Review gating means asking customers how it went, then sending only the happy ones to Google. Google doesn't allow it, and neither does Zome.
What Zome does
- When you mark a job Done, the customer is asked how it went, a couple of hours later by default. You can change the timing in Follow-ups.
- They give stars and an optional comment. This is private feedback to you.
- Then they see the Leave a Google review button. Everyone sees it, with the same link, whatever they rated.
Zome never holds back the Google link and never hides it from unhappy customers.
Why the private rating exists
A private rating tells you quickly when a job went wrong, so you can call and fix it. For a rating of three stars or fewer, the alert suggests a call. It isn't a filter.
What you can't do
- Don't ask only your happiest customers.
- Don't offer a discount or a gift for a review.
- Don't write a review for a customer.
What you can do
Ask every customer, the same way. Make the review link easy to find. Reply politely to every review, good or bad.
What a comment on your website needs
A private comment shows on your website only if the customer ticked the box allowing it and you press Show on your website.
See Review requests and private ratings for the steps.