The short answer
Send one review request after a completed job or payment, then at most one gentle reminder if the customer has not acted. For repeat customers, use a cooldown so another job does not create another ask right away: 90 days is a practical minimum for many service businesses, while weekly or monthly services often fit a six- or twelve-month window better. Stop as soon as the customer acts or opts out.
Think per customer, not just per job
A one-time customer can receive one request soon after the work and a single follow-up a few days later. A recurring customer is different: every payment may be a valid business event, but every payment is not a good reason to text again. The sending system needs to remember who was asked, not merely count invoices.
A cooldown is the simple rule that solves this. Once a customer enters a review-request journey, later payments stay quiet for the number of days you set. The right window follows the customer relationship: longer than the normal return cycle, and long enough that a later request feels like a new chapter rather than a repeat nudge.
Practical cadences for common businesses
For one-time projects such as a move, roof repair, tree removal, or junk haul, ask once after final payment and follow up once only when there was no action. For occasional home-service calls, a 90- to 180-day cooldown can prevent two nearby repairs from producing two asks. For weekly, biweekly, or monthly services such as cleaning, lawn care, pool service, grooming, or ongoing care, six to twelve months is usually a calmer fit.
These are starting points, not promises. Look at how often the same customer normally returns, how personal the relationship is, and whether the second request would refer to a genuinely new experience. Choose the longer window when you are unsure.
When the sequence should stop
Stop follow-ups when the customer clicks through, leaves a review that can be matched, submits feedback, replies