How do tradespeople get more Google reviews?
The general method (direct link, QR code, the right sentence, Google’s rules) is covered in our guide to getting more Google reviews. This guide applies it to the daily reality of a tradesperson: work done in the customer’s home, quotes, invoices, few visits per customer and often no office.
You also have an advantage: every customer watched you work in their home, sometimes for days. They have a detailed opinion, and a detailed review (“found the leak in twenty minutes, left the kitchen spotless”) is gold for the next customer. You just need to ask at the right moment, with a direct path to the review form.
Why do reviews matter so much for plumbers and electricians?
Hiring a tradesperson means letting a stranger into your home and trusting them with a budget. Customers cannot taste before they buy, as in a bakery, or look through a shop window. They read what others experienced.
Emergencies are decided on Google Maps
A burst pipe, a boiler failure in mid-winter, a tripping fuse box: the customer searches “plumber” or “electrician” on their phone and calls one of the first results. Google says so in its help page “Tips to improve your local ranking”: local results depend on relevance, distance and prominence, and prominence is based partly on how many reviews you have. More reviews and positive ratings help your listing show up when the call is decided in seconds.
For bigger jobs, customers compare
For a bathroom, a rewire or fitted joinery, customers get several quotes and read each tradesperson’s reviews. They look for concrete signs: the quote was respected, the team turned up on time, the site was left clean, problems were handled after the job. Reviews that mention these points often count for more than a slightly lower price.
Few reviews, so each one counts
A restaurant serves dozens of customers a day; you see a handful a week. With few reviews, one unhappy customer weighs heavily on your rating. That is why asking every customer, every time, matters: your rating should reflect all of your work.
Free tool, no sign-up
Google review calculator
How many 5-star reviews does it take to raise your business rating? Free, with no sign-up.
When should you ask, depending on your trade?
The right moment is when the customer sees the result: hot water is back, the lights come on, the door closes properly, the room is freshly painted. Not before (they have not seen anything yet), and not three weeks later (they have moved on). Here is what that looks like by trade.
| Trade | The right moment | The right tool |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber (call-out) | Once the leak is fixed and the customer has checked | QR code card handed over, email that evening |
| Plumber (bathroom fit) | At handover, when the shower is first tested | QR code on the invoice, email the next day |
| Electrician | After testing the installation, at the consumer unit | QR code on the invoice and the paperwork you hand over |
| Heating engineer | When the boiler or heat pump fires up, or at the end of the annual service | Sticker near the appliance, email after the visit |
| Joiner, carpenter | At installation, when the customer opens and closes the new windows or wardrobe | Card left with the instructions, email the next day |
| Painter, decorator | At the final walk-round, furniture back and dust sheets gone | QR code on the invoice, email with a before / after photo |
On a job lasting several weeks, do not ask halfway through: wait for handover and the clean-up. For maintenance contracts (boilers, air conditioning), the annual visit is a good chance to ask a loyal customer who has never left a review.
Where should the QR code go when you work in customers’ homes?
You have no counter or shop window, so the QR code has to travel with your paperwork and stay with the customer. It takes them straight to the review form on your Google listing. Google explains how to get the official link and QR code in “Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews”: on a computer, open your profile at business.google.com, select “Read Reviews”, then “Get more reviews” (the share icon). The option is not available on mobile.
| Item | Where to put it | Wording next to it |
|---|---|---|
| Quote | At the bottom, near your signature | “See what our customers say on Google” |
| Invoice | Under the total, clearly visible | “Happy with the job? Your review helps others find us” |
| Card left behind | Handed over in person, or left with the manual | “A review in 30 seconds: scan with your camera” |
| Sticker | Near the boiler, water heater or fuse box, next to your number | “Call-outs and customer reviews: scan here” |
| Email signature | Text link under your name | “Your review matters: [link]” |
A sticker near the appliance does two jobs: the customer finds your number on the day of the next breakdown, and the review link is always at hand. The Voxtya review collection service provides this QR code in your name, with print-ready materials (poster, sticker, card).
What email should you send after the job?
On site, you are packing your tools, the customer is paying, everyone is thinking about something else: the spoken request is easily forgotten. An email that evening or the next day catches up. Keep it short, sign it with your first name and mention the work done.
