How to Get 5-Star Reviews for Your Cleaning Business

Before converting into a client, most clients look at your reviews, which is why you NEED to know how to get 5-star reviews for your cleaning business.

Even when you utilize the best marketing strategies, 5-star reviews are one of the best ways to win more clients because they speak for themselves by marketing your business for you.

When your clients are thrilled with your work, they'll tell everyone: friends, family, and neighbors. They might even shower you with praise on social media or leave you a sparkling online review.

Online reviews serve as free advertising, giving your cleaning business greater exposure and helping you mop the floor with your competition.

How 5-Star Reviews Help Your Cleaning Business Attract New Clients

Did you know that nearly 90% of consumers read online reviews before purchasing? Plus, 39% do so on a regular basis.

This means consumers read online reviews because they trust it:

• 85% won’t trust a business until it has at least 10 positive reviews
• 70% say a positive review will make them trust a local business more
• 88% say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from neighbors and friends

On the flip side, negative online reviews are now #1 factor that causes consumers to form negative opinions about businesses.

Clients are going to review your business whether you like it or not — and whether they like your business or not.

It’s crucial to do everything in your power to make sure your clients want to give you great online reviews.

The more 5-star reviews you have, the higher your overall rating will be. Your business will also appear higher on the page when people search for cleaning services on Google or Bing.

A bunch of 5-star reviews can also remove the effects of any negative reviews.

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Where to Get Online Reviews for Your Cleaning Business

When it comes to online reviews, location is just as important as quality.

These are the primary places to get reviews for your cleaning business:

• Facebook business page
• Google Business
• Yelp

Also, keep in mind that small business listings are another great place to get reviews, generate leads, and win referrals.

At a minimum, list your cleaning business in these places:

• Thumbtack
• HomeAdvisor
• Angi (formerly Angie's List)

How to Get More 5-Star Reviews for Your Cleaning Business

In the cleaning industry, you have perhaps one of the best chances to get more 5-star reviews than many other types of service business owners.

Not only do you service your clients on a regular basis, but you also work inside their homes, which gives them a unique opportunity to get to know both you and your work.

Your goal is to only ask your happiest cleaning clients to write you a review. However, don't nag them about it either.

While you should feel confident in asking your clients for reviews, it’s important to do it at the right time. Don’t ask all your clients for reviews at the same time - and NEVER ask when you're sending them the bill.

Always remember, you're not going to be able to get all of your reviews at once. It WILL take time to win quality 5-star reviews for your cleaning business.

Use these 5 pro tips to win 5-star reviews for your cleaning business:

1. When a client is really pleased with your work, take the opportunity to ask for a review in person. Let them know how much their review means to your business. Before leaving, give them your cleaning business card or flyer so they know where to leave reviews.
2. Use your website to reach out to satisfied clients for reviews.
3. Include links to review sites in your email signature.
4. When a client sends you a positive survey by email or text, ask them to write a review (you can easily do this using Service Autopilot!).
5. Offer incentives in exchange for reviews. Try raffles or online review competitions. For example, each client who submits a positive review could be automatically entered in a drawing to win a gift card, iPhone, or a free month of cleaning service. However, keep in mind that to avoid legal implications, you'll have to offer the same incentive to everyone (even the bad reviews).

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How to Respond to Cleaning Business Reviews

In order to solidify your outstanding reputation online, you need to respond to all of your reviews.

Plus, your reviews are a great way to build customer relationships, maintain your reputation, and prove to your clients your the best option for trusted, high-quality cleaning services.

Your reviews will come in three categories:

1. Good
2. Lukewarm
3. Bad

These are some tips for responding to each type of review:

Good Reviews - 4 Stars or Better

1. Without stepping on any toes, try to find out the reviewer’s identity and thank them.
2. Within a week or less, write an original response letting them know you’ll be sharing the review with your team, which reinforces your customer satisfaction commitment.
3. Your response should be original and needs to mention the services you performed, as well as any other key information that may be of interest to prospective clients. If possible, use keywords.

Lukewarm Reviews - 3 Stars or Less

1. Within 12 hours or less, respond to the review.
2. Gather as much info as possible. Attempt to identify the client and contact them directly. If you can’t, let them know how to contact you.
3. Empathize with your client and their concerns. Without making any excuses, ask for details. Don't deflect responsibility or assume you know about everything that happened.
4. Highlight the positive aspects of the review, and thank the client.
5. Repeat and acknowledge the positive aspects of their review.

Bad Reviews - 1 Star

1. As soon as possible, respond to the review. Try to get in contact with them directly, and get as many details as you can. If you can't find the client's contact information, then in your public response, let them know.
2. Let the client know you're taking their concerns seriously. Let them know you're acknowledging their concerns and tell them this type of experience is unusual. Also, tell them you'll be discussing these issues with your team to resolve it for future experiences. Never lecture, attack, accuse, or patronize the client. In your response, use caring, professional language.
3. Ask for as many details as possible without making excuses or deflecting responsibility, and assume nothing. Also, be sure to document all the steps you're taking during the resolution process.

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Use 5-Star Reviews to Grow Your Cleaning Business

Advertising can take up a big chunk of your budget — especially if you’re just starting out — and glowing digital referrals can help you acquire new customers. For free.

Anytime you get a "glowing 5-star review" you should think about sharing it on your website, or through your social media.

However, don't get too discouraged by negative reviews when you get them. Use your bad reviews as a way to improve your cleaning services and make your clients happy.

Once you wow your new clients, they can become repeat customers who leave you more 5-star reviews and send more new clients your way.

When you follow these effective strategies, soon, all you'll have to worry about is how to get all the work done with your new surge of clients, which is a pretty great problem to have...

To streamline the management of your cleaning business and improve your client experience, consider using cleaning business software. Find out how this software can help you automate tasks and manage customer relationships more efficiently by visiting our cleaning business software page.

Related: Cleaning Marketing: The Complete Guide

Originally published Sept 19, 2017 6:00 AM, updated June 15, 2021 7:27 AM