What people actually read
Buyers skim for situations resembling their own. A review describing a difficult access problem is worth more to someone with the same problem than ten generic five-star lines.
They also check dates. A strong record that stops two years ago raises more questions than a modest record that is current.
How to ask well
- Ask close to the moment of satisfaction, not weeks later.
- Ask in person or in a message from the person who did the work.
- Make the link one tap away.
- Ask consistently rather than in campaigns.
- Never script the content of the review.
Handling a bad one
Respond factually, without defensiveness, and offer to resolve it offline. The audience for the response is not the reviewer — it is every future customer who reads it.
A calm, specific reply frequently does more for credibility than the complaint did damage.