Reviews per completed job
Shows whether requests are going out consistently.
Landscaping companies · Review and referral requests
More reviews and referrals from the work you already do well
Homeowners searching for a landscaper in Denver look at Google reviews, photos and how recently people left them. A company that finishes forty installs a season might collect a handful of reviews because nobody asked at the right moment. That moment is short: the day the patio is finished, the first evening the new lighting is on, or after a clean spring start-up.
How it often works today
- Review requests depend on the crew lead or designer remembering to ask, which happens on the best days and rarely otherwise.
- Requests go out weeks after the job, when the customer's enthusiasm has faded and the finished photos are old news.
- Small issues, like a wobbly cap stone or a misaimed sprinkler head, are discovered in a public review instead of a phone call.
- Property managers who oversee several sites are never asked for introductions to the other properties they manage.
Review and referral requests mean a consistent, well-timed ask after every finished job, with a quick check-in first so problems get fixed before anything goes public. For commercial clients, it means asking property managers for introductions to other properties in their portfolio. Requests run from your field software or a review tool. People handle every complaint personally.
The improved workflow
Trigger on completion
When an install is closed out or a seasonal service is finished, queue a check-in and review request, timed for the next day rather than weeks later.
Check in before asking
Send a short note asking how the work turned out. Concerns go straight to the account manager to fix, and every customer still receives the review link afterward.
Make it easy
Send a direct link to your Google Business Profile, with a before-and-after photo from CompanyCam where the customer has agreed to its use.
Ask commercial clients differently
After a strong season or a well-handled snow event, prompt the account manager to ask the property manager for a referral to other sites they oversee.
How we deliver this: AI automation for small business or fractional CTO leadership, scoped in writing and run over 90 days. See pricing or the sample scope.
What we would measure
Average rating and recency
Recent reviews matter to homeowners comparing companies.
Issues raised at check-in
Measures whether problems are being caught and fixed privately first.
Referral-sourced leads
Connects reviews and referrals to actual new work.
Where people stay in control
- Never offer payment or discounts for reviews, and do not ask only the happiest customers, which Google's policies and FTC rules discourage.
- Complaints go to a person within one business day, and responses to negative reviews are written or approved by the owner.
- Customer photos appear in requests or marketing only with the homeowner's permission.
Example
Illustrative example: a finished patio in Lakewood
For example, a crew finishes a paver patio and seat wall on a Thursday. Friday morning the homeowner gets a text from the designer asking how everything looks and whether anything needs attention. She mentions a loose cap stone. The crew lead fixes it Monday, and the review request goes out that evening with a link and the finished photo. Her review mentions the quick fix as much as the patio.
Tools typically involved
What the first 30 days look like
In the first 30 days we would count reviews against completed jobs from last season, check how requests are sent today, and agree when each type of job should trigger a check-in and a request. Then we would set up the flow for installs first and test it on real jobs.
Common questions
Is it okay to ask only happy customers for reviews?
Selectively asking only satisfied customers, sometimes called review gating, goes against Google's policies, and the FTC has rules against suppressing negative reviews. A better approach is to check in with every customer, fix issues quickly, and then ask everyone. Good work and fast fixes do more for your rating than filtering ever would.
Do we need a separate review tool?
Not always. Jobber and some other field service tools include review requests, and a simple text with your Google link can work. Dedicated tools such as NiceJob or Podium add tracking and templates. If you already pay for one through another bundle, we would use it before adding anything new to the stack.
How do we get referrals from commercial clients?
Commercial referrals usually come from relationships, not automated requests. Property managers who oversee several communities will introduce you if you made their job easier. A good time to ask is after a well-run snow season or a smooth renewal. A reminder for the account manager and a short summary of your work for them to forward both help.
The business case
Does it pay for itself?
Illustrative defaults for a landscaping company. Replace them with your numbers.
What this workflow costs today
a month in staff time, before any lost sales
Monthly fee + assumed tools +
Break-even: new clients a month (at first-year value)
Or: staff hours recovered and redeployed
Break-even additional revenue
Value of +1 point of win rate
First 90 days, service fee
Worth a closer lookTest the assumptions
Illustration only, not a forecast or guarantee. Recovered staff time becomes a cash saving only if spending actually declines or the time goes into paid work. Tool costs are an assumption; we replace every number here with yours before recommending a scope.
Review and referral requests in other industries
Auto repair shopsDental practicesEvent and catering companiesHome remodeling companiesHVAC companiesInsurance agenciesPhysical therapy clinicsPlumbing companies
Review and referral requests: full guide
Related guides
Zapier for small businessHow to get more reviews ethically, within the FTC's 2024 ruleReferral programs for service businesses: a practical design
Terms used here
Next step
Bring one expensive workflow. Leave with a clear next step.
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