How to Get More Customer Reviews (And Why They Matter for NZ Tradies)

The harsh truth: 93% of customers read online reviews before choosing a tradie.

The problem: Most tradies have 0-5 reviews (or none at all).

The result: They lose jobs to competitors with more reviews, even if they do better work.

In this guide, we'll show you exactly how to get more 5-star reviews without begging, offering discounts, or annoying customers.

Why Reviews Matter (Real Numbers)

The Trust Factor:

Scenario: Someone searches "plumber Wellington".

Google shows 3 results:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mike's Plumbing (4.9 stars, 87 reviews)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thompson Plumbing (4.1 stars, 12 reviews)
⭐⭐⭐ QuickFix Plumbing (3.2 stars, 6 reviews)

Who gets the call? Mike. Every time.

Why?

• More reviews = more social proof
• Higher rating = better quality (perceived)
• Recent reviews = active business

The Numbers:

• 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
• 72% of customers won't take action until they read reviews
• Businesses with 40+ reviews earn 54% more revenue than those with fewer reviews
• 1 extra star on Google = 5-9% revenue increase

When to Ask for Reviews (Timing is Everything)

❌ Bad Timing:

Halfway through job: "Can you leave a review?" (Job isn't done yet)

Weeks later: "Hey, remember me? Can you review that job from last month?" (They forgot about you)

✅ Perfect Timing:

Right after finishing the job when customer says:

• "Looks great!"
• "Thanks so much!"
• "Really happy with this"

How to Ask for Reviews (Without Being Awkward)

Method 1: The Casual Ask (In-Person)

After finishing the job:

YOU: "All done! How does that look?"
CUSTOMER: "Great! Thanks so much."
YOU: "Awesome! If you're happy with the work, I'd really appreciate a Google review. It helps my small business a lot. I'll text you the link now - takes 30 seconds."
CUSTOMER: "No worries!"
[Send link immediately while you're packing up]

Why this works:

• Natural conversation
• Not pushy
• Emphasizes "small business" (people want to help)
• Makes it easy (send link immediately)

Method 2: The Text Follow-Up

2 hours after leaving the job:

Hi Sarah! Thanks for having me today. Really glad we got that hot water cylinder sorted 💧
If you're happy with the work, I'd love if you could leave a quick Google review. Here's the link: [link]
Takes 30 seconds and helps me out heaps!
Thanks again,
Mike

Why this works:

• Friendly and casual
• Reminds them about the good job you did
• Direct link (no barriers)

Method 3: The Email Follow-Up (Professional)

Subject: Thanks for choosing [Your Business]!

Hi Sarah,
Thanks for choosing Thompson Plumbing for your hot water cylinder replacement.
I hope you're enjoying reliable hot water again! ☺️
If you were happy with my work, I'd really appreciate if you could leave a review on Google. It only takes a minute and helps other homeowners find trustworthy tradies.
[Leave a review →]
If there's anything you're not 100% happy with, please let me know directly so I can make it right.
Cheers,
Mike Thompson
021 234 5678

Why this works:

• Professional tone
• Provides escape hatch ("if anything isn't perfect, tell me directly")
• Clear call-to-action button

How to Make It Easy (Remove All Friction)

Problem: Asking for reviews is easy. Getting them is hard.

Why? Too many steps.

Traditional way:

1. Customer opens Google
2. Searches for your business
3. Finds your listing
4. Clicks "Write a review"
5. Writes review
6. (Most give up by step 3)

Solution: Give Them a Direct Link

Your Google review link:

https://g.page/r/[YOUR_PLACE_ID]/review

How to find your review link:

Option 1: Quick method

1. Google your business name
2. Click "Write a review" on your Google Business Profile
3. Copy the URL
4. Shorten it with bit.ly

1. Get your review link (above)
2. Generate QR code: qr-code-generator.com
3. Print on business cards: "Scan to leave a review"
4. Show customer your phone: "Just scan this QR code"

What to Do with Bad Reviews

Reality Check:

You will get bad reviews. Even if you're the best tradie in NZ, someone will leave 1 star because they woke up grumpy.

The goal: Not zero bad reviews (impossible). The goal is to respond professionally.

How to Respond to Negative Reviews:

Step 1: Take a breath Don't respond immediately when angry.

Step 2: Acknowledge the issue

"Hi Sarah, thanks for your feedback. I'm sorry to hear you weren't happy with [specific issue]."

Step 3: Offer to fix it

"This isn't the standard we aim for. I'd love to make this right. Please call me directly: 021 234 5678."

Step 4: Take it offline Don't argue publicly. Resolve it via phone/email.

Example response:

1-star review: "Plumber was 30 minutes late and didn't text to let me know. Unprofessional."

Your response:

"Hi Sarah, I sincerely apologize for being late and not communicating. You're absolutely right - that's unprofessional and not how I run my business.
I'd love the chance to make this right. Please call me: 021 234 5678 so we can discuss how I can fix this.
Thanks for the feedback - it helps me improve.
Mike"

Why this works:

• Shows future customers you care
• Demonstrates professionalism
• Often, customer deletes bad review or updates it

How Many Reviews Do You Need?

Benchmarks:

0-10 reviews: Not enough. Looks new/unproven.

10-25 reviews: Decent. Shows you're legitimate.

25-50 reviews: Good. You'll win most local searches.

50-100 reviews: Excellent. You dominate local search.

100+ reviews: Industry leader. You're the go-to tradie.

