Here’s why reviews decide who gets the call first

Let me tell you a quick story.

A neighbor of mine needed a plumber last month. He didn’t flip through a phone book. He pulled out his phone, typed “plumber near me,” and looked at the first few businesses on Google.

Guess who he called?
Not the cheapest one.
Not the closest one.
He called the one with the most recent reviews.

That plumber’s phone rang. The others? Nothing.

The Hard Truth About Referrals

A lot of business owners say, “We’re fine, we get referrals.” Referrals are great. Loyal customers are great.

But referrals alone don’t bring in steady new customers. They’re unpredictable, and they don’t improve your Google Business Profile visibility. Meanwhile, your competitors who are actively gathering reviews rise higher in search and win the new customers.

Google itself confirms this: “More reviews and positive ratings can improve your business’s local ranking” on Search and Maps [2].

The Gold Mine You Already Have

Here’s the good news: your past customers are a gold mine.

They’ve already experienced your service. Most are open to leaving feedback—96% of consumers say they would write a review if asked [1]. The problem is, most businesses never ask. Or they ask once and stop.

By nudging past customers to leave reviews, you turn yesterday’s jobs into public proof that builds trust and attracts new customers today.

How ReviewsHQ Fits In

This is where ReviewsHQ by AlvixHQ comes in.

Think of us as the system that encourages your new and existing customers to leave reviews that fuel growth.

Here’s what we do:

• After each job, we follow up multiple times.

• We use email (in full compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act [8]) and voicemail drops to invite customers to leave reviews.

• You can even select past customers you want nudged—we’ll handle that.

• SMS review requests are possible too. But sending texts requires A2P 10DLC registration and compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) [9] and CTIA Messaging Principles [9]. That process takes time, costs money, and each text has a usage fee [10]. If you want that extra mile, we can help you get it done.

The reviews themselves are earned by how you treat your customers. We just make sure more of them show up where new customers are searching.

Growth vs. Standing Still

So what happens when you consistently gather reviews?

• You rise higher in Google search and Google Maps results [2][3].

• Customers trust you more—recent reviews are one of the top factors consumers look at before deciding [1].

• You get more calls from new customers.

Businesses that build reviews enjoy steady growth, stability, and stronger revenue. Businesses that rely only on referrals eventually slow down, while competitors who look better online capture the market.

Final Takeaway

If you’ve got customers—whether new or past—ReviewsHQ helps turn their voices into your most powerful growth engine.

• More reviews.

• More trust.

• More new customers.

That’s the difference between being skipped… and being chosen.

Footnotes & Sources

[1] BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2025.
https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey

[2] Google Support, Improve your local ranking on Google.
https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091

[3] Sterling Sky, Do Google Reviews Help Local SEO Rankings?
https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-reviews-local-seo

[8] FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business.
https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business

[9] FCC, TCPA and Consumer Telephone Rights.
https://www.fcc.gov/general/telecommunications-consumers-guide
CTIA, Messaging Principles and Best Practices.
https://www.ctia.org/the-wireless-industry/industry-commitments/messaging-principles-best-practices

[10] Twilio, SMS Pricing (example).
https://www.twilio.com/sms/pricing/us