Automating your review requests: the practical guide for tradespeople

Automating Google review requests is the most profitable decision a tradesperson can make in 2026. Here's why, and how to choose the right method.

Email vs SMS vs WhatsApp

Email

• —Average open rate: 22%
• —Click rate: 3–5%
• —Pro: no phone number required, less intrusive
• —Con: easy to ignore, often ends up in spam

SMS

• —Average open rate: 94%
• —Click rate: 12–18%
• —Pro: read almost instantly within minutes
• —Con: needs the customer's phone number

WhatsApp

• —Average open rate: 98%
• —Click rate: 20–25%
• —Pro: trusted channel, natural conversational tone
• —Con: requires WhatsApp Business opt-in

Which method to choose?

For a tradesperson starting out with automation: start with email. Zero friction, zero extra cost, and you can collect email addresses easily when quoting or invoicing.

For a tradesperson who wants to maximise results: add SMS. The click-rate gap (18% vs 5%) translates directly into more reviews. On 50 customers a month, that's 6–9 extra reviews each month.

What a good automatic message must contain

1. The customer's first name — mandatory, otherwise it looks like spam
2. A reminder of the work performed — "following your plumbing job on [date]"
3. A single call to action — one direct link, not two options
4. The duration — "takes less than 2 minutes"
5. The tone — warm, not commercial

Example of a converting SMS:

"Hi Michael, thanks for trusting me with your leak this morning. If you're happy, a Google review would really help me — it takes 2 minutes: [link]. Thanks, Jean-Pierre."

Optimal timing

• —Email: 3 hours after the end of the job
• —SMS: 2–4 hours after, during the day (avoid after 8pm)
• —Follow-up: just one, 48 hours later if no response

With Artisavis, everything is automatic

Artisavis handles email and SMS automatically. You mark the job as done, Artisavis does the rest — personalised message, optimal timing, click tracking. Zero extra effort.