In this guide
Make honest feedback easy to give
A useful review process helps future customers judge your service and gives you feedback you can act on. The aim is a fair record of real experiences. Build a process you can maintain without pressuring customers or steering what they write.
Start with the right review route
If your business is eligible for a Google Business Profile, use its review link or QR code. Open the link on your phone to make sure it reaches the correct business. Customers need a Google account to post a Google review. You do not need a separate link-shortening service.
If you are not eligible for a Business Profile, do not create one just to collect reviews. You can still ask for customer feedback and consider a suitable independent review service. Check its rules, costs and invitation process before committing.
A neutral review invitation
Copy to adapt; ask for an honest experience, without steering the rating.
Thank you for booking with [business]
If you would like to share your experience of our service, you can leave an honest review here: [direct link].
Use the same fair invitation criteria
Do not send happy customers to the public review page and unhappy customers somewhere else.
No reward or requested rating
Do not offer a benefit for a Google review or ask for a five-star score.
Choose a consistent invitation point
As a starting workflow, invite feedback shortly after a customer returns, when it is appropriate to contact them. Adjust this to your service and their circumstances. An invitation about booking support should clearly concern that experience, rather than a holiday the customer has not yet taken.
Use the same fair criteria for invitations. Do not first survey customers and send only those with high satisfaction scores to Google. Never offer discounts, gifts or competition entries for a review. Avoid reviews involving staff, family or other conflicts of interest. Do not ask for a particular rating, named destination, employee mention or keyword.
A review request you can adapt
Subject: How was your experience with [business]?
Hello [name], Thank you for booking with [business]. If you would like to share your experience of our service, you can leave an honest Google review here: [direct link]. Your feedback helps us improve and helps other travellers decide whether we are right for them. If there is anything you would like to discuss directly, please contact [contact details]. Thank you, [name]
Personalise the greeting without assuming the holiday was perfect. Use a contact route that is appropriate and permitted for the customer. Keep the invitation separate from promotional offers. Do not treat using WhatsApp during a booking as blanket permission for future marketing.
Keep a simple record
Record an internal customer reference, invitation date, any follow-up and whether further contact should stop. Keep the record in an appropriately protected system. One optional reminder may be enough; stop if someone declines. Do not impose a review collection quota on staff or chase a rating target.
Respond with care
Thank reviewers when you have something useful to add. For a complaint, read the records first, acknowledge the concern and give a private contact route. Never reveal booking references, travel dates or other private information. Only report a review for removal when there is a genuine policy issue, not because you dislike it.
Use feedback to improve the service
Choose a response that fits what the customer actually said.
Thank them appropriately
Get permission before reusing the review in your own marketing.
Acknowledge and investigate
Move booking details and other private information to a private channel.
Improve the explanation
If customers misunderstand an inclusion, update the relevant website page.
Suggested complaint response
Thank you for raising this. We are sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your experience. Please contact [team/channel] so we can look into the details with you.
Use feedback to improve the website
Look for repeated uncertainty about room types, inclusions, deposits or how to enquire. Improve the relevant page and measure whether similar questions reduce. Before reusing a review in marketing, obtain appropriate permission and preserve its meaning. Do not promise search-result stars from adding testimonials to your own website.
If you display customer reviews or ratings on your website, take reasonable, proportionate steps to prevent, identify and remove fake reviews, hidden incentives and misleading review information. Keep a short published review policy and a way to report concerns. Review the risks and your checks periodically. A third-party review widget does not remove your responsibility. Label selected testimonials clearly and preserve their meaning.
Complete this guide when the link works, your invitation is neutral, your process is fair and somebody is responsible for acting on feedback.
Further reading
Sources and further help
Use the official guidance below when checking settings, eligibility and responsibilities. Platform features and rules can change.