After a call-out
Subject: This morning’s visit
Hello Mrs Leroy, thanks for calling us about the leak under the sink. Is everything working as it should? If you are happy with the job, a review on Google really helps a small business like ours: [link]. And if anything is not right, just reply to this email and I will come back. Have a good day, Karim, [Business name]
After a job lasting several days
Subject: Thank you for choosing us
Hello Mr Petit, your new bathroom is finished and we hope you love it. If you have a few minutes, a Google review would help other families choose their tradesperson: [link]. Feel free to describe the work in a few words. For any question about care or the guarantee, I am on [phone]. Best regards, Sophie, [Business name]
When to send it? The same evening for a call-out, the day after handover for a longer job. One reminder at most, a few days later.
What the rules say about emails
Rules depend on where you work, so check locally. In the UK, the ICO’s guidance on electronic mail marketing describes a “soft opt-in” for existing customers who bought a similar service from you, provided they had a clear chance to opt out when you collected their details and in every message. EU countries apply similar rules under their own laws. The safe approach everywhere: only email customers you actually worked for, say clearly who is writing, and offer an easy way to stop receiving emails.
If customers book appointments online, a review request can go out automatically after the visit. Otherwise, a monthly campaign to that month’s customers does the same job: with Voxtya review collection you paste the list or import a file (or start from your quote requests), every email carries an unsubscribe link, and the same customer is not contacted more than once every 90 days.
Is a prize wheel a good idea for a tradesperson?
A prize wheel works very well in businesses where customers come back often: cafés, bakeries, hair salons. The idea: the customer scans a QR code, is invited to leave an honest Google review, then spins a wheel and wins a small prize to use on a future visit. The game is open to everyone, the prize never depends on the rating, and the participant enters their email address to receive their code.
For a tradesperson, it is usually a weaker fit, for three reasons:
- customers rarely come back: a prize “for your next visit” means little if the next job is five years away;
- the amounts are large: a small prize next to an invoice of several hundred pounds or euros feels out of place;
- trust comes first: your customers expect professionalism, and a simple, sincere request fits that image better.
It can still make sense if you have many small recurring maintenance contracts, or a showroom or trade counter. If you use one, follow the rules in Prize wheel and Google reviews: the rules. Google prohibits offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for reviews: never offer money off the invoice for a review.
What should you say to the customer at the end of the job?
Most tradespeople find it awkward to ask for a review on the way out. The fix: one short sentence, always the same, said when the customer thanks you. Pick one or two and use them every time.
“Glad everything’s working. If you have a minute tonight, a quick Google review would help us a lot. The QR code is on the invoice.”
“We’re a small business, and reviews are how new customers find us. I’ll leave you this card, you just scan it.”
“I’ll email the invoice tonight, with a link if you’d like to leave a review. No obligation, but it means a lot to us.”
“If you do write a review, feel free to say what we did. It helps people with the same problem.”
“And if anything isn’t right over the next few days, call me directly and I’ll come back.”
What not to say
- “Give us 5 stars”: ask for a review, never a rating.
- “I’ll knock something off if you leave a review”: that is an incentive, which Google prohibits.
- “Can you do it now on my tablet?”: let customers write from their own phone, with their own Google account.
- Pushing when the customer hesitates or raises a concern: fix the problem first.
How should a tradesperson reply to reviews?
Google’s help says it plainly: replying to reviews shows customers you value their feedback. For a tradesperson, your reply is also a shop window: future customers see how you talk to someone whose home you worked in. Golden rule: never mention the customer’s address, full name or details about their home.
Positive review
Thank you so much for your review! Really glad the new boiler is finally giving you steady heating. Don’t forget the annual service, we’ll be there. Have a great weekend, Karim, [Business name]
Mixed review (delay, price)
Thanks for your feedback. You are right, the job took two days longer than planned because the tiles were delivered late, and we should have warned you sooner. We are pleased you like the result and have taken the lesson on communication on board. Sophie, [Business name]
Negative review
Hello, thank you for taking the time to write. We are sorry the job did not meet your expectations. The signed quote covered replacing the mixer tap only; we understand the extra seal work came as a surprise and we want to find a solution. Could you call us on [phone] so we can talk it through? Karim, [Business name]
Stick to the facts, do not write three paragraphs of justification, and always offer a direct contact. Our guide to replying to Google reviews has more templates, and the free AI review reply generator gives you a first draft to adapt. If you never have time, the Review replies service drafts a reply to every new review; you check it and paste it on Google.
