When to ask
The best time is the same day as the visit, usually within a few hours. The hygiene appointment went well, the technician fixed the furnace, the physical therapy session ended with the patient walking easier. Ask then. The next morning the memory has faded, and a week later the request feels random. For a service that unfolds over time, such as orthodontic treatment or a legal matter, ask at a natural milestone: braces off, case closed, a successful first treatment.
Do not ask at checkout while the person is paying or in pain. A text an hour later, when they are home, gets a calmer answer. See when to ask for the review for timing by industry.
How to word the request
Short, from the business, about the visit. Something like: thanks for coming in today; if you have a minute, a Google review helps other people in town find us; here is the link. One ask, one link. Do not explain how to leave a review in five steps. Do not ask them to mention keywords. Do not ask them to rate you first and only send the link if they are happy; that practice is called review gating, and it is against Google’s policies.
The link should open the review form directly. Google provides a short link for this in your Business Profile dashboard. A link to your general profile page adds steps, and each step loses people.
Who to ask and who to skip
Ask everyone who received the service. A profile that only contains perfect scores from pre-screened customers looks like what it is. An honest mix reads as trustworthy, and a critical review with a calm, specific reply often does more for a prospective customer than another five stars.
Skip anyone who has asked not to be contacted, anyone whose visit involved a complaint you have not yet resolved, and, for clinics, anyone where the request itself could reveal something private. A request that says “thanks for your visit” is fine; one that names the procedure is not.
Replying to reviews, and the mistakes to avoid
Every review deserves a reply, and the reply is read by future customers more than by the reviewer. Thank the person by first name if they used one. For a critical review, acknowledge it, say you want to make it right, and move the conversation offline. Never confirm that someone was a patient or client, and never discuss details of their visit in public, even if they did. Short is fine. Replying within a day or two shows the business is paying attention.
The common mistakes are predictable. Offering a discount or a gift card for a review, which Google does not allow and which can get reviews removed. Asking from a personal phone or an unknown number, which the person ignores. Asking once a quarter in a batch, so the experiences are stale and the burst of reviews looks odd. Leaving reviews unanswered for months.
How Ottimo handles it
Ottimo’s reviews tool sends the request after the visit, from your business number, with a direct link to your Google review form. The timing is set once per service, so a hygiene visit and a consult can ask at different hours. New reviews appear in the same inbox as texts and chats, and you reply from there. The request and the reply are logged on the customer record, so the desk knows who was asked and when. The tool asks everyone who had the service; it does not screen by sentiment.