Here's the uncomfortable truth about Google reviews: the contractor with the most reviews usually wins the call — even if their work isn't as good as yours.
A homeowner searching "plumber near me" is going to call the company with 200 reviews and a 4.8 star rating before they call the one with 30 reviews, no matter how good that second company is. That's just how people make decisions now.
Why most contractors have terrible review counts
It's not because their customers are unhappy. It's because happy customers don't think to leave reviews. They got their AC fixed, they're comfortable again, they move on with their lives. The only people who leave reviews unprompted are the angry ones.
The contractors who have 200+ reviews aren't doing better work. They just have a system. They ask every single customer, at the right time, in the right way.
The "right time" is everything
Timing matters more than you think. Ask too early and they haven't experienced the full result yet. Ask too late and they've forgotten about you. The sweet spot is 2-4 hours after the job is complete — the AC is cold, the faucet works, the lights are on, and they're still thinking about you.
A simple text message at that moment — "Hey, thanks for choosing us! If you had a good experience, we'd really appreciate a quick Google review" with a direct link — converts at 15-25%. Compare that to verbally asking (which you forget to do half the time) at maybe 3-5%.
Automate it and forget about it
The best part about review automation: once it's set up, you never think about it again. Every completed job triggers a review request. Every review request includes a direct link that opens Google with the stars already selected. All the customer has to do is write a few words and tap "Post."
Contractors who automate this process typically go from getting 2-3 reviews per month to 15-20. Within 6 months, they've completely transformed their online reputation — and the phone starts ringing more because of it.
What about bad reviews?
Smart review systems include a "gate" — they ask the customer to rate their experience first. If it's 4 or 5 stars, they get directed to Google. If it's 1-3 stars, they get directed to a private feedback form so you can address the issue before it becomes a public review. It's not gaming the system. It's just good customer service.
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