Timeline:

Goal: 50 reviews in 12 months

How:

• 1 job per day = 5 reviews/week (assuming 25% ask rate)
• 5 reviews/week × 50 weeks = 250 reviews/year

Strategy: Ask EVERY customer, get 10-20% to actually do it.

Creative Ways to Get More Reviews

1. Business Card with QR Code

Front:

Thompson Plumbing
Licensed Plumber - Wellington
021 234 5678
mike@thompsonplumbing.co.nz

Back:

Love our work?
[QR code]
Scan to leave a review

Hand out after every job.

2. Follow-Up Checklist

Create a system:

Day 0: Finish job, ask in person Day 1: Send text with review link Day 7: Send email follow-up (if no review yet) Day 30: Final reminder (only if customer was really happy)

Use Paymate to automate: Set reminders to follow up.

3. "Review Wall" on Van

What: Photos of 5-star reviews printed on your van/ute.

Why it works:

• Social proof (people see reviews before hiring you)
• Reminds customers to review you
• Free advertising while driving

[Van side panel]
"Professional, on time, great work!"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Sarah, Karori
"Best plumber in Wellington!"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - John, Newtown
Leave a review: [QR code]

4. Invoice Footer

Bottom of every invoice/quote:

Happy with our service? Leave a Google review: [link]

Why it works: Customers see it every time they pay.

5. Social Media Shout-Out

Post on Facebook:

Huge thanks to everyone who's left us a review! 🙌
We're at 47 five-star reviews and aiming for 50 by the end of the month.
If you've used our services and haven't reviewed us yet, we'd really appreciate it: [link]
Thanks for supporting our small business!

How to Respond to Good Reviews

❌ Don't ignore them

Problem: Customer leaves 5-star review, you don't respond.

What they think: "They don't care about me."

✅ Respond to EVERY review

Template:

"Thanks [name]! Really appreciate the kind words. It was a pleasure working with you 😊 - Mike"

Why respond:

• Shows you care
• Encourages more people to review
• Google ranks businesses higher if they respond to reviews

Example:

"Thanks Sarah! Glad we got that hot water cylinder sorted before winter hit. Enjoy your reliable hot showers! 😊 - Mike"

What If You Have Zero Reviews?

Start Here:

Step 1: Make a list of your last 20 customers

Step 2: Text/email each one:

Hi Sarah, hope you're well!
I'm trying to build up my Google reviews to help new customers find me.
If you were happy with the [job type] I did for you, I'd really appreciate a quick review: [link]
Thanks heaps!
Mike

Step 3: Aim for 10 reviews in your first month

Why this works: Past customers already trust you. Easier ask.

Common Review Mistakes (Avoid These)

❌ Mistake 1: Offering Discounts for Reviews

What tradies do: "Leave a 5-star review, get 10% off!"

Why it's bad:

• Against Google's terms of service (can get your profile banned)
• Attracts fake reviews
• Cheapens your service

❌ Mistake 2: Only Asking Happy Customers

What tradies do: Only ask when job goes perfectly.

Why it's bad: You'll only get 10-20 reviews/year.

Do instead: Ask every customer (yes, even the grumpy ones). Most will be happy, some won't review, very few will leave bad reviews.

❌ Mistake 3: Fake Reviews

What tradies do: Ask friends/family to leave fake reviews.

Why it's bad:

• Google detects fake reviews (AI is smart)
• Can get your profile suspended
• Damages trust if discovered

❌ Mistake 4: Not Following Up

What tradies do: Ask once in person, never follow up.

Why it's bad: People forget.

Do instead: Ask in person, text link same day, email 7 days later.

Real Example: How Dave Got 50 Reviews in 6 Months

Dave - Electrician, Christchurch

Starting point:

• 3 Google reviews (all from friends)
• Losing jobs to competitors with more reviews

Month 1-2:

• Texted 30 past customers asking for reviews (got 12)
• Added review QR code to business cards
• Asked every customer in person + sent link

• Created email template
• Sent follow-up email 2 days after every job
• Responded to every review within 24 hours

• Automated email follow-ups (using Paymate)
• Posted on Facebook asking for reviews
• Added review CTA to invoice footer

• 52 five-star reviews (from 3)
• Ranked #1 for "electrician Christchurch"
• 3x more inquiries
• Can charge 15% more (premium positioning)

Your Review Generation Checklist

Setup (one-time):

• ✅ Find your Google review link
• ✅ Shorten it (bit.ly)
• ✅ Create QR code
• ✅ Save link in phone notes
• ✅ Add review CTA to email signature
• ✅ Print business cards with QR code

• ✅ Ask in person: "If you're happy, I'd love a Google review"
• ✅ Text review link within 2 hours
• ✅ Email follow-up after 7 days (if no review)

• ✅ Respond to all new reviews (good and bad)
• ✅ Check Google Business Profile for new reviews

• ✅ Count reviews (track progress toward 50)
• ✅ Thank customers on social media
• ✅ Reach out to past customers who haven't reviewed

Next Steps

Ready to get more reviews?

Week 1:

• Get your Google review link
• Text 10 past customers

• Ask every new customer in person
• Send review link same day

• Create QR code business cards
• Add review CTA to invoices

• Set up automated email follow-ups

Need help managing customer follow-ups? Paymate tracks every job and reminds you to ask for reviews.

Try Paymate Free →

Related Articles:

• Google Business Profile: Complete Guide for NZ Tradies
• How to Get Customers on Facebook
• Local SEO for NZ Tradies