How Moving Companies Get More Google Reviews (Text Templates Included)

Movers get more Google reviews by asking every customer the day after the move, once boxes are unpacked and the stress has eased, with a short text and a link. Ask everyone in the same words, offer nothing in return, and handle damage claims through your normal process. Google prohibits paid reviews and asking only happy customers.

Moving is one of the few services where trust is the entire sale. The customer hands over everything they own to a crew they met a week ago. Reviews are how a nervous stranger decides whether you are safe to hire.

They are also hard to collect. After a move, customers are tired, boxes are everywhere and the last thing on their mind is a review. So you need a plan.

When should a mover ask?

Timing	What happens	Verdict
End of moving day	The customer is exhausted and still stressed	Usually too soon
The day after delivery	Items are in place, the customer is calmer	Best for most local moves
A few days after a long-distance delivery	The customer has begun to unpack	Best for long-distance moves
After a claim is resolved	The customer has seen how you handled a problem	Fine, if you ask every customer at the same point

Pick one timing per move type and use it every time. Consistency matters because Google prohibits selectively soliciting reviews. If you ask some customers at the best moment and skip others, you drift toward gating.

What should the text say?

Keep it warm, short and specific.

Day after a local move:

“ Hi [Name], it's [Your Name] at [Business]. I hope you are settling in. If you were happy with how your move went, a short Google review helps other families find a crew they can trust: [link]. Thank you. “

Long-distance, a few days after delivery:

“ Hi [Name], [Your Name] at [Business]. I hope everything arrived in good shape and you are unpacking. If you have a minute, a Google review about your move would help others who are comparing companies: [link]. Thank you. “

For a property manager or relocation partner:

“ Hi [Name], [Your Name] at [Business]. Thanks for trusting us with [client or project]. If you have a minute, a Google review about working with us would help other property pros: [link]. “

Texting rules change, so confirm current requirements for your setup. In practice that means getting consent when you collect the number, honoring STOP, registering your number where carriers require it, and keeping messages useful. For an overview, see business texting basics for contractors.

What does Google not allow?

Google says reviews must reflect genuine experiences. It removes paid or incentivized reviews, and it prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews or discouraging negative ones. For movers, that means you cannot:

• Offer a discount on storage or the next move for a review
• Skip the ask when a customer complained about the estimate
• Send unhappy customers to a private form while sending happy ones to Google
• Ask the crew’s family to review a move they did not book

Ask every customer in the same words at the same point. Our post on review gating explains it.

How do you handle damage claims fairly?

Claims are part of the business, and how you handle them shows in your reviews. A few habits help:

1. Make your claims process easy to find and simple to start.
2. Respond quickly and in writing.
3. Be fair about what happened and what you will do.
4. Reply to any related review with facts, not defensiveness.

Here is a reply you can adapt:

“ Thank you for telling us, [Name]. We are sorry the [item] arrived damaged. We have opened a claim and [Your Name] will call you by [day] to go over the next steps. You can also reach us at [number]. “

Keep personal details out of public replies. Future customers care less about the problem than about how you handled it.

What makes a mover review useful?

A hurried searcher wants specifics: Did the crew arrive on time? Was the price what they were quoted? Were things wrapped and handled carefully? Was the crew polite in the building? You cannot script the answer, but you can make it easy to be specific with a line like “a few words about your crew and the timing help others.” For a fuller picture, see what a good Google review says.

How do you run it for a busy crew?

Moves cluster on the same days, so build the ask into dispatch:

1. At the end of each move, the lead marks the job complete.
2. The next morning, a single person sends the text to all of yesterday’s customers.
3. A shared sheet tracks: date, first name, move type, asked, review in.
4. A week later, one reminder goes to anyone who has not responded.

Here is a labeled hypothetical. Say your crews finish 12 moves on a busy weekend. If you send the text to all 12, you have a good chance of adding several reviews dated that same week. If asking depends on whoever remembers, you might add one or two, and they will skew toward customers with strong opinions.

What now?

1. Decide on your timing for local and long-distance moves.
2. Save the templates on your phone.
3. Write your claims reply so you do not improvise one.
4. Send requests to your last ten completed moves.

The moving page shows how the site, profile and reviews fit together, and the Google reviews guide for contractors covers the whole system. If you want requests sent automatically, Google review requests are part of the Builders Presence plan.

Common questions

Should I ask on moving day or later?

Often the day after works better. On moving day the customer is tired and busy. A day later, they have seen their belongings in place and can speak to the whole experience. Pick one timing and use it for every customer, so you never choose who gets asked.

What if something was damaged during the move?

Handle it through your normal claims process, promptly and fairly. Ask for the review in the same way you would for everyone else, and do not skip it to avoid a bad one. Google prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews. If a review mentions damage, reply factually and describe next steps.

Can I ask my crew to remind customers?

Yes, if every crew does it the same way for every customer. A short comment at the end, such as “you will get a text with a link if you want to leave a review”, is enough. Do not pressure customers or offer tips, discounts or gifts in return.

Do long-distance customers leave reviews?

Often they do, but timing is harder because they are far from home and unpacking takes time. Wait a few days after delivery. Use the same text for local and long-distance customers, and keep a note of when you sent it so you can send a single reminder.