Key takeaways
- Ask at the final walk-through, then send the link by text within the hour. For long-distance moves, ask at delivery, not at loading.
- Trigger the request from the job status in your moving software so every completed move gets one.
- Answer damage and final-bill complaints calmly and briefly, and move the details to your claims process.
- No discounts for reviews and no asking only the happy customers. Google and the FTC both prohibit it.
To get more Google reviews as a moving company, ask every customer at the same point in every job: after the last item is placed and the customer has walked through with your crew lead. Then send a direct review link by text within the hour. Movers who get reviews consistently do not ask better. They ask every time.
When and how to ask
- Set it up at booking. In the confirmation, tell the customer they will get a short text after the move asking how it went. A request they expect does not feel like a sales pitch.
- Let the crew lead ask in person. At the final walk-through, once furniture is reassembled and the customer has checked the rooms, the crew lead thanks them and says a text is on the way. That one sentence is worth more than any template.
- Send the link while the crew is still nearby. The text goes out when the job is marked complete, with a direct link to your review form and the crew lead's first name in it.
- Match the timing to the job. A long-distance customer is not ready to review at loading. Neither is a storage customer the day their things go into a vault. Use the table below.
- Follow up once, then stop. One reminder a couple of days later. After that, leave it.
| Job | When to ask | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Local move | At the final walk-through, text within the hour | The customer has just seen the result and the crew is still in mind |
| Long-distance move | At delivery, not at pickup | The customer cannot judge the move until their things arrive in one piece |
| Packing only | When the packing is done and labeled | The customer sees the work before the truck ever arrives |
| Storage | When items come out of storage and are delivered | That is when the customer knows the storage was handled well |
| Office move | After the first working morning in the new space | Desks, network gear and files are back in use by then |
The review loop
- Job finished
- Ask every customer Same time, same way, no filtering
- They leave a review
- You reply Thanks and specifics, no private details
- The next customer reads it
Then the next customer
Automating requests
Every completed job should trigger a request without anyone remembering to send it. In SmartMoving, Supermove or whichever moving software runs your jobs, the status change to "completed" is the trigger. The request goes out from the software itself or from a CRM connected to it.
A few things make the automation work:
- The right phone number. Send to the customer who was there, not the employer's relocation coordinator or the realtor who booked the move.
- A registered texting number. Business texts from a 10-digit number in the U.S. need A2P 10DLC registration through The Campaign Registry (registration), or carriers may block them. Get consent to text at booking and honor STOP replies.
- The crew lead's name. "Thanks for having Sam and the crew today" reads like a person wrote it, not a system.
- A short link straight to the review form. One tap from the text to the stars.
Responding to reviews
Reply to every review within a few days, because future customers read the replies to judge how you handle problems. In moving, the hard reviews tend to be about the same few things:
- Damage. Acknowledge it, say you are sorry it happened, and point to your claims process with a phone number or email. Do not argue about valuation in public.
- The final bill was higher than the estimate. Explain in one or two sentences what changes a moving price in general, such as hours, stairs or extra items, without discussing the customer's inventory in public. Invite them to call.
- A late crew or a missed delivery window. Own it if it was your fault. If it was not, explain once and stop.
For positive reviews, mention the crew by first name and the kind of move it was. That reads as real, and it adds detail about your services. An example reply: "Thanks for trusting us with your move. We will pass your note on to Dana's crew. Enjoy the new place."
What Google prohibits
Google and the FTC draw clear lines, and a moving company is no exception.
- No incentives. No discount on the final bill, no free boxes and no entry into a draw in exchange for a review (Google's review policy).
- No gating. Do not send a satisfaction survey first and pass only the happy customers to Google. Asking selectively is review gating, and Google bans it.
- No fake or bought reviews. The FTC's rule bans fake reviews, reviews written by AI posing as customers, bought reviews and reviews written by staff without disclosure (the FTC rule).
- No suppression. Using threats or intimidation to stop honest negative reviews, or hiding them selectively on your own site, is also banned under the FTC rule.
Steady, honest reviews also help your Maps position. The Map Pack ranking guide for movers explains how.
How VETS Growth Marketing helps
We set up review requests that fire from your moving software at the right point for each kind of job, register the texting number properly, and draft replies for your approval. The CRM, the texting number and the reviews stay in your name. We report review pace alongside booked moves. Book a growth consultation and we will check how many of last month's completed moves got a review request at all.
Sources
- Prohibited & restricted content (Maps user-generated content policy), Google Maps Help
- 16 CFR Part 465: Use of consumer reviews and testimonials, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- Tips to get more reviews, Google Business Profile Help
- The Campaign Registry (A2P 10DLC brand and campaign registration), The Campaign Registry