Direct answer: when and how do you ask for a review?
Ask within the window where the customer can still recall exactly what was so good — that window differs by industry, from right in the chair at the hairdresser's to day 7 after delivery for an accountant. Use a short, personal message with the customer's name and the specific service, send at most one reminder, and never offer an incentive.
Recency and specificity together determine not just whether a review gets written, but also how valuable it is to Google: reviews that mention the service and the location carry more weight in local search results than a bare star rating.
Why timing matters so much
Customers forget details fast. Ask more than a week after the moment of satisfaction and the odds of getting a review drop sharply — people remember being happy, but not exactly why, and a vague memory doesn't produce a review.
Google also weighs recent reviews more heavily than old ones. Ten reviews from the past three months say more about how you perform now than fifty reviews from 2023. A steady trickle of a few reviews a month is therefore more valuable than a one-off spike.
Landscapers: day 3-5 after delivery
Ask three to five days after delivery, once the customer has spent a bit of time in the finished garden and the result still feels fresh. Include a photo of the end result — it triggers the memory of the 'before'.
Script: "Hi [name], thanks for trusting us with [garden project]. We're proud of how it turned out. Would you have 30 seconds to write a short Google review? [link]"
Dentists: day 1 after the annual check-up
Ask the day after an annual check-up or treatment, professionally and without pressure. Patients have just finished and the experience — wait time, friendliness, explanation — is still sharp.
Script: "Thank you for visiting us again. Your experience helps others make a choice — a review on Google is greatly appreciated. [link]"
Hairdressers: right in the chair
Ask at the moment of peak satisfaction: right after the cut, while the customer has just seen themselves in the mirror. A QR code on the mirror plus a small card at the till makes asking effortless without having to say it out loud to every customer.
Script on the QR card: "Happy with the result? Share it on Google — it really helps: [QR]"
Accountants: day 7 after annual accounts delivery
Ask a week after delivering the annual accounts, formally by email. Accountancy clients value professionalism over an informal tone, and a week gives them room to assess the service as a whole rather than just the last touchpoint.
Script: "Thank you for your trust over the past period. Would you be willing to briefly share how you experienced working with us in a Google review? It helps us, and other business owners looking for an accountant. [link]"
Restaurants: end of the meal via a QR code on the bill
Ask at the end of the meal, at the point of highest satisfaction, with a QR code on the bill. Keep the tone light — a restaurant visit is an experience, not a business transaction.
Script on the bill: "Enjoyed it? Scan and share it with others — a review takes a minute, and we truly appreciate it."
What NOT to do
A handful of mistakes can make a review strategy backfire, or even put your Google Business Profile at risk.
- Don't offer an incentive for a review (discount, gift) — this is against Google's policy and can lead to review removal or account suspension.
- Don't buy reviews or have them written by people who were never a customer.
- Don't dismiss or hide negative reviews — respond professionally within 48 hours, acknowledge the issue and offer a resolution offline.
- Don't send a generic mass email without a name or service mentioned — personalisation significantly increases response rates.
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