The job ended. The relationship did not, unless you let it.
TL;DR Four touches: a 24-hour satisfaction check, a review request, a 30-day useful tip, and a seasonal return prompt. Text for the short ones, email for the substantial ones. Set it once.
The sequence
| When | Channel | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | SMS | Catch problems before they become reviews |
| 3 days | SMS | Review request, if the check was positive |
| 30 days | Useful tip, no ask | |
| Seasonal | Email + SMS | Return prompt, tied to their service |
| Annual | SMS | Anniversary and next service due |
Five touches over a year. Enough to stay present, not enough to annoy.
Touch 1: the 24-hour check
The single highest-value message in the sequence, because it catches dissatisfaction while it is still private.
Hi Michelle, Dave here from Sicc Plumbing. Just checking the new heater is running as it should. Any issues at all, reply here and I will sort it.
Why it works
- Somebody unhappy tells you instead of Google.
- Somebody happy has just confirmed it, which sets up the review ask.
- It costs one text.
Route the replies. A negative response should alert you immediately, not sit in a queue. A problem fixed within 24 hours rarely becomes a review. The same problem ignored for a week always does.
Touch 2: the review request
Only send if touch 1 was positive. Not gating, which is illegal in the US under the FTC rule effective October 2024. You still ask everyone. You simply do not send an automated review request to somebody who just told you something is broken. Fix their problem first, then ask.
Glad it is sorted. If you have a minute, a quick Google review really helps people find us. Takes about a minute: [short link]
Use the short Google review link that opens the box directly. Every extra tap loses people who genuinely intended to help.
Touch 3: the 30-day useful thing
No ask. This is the one that builds the relationship.
Subject: Three things worth knowing about your new water heater
Quick one, no sales pitch.
Set it to 120°F. Higher is a scald risk and costs more to run.
Drain a couple of litres once a year. Sediment is what kills them early. Takes ten minutes, here is how: [link]
If you see moisture around the base, call us. Small leaks become big ones.Anything at all, reply to this or call 508-555-1234.
Dave
Why this matters more than it looks. You are now the person who helps rather than the person who invoices. When something else breaks, you are who they think of.
Touch 4: the seasonal return prompt
Timed to when they actually need you again, not on a fixed calendar.
Subject: Time for your annual check, Michelle
It has been about eleven months since we put your heater in. Worth a look before the cold comes.
The annual check is $95 and takes half an hour. Book here: [link] or reply and I will find you a slot.
Personalised with what you did and when. Generic seasonal blasts get ignored. “It has been eleven months since we put in your heater” does not.
Touch 5: the anniversary
One year on. Short, warm, no hard sell.
A year since we sorted your heater, Michelle. Hope it is still behaving. If you ever need anything, we are here. And if you know anyone who needs the same, there is $50 in it for both of you: [link]
Combines the relationship touch with a referral prompt without either feeling like the point.
Channel rules
SMS for short, time-sensitive, response-expected messages. Satisfaction checks, review requests, appointment reminders.
Email for anything with substance. Tips, guides, seasonal content, anything with links or images.
Never send a long email where a text would do, and never send a text asking somebody to read three paragraphs.
Compliance
- Get SMS consent at booking. A checkbox with clear language.
- Include opt-out on marketing texts. “Reply STOP to opt out.”
- Transactional messages like appointment confirmations sit differently from marketing, but consent is the safe default for everything.
- Honour opt-outs immediately and permanently.
- Do not add people to a newsletter they did not ask for.
Building it
Trigger everything off job completion, not a date. Your CRM or field service software marks a job complete, the sequence starts.
Segment by service type. The tips and seasonal timing for a water heater are different from a bathroom remodel. Three or four sequences covers most service businesses.
Suppress anyone with an open complaint. Sending “leave us a review” to somebody waiting on a callback is the worst possible timing.
Measure
- Response rate to the 24-hour check. This is your early warning system.
- Reviews generated per 100 jobs.
- Rebooking rate from the seasonal prompt.
- Unsubscribe rate. Rising means you are sending too much or too little value.
Set up the 24-hour satisfaction check this week if you do nothing else. It is one text and it prevents more bad reviews than any other single thing you can do.
Don’t have the time? [BOOK A CALL]