Asking for Reviews by Text and Phone: Scripts

The simplest way to get more reviews is to ask every customer, at the right moment, in a short personal message with a direct link. Ask in person or by phone when the job is done, then send one text with the link. Do not offer rewards for reviews, and do not ask only the customers you expect to be happy; both practices break the rules of the FTC and the review platforms.

This guide covers what is allowed, when to ask, and phone and text scripts you can adapt.

What the rules say

This is general information, not legal advice.

FTC rule on consumer reviews (effective October 21, 2024). The FTC's Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials prohibits, among other things:

• Fake reviews, including reviews by people who did not use the product or service
• Providing compensation or other incentives conditioned, expressly or implicitly, on a review expressing a particular sentiment
• Suppressing negative reviews through threats or false accusations
• Undisclosed reviews by owners, employees or their relatives in some circumstances

Google's policies. Google's prohibited and restricted content policy for user contributions treats "discouraging or prohibiting negative reviews, or selectively soliciting positive reviews from customers" as a violation, and it does not allow reviews that are incentivized.

What this means in practice:

Allowed	Not allowed
Asking every customer for an honest review	Asking only customers who said they were happy
Sending a direct link to your review page	Offering a discount, gift or entry for a review
Reminding once if they said they would	Writing reviews for customers, or having staff post reviews
Responding to all reviews, positive and negative	Pressuring customers to remove negative reviews

When to ask

The best moment is right after the customer has seen the result and said something positive or neutral about it:

• When the technician finishes and the customer has checked the work
• At checkout after an appointment
• On a follow-up call to confirm everything is working
• When a customer compliments you by phone or text

Avoid asking:

• Before the job is finished
• While a complaint is open (resolve it first)
• Repeatedly after they have not responded

Ask everyone at the same stage of the process, so you are not filtering by expected sentiment.

Phone scripts

At the end of a follow-up call

"I'm glad the new water heater is working well. Can I ask a favor? Reviews really help a small business like ours. Would you be willing to leave an honest review on Google? I can text you the link right now."

When the customer compliments you

"Thank you, that means a lot. If you have a minute, would you be willing to say that in a Google review? It helps other people find us. I'll text you the link."

For a long-term client

"We've worked together for a couple of years now, and I'd value your honest feedback. Would you consider leaving us a review? Whatever you'd like to say."

Keep it low-pressure. "Honest review" signals you are not asking for praise.

Text scripts

Only text customers who have agreed to receive texts from your business, and include opt-out language in the first text to a new contact, consistent with the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices.

After the phone ask

Thanks again, Maria! Here's the link for an honest review of Summit Heating and Air: [review link]. Takes about a minute. We appreciate it.

Same-day ask after a visit

Hi Maria, thanks for choosing Summit Heating and Air today. If you have a minute, we'd appreciate an honest review: [review link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

One reminder, only if they said they would

Hi Maria, just a quick reminder about the review link from last week, no pressure: [review link]. Thanks either way!

Do not send more than one reminder.

Wording to avoid

Avoid	Why
"Leave us a 5-star review"	Asks for a specific sentiment
"Review us and get 10% off"	Incentive for a review
"If you were happy, review us here; if not, call us first"	Review gating
"Can you take down your review?"	Can amount to suppression; respond publicly instead
Sending a pre-written review for them to post	Not the customer's own words

Handling unhappy customers

If a customer is unhappy when you ask, stop asking and fix the problem. Use the complaint call script. After it is resolved, you can ask for an honest review in the same way you ask everyone else, but do not make the fix conditional on a review or on changing an existing one.

Responding to reviews

Responding is part of the process:

• Positive reviews: thank them by name and mention something specific.
• Negative reviews: respond calmly, acknowledge the issue, and offer to talk offline with a phone number. Do not argue publicly or reveal private details.
• Fake or abusive reviews: report them through the platform's process rather than responding in anger.

Make it a routine

Reviews come from consistency, not campaigns:

• Add "ask for a review" as the final step in your job or appointment checklist
• Save the review-request text as a team template
• Keep your direct review link handy for everyone
• Track requests sent and reviews received monthly
• Respond to every new review within a few days

Saved-reply tips are in running a shared team inbox for texts, and general texting rules in business texting etiquette.

Asking in different kinds of businesses

The timing and the person who asks differ by business type:

• Home services and trades. The technician asks at the end of the job, then the office sends the link the same afternoon. Technicians are often the person the customer trusts most.
• Clinics and offices. The front desk asks at checkout, then the link goes out by text. Keep health details out of the message.
• Professional services. The account owner asks personally after a milestone, such as filing a return or closing a project, by phone or email.
• Retail and food. A sign or receipt line with the review link works for walk-in customers; texting is appropriate only for customers who have agreed to texts, such as those with pickup orders.

Whatever your business, the person who asks should be someone the customer actually dealt with. A request from a stranger in the back office is easier to ignore.

Measuring the routine

Track three numbers each month: jobs completed, review requests sent, and new reviews received. If requests lag behind completed jobs, the ask is being skipped; make it part of the job checklist. If reviews lag behind requests, look at timing and wording, and make sure the link goes straight to the review form rather than a general business page.

Review requests with Callata

Callata lets your team send review requests from your business number, so customers recognize who is asking. Save the request as a template in the shared texting inbox so everyone uses the same compliant wording, and use delivery receipts to confirm it arrived. Replies, including thank-yous and the occasional complaint, land in the shared inbox where the right person can respond. Callata automatically stops texting anyone who replies STOP. Business texting requires a one-time $49 carrier registration.

Callata Office is $99 a month for up to five users. Sign up for Callata.