We’ve all done it. We decide that we want to go out to eat, but don’t know where to go. Or, maybe we’ve decided to buy a new phone, but can’t determine whether to get an iPhone or Android.

What do we do in that situation? The first thing we do is Google the reviews to see which product or business best suits our standards, and it’s rarely the ones with three stars and below. 

Customers looking at reviews to determine who to spend their money with is nothing new. Plus, it is very prevalent in the home service industry. A contractor’s reputation, no matter if it’s good or bad, is based on the number of stars they receive online. No one raves about average customer service, and most people aren’t going to take the time to give you three stars.

The customer review culture has forced many contractors to understand that they have to go above and beyond to build five-star customer service because five-star reviews are extremely important. 

When it comes to building a successful home service business that has the potential to grow, contractors must build a five-star culture. Everyone remembers the company that has a standard for success, and in today’s digitally  focused world, online reviews are the key to establishing that standard.

Ask for a review

It is highly unlikely a customer will go out of their way to go online and simply give you a five-star review.

The best way to get the review you are searching for is to ask the customer. If you never ask, you will never get it.

Of course, this is only if you have performed high-quality work and delivered an amazing experience. The best way to ensure this is to intentionally set up the call with the goal of delivering the wow factor by going above and beyond the original job.

This shows the customer that you care about them and are willing to do the little extra things to make the experience memorable.

After the call is over and the customer has signaled they are satisfied with the work you have performed, ask them if they can do you a favor and fill out a review. Expressing your gratitude beforehand can help encourage them to do it for you. 

It is important that you make it easy for the customer to leave a review as well. Give them detailed instructions on how to leave the review. Without clear direction, the customer may forget about the review as soon as you leave. 

There are plenty of review apps that allow contractors to send customers a link to a review in the invoice. Putting links to reviews in newsletters or sending texts after the job is helpful as well, but it is important to let the customer know the request is coming.

Responding to reviews

One thing many contractors fail to do is respond to customer reviews. As a contractor, you should always be responding to the reviews no matter if they are good or bad.

If a customer leaves you a five-star review, respond by letting them know how grateful you are that they took the time to review your business.

If a customer leaves you a review of four stars or less, ask them what you can do to make their experience better. Most customers will tell you what’s wrong, and sometimes they will go back and change the rating after the issue is solved.

That’s why it’s important to respond to reviews. It shows that you are making an effort to make things right and that building a five-star culture is part of your mission. While you can’t get rid of every bad review, you can bury it with more five-star reviews. So, you should always have a culture of getting reviews from the customer.

Stephen Dale is director of training for Power Selling Pros. He has been a coach and trainer with Power Selling Pros for six years.