banned by consumer protection law. Ask honestly, offer nothing in return, and let customers decide for themselves whether to write one.

Can I ask only my happiest customers?

No. Google says businesses must not selectively ask only for positive reviews, or discourage negative ones. Send the same message and the same link to everyone, including people you think may have been unhappy. It feels uncomfortable at first, but it keeps you within the rules.

Can I tell staff to get reviews that mention them by name?

No. Google's policy says you must not ask for specific content, and that includes asking staff to get reviews that mention a staff member. Setting staff targets for a number of reviews is also ruled out. Let customers write whatever they genuinely want to say.

Do customers need an account to review me?

Yes, customers need a Google Account to leave a review. Worth remembering when you write your message: keep it short and easy, include the link, and accept that some people won't follow through. That's fine, and a single polite reminder is the most you should send.