Review Guide

The best approach is simple: give customers an equal opportunity to share their experience.

You can ask customers for a review after they have purchased from you, used your service, completed an appointment, or otherwise had a genuine interaction with your business.

Avoid selectively asking only customers you believe will leave a positive review.

The goal is to invite honest feedback — not to filter for positive feedback.

Timing can make a big difference.

Good moments to request a review include:

• shortly after a purchase or service is completed;
• after a successful delivery;
• when a customer has had time to use your product;
• after resolving a customer’s issue; or
• when a customer voluntarily expresses satisfaction.

Avoid repeatedly asking the same customer for a review within a short period.

Customers should be free to share their genuine experience.

Your request should not tell customers what rating to give or what they should write.

Do not offer discounts, refunds, gifts, cash, loyalty points, or other incentives in exchange for a positive review.

If you choose to offer an incentive for feedback where permitted, it should not depend on the review being positive, negative, or containing particular content.

For example:

Always make sure any incentive program complies with the rules of the review platform you are using.

A review request should be an invitation, not an obligation.

Avoid:

• repeatedly messaging customers who have declined;
• making customers feel guilty for not leaving a review;
• suggesting that a customer owes you a positive review;
• making a review a condition of receiving normal customer support; or
• asking customers to change or remove an honest negative review.

A customer should be able to say no.

Reviews should represent the customer’s own experience and opinions.

Do not:

• create fake customer accounts;
• write reviews and publish them as if they came from customers;
• ask employees to pose as customers;
• submit reviews on behalf of customers without their involvement; or
• copy and reuse the same review across multiple customers.

You can help a customer understand how to leave a review, but the final review should be their own.

Avoid practices designed to artificially improve your rating or hide legitimate negative feedback.

This includes:

• buying or selling reviews;
• posting fake reviews;
• removing or suppressing genuine negative feedback;
• asking only selected customers for reviews;
• coordinating groups to leave reviews;
• using multiple accounts to influence ratings; or
• editing customer feedback to change its meaning.

Authentic negative feedback is part of having a real business.

Customers are more likely to respond when the request is clear and easy.

A good review request can be as simple as:

You can include a direct link to the appropriate review page to make the process easier.

Reviews are also an opportunity to demonstrate how you treat customers.

For positive reviews

Thank the customer and acknowledge their feedback.

For negative reviews

Stay professional and avoid arguments.

A useful response can:

1. 1.acknowledge the customer’s experience;
2. 2.apologize where appropriate;
3. 3.avoid sharing private customer information;
4. 4.explain what you can do to help; and
5. 5.move the conversation to a private channel when necessary.

For example:

Never threaten, insult, or retaliate against a customer for leaving a negative review.

Do not publicly disclose private customer information when responding to reviews.

Avoid sharing:

• phone numbers;
• email addresses;
• order details;
• payment information;
• private conversations;
• personal circumstances; or
• other information that the customer has not made public.

Even when responding to a legitimate complaint, keep your public response appropriately general.

Onloz can help businesses make review collection easier, but the responsibility for how review requests are used remains with the business.

When using Onloz:

• request reviews from genuine customers;
• give customers the opportunity to provide honest feedback;
• avoid deceptive or manipulative review practices;
• follow the policies of the review platform where the review will be published;
• respect customer privacy and applicable laws; and
• do not use Onloz to create or distribute fake reviews.