Which mistakes cost tradespeople reviews?
- Only asking after the “good” jobs. Ask every customer, out of habit: it is simpler, and it is what Google expects.
- Giving staff review targets. Google’s fake engagement policy lists “merchants requesting that staff solicit a certain number of reviews” as prohibited. Encourage asking, with no quota.
- Having reviews written on your phone. A customer signed in on your device, several reviews from the same place: Google watches for unusual volumes or patterns. Customers write from their own phone.
- Getting family or staff to write reviews. Conflicts of interest (such as current or former employment) are covered by Google’s rules. In the US, the FTC’s 2024 rule on fake reviews and testimonials also targets fake reviews and undisclosed insider reviews.
- Linking to the listing instead of the form. The customer still has to find the button: use the direct review link.
- Waiting until the end of the month to send everything. Three weeks after the job, the memory has faded.
- A tiny QR code on the invoice. Test it with two or three phones before printing in bulk.
- Replying in anger to an unfair review. Wait until the next day, reread, then reply on the facts.
If reviews do not appear, our guide Google reviews disappearing: why and what to do explains Google’s filters.
What weekly routine should you follow?
Reviews come from a habit, not a big campaign. Here is a typical week for a sole trader or a small team.
- The review QR code is printed on your quote and invoice templates.
- QR code cards are in every van and every toolbox.
- At the end of every job, the standard sentence is said to the customer.
- In the evening, the thank-you email goes to the day’s customers (or a grouped campaign at the end of the week).
- Every new review gets a reply within 48 hours.
- On Friday: a look at new reviews and recurring topics (punctuality, tidiness, price).
- A photo of a finished job is added to your Google listing or website.
| Step | When | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Ask in person | End of the job, result checked | Standard sentence |
| QR code | With the invoice, card left behind | Quote, invoice, card, sticker |
| That evening or the next day | Email template with direct link | |
| Reply | Within 48 hours | Reply templates |
| Tracking | Weekly | Reviews, rating, topics |
To find out how many reviews you need to reach your target rating, use the Google review calculator. To show those reviews to customers comparing quotes, put them on your website: see how to display Google reviews on your website and our tradesperson website guide. Garages follow a similar logic: see Google reviews for an auto repair shop.
The steps at a glance
The steps for a plumber, electrician, heating engineer, joiner or decorator to receive Google reviews regularly.
- Get your review link and QR code. On a computer, open your profile at business.google.com, select “Read Reviews”, then “Get more reviews”.
- Print the QR code on your paperwork. Add it to your quote and invoice templates, and print cards to leave with customers.
- Ask at the end of the job. When the customer sees everything works, say your standard sentence and show the QR code.
- Send the thank-you email. That evening after a call-out, the day after handover for a longer job, with the direct link and an easy way to opt out.
- Reply to every review. Thank people by mentioning the work, reply to criticism on the facts, with no personal details.
- Review progress weekly. Count new reviews, check your rating and recurring topics, and adjust the routine.
Do it without spending your evenings on it
Voxtya review collection
A QR code in your name for quotes and invoices, print-ready materials, email campaigns to your customers with an unsubscribe link. €29/month, 30-day free trial.
Google reviews: the guide for your trade
When to ask, where to put the QR code and what to say change from one trade to another:
- How to get more Google reviews for your restaurant
- How to get more Google reviews for your bar or café
- How to get more Google reviews for your bakery
- How to get more Google reviews for a hair salon or barbershop
- How to get more Google reviews for a beauty salon
- How to get more Google reviews for your garage or auto repair shop
- How to get more Google reviews for your hotel or B&B
- How to get more Google reviews for your shop
- Google reviews for a healthcare practice: what is allowed and how to reply
This guide for your trade
Go further
- How many Google reviews per month? Free calculator
- Google review reply templates, by trade
- How to get more Google reviews: the complete guide
- More Google reviews as a tradesperson
- Google reviews for tradespeople: ask after every job
- Google review link: find it and share it
- Prize wheel and Google reviews: the rules
- The wheel of fortune for Google reviews
Sources
The rules quoted in this guide come from these official pages, checked on October 17, 2026.