Review Request Systems for Contractors

When to Ask

The best moment is immediately after a job the customer is visibly happy with -- while the experience is fresh, not a week later in a batch email. A same-day text or email with a direct link to leave a review outperforms a generic monthly request blast.

What the Rules Actually Require

The FTC's 2024 rule on consumer reviews and testimonials bans several specific practices: writing or buying fake reviews, suppressing genuine negative reviews you solicited, and having insiders post reviews without disclosing the relationship. It does not ban asking real customers for honest reviews -- it bans manufacturing or filtering them. If you text a review request, that message may also fall under TCPA consent rules -- see our Phone & SMS Readiness guide.

A Practical System

1. Trigger on job completion, not on a calendar schedule -- the request should follow the actual work, same day if possible.
2. Ask once, directly -- a single clear link to your preferred platform (Google Business Profile is usually the highest-value target), not a menu of five review sites.
3. Never filter by rating before asking -- routing only happy customers to the public review link while quietly diverting unhappy ones is the exact practice the FTC rule targets.
4. Respond to every negative review publicly and professionally. An unanswered negative review reads worse than the review itself.
5. Track count and recency separately -- 30-day and 90-day review counts, not just lifetime total.

A Worked Example

Say a contractor completes 40 jobs a month and asks for a review on every one, with a realistic 20% response rate -- that's 8 new reviews a month, enough to keep the 90-day count visibly active. At zero systematic asking, most contractors get a handful of unprompted reviews a year. The gap is almost entirely a process gap, not a satisfaction gap. Illustrative figures, not measured outcomes.

Checklist

• Have you received at least one new review in the last 30 days?
• Is there a defined trigger for asking (job completion), or does it happen sporadically?
• Does every negative review get a public, professional response?
• Are you asking every customer, or only the ones you assume are happy?

Limitations

The response-rate figure above is illustrative, not a benchmark from a study. Actual review conversion varies by platform, request method, and trade. This page is not legal advice on FTC compliance -- consult counsel for your specific review-request process.

Sources

• FTC, Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule (effective October 21, 2024)
• Google Business Profile Help, guidelines for review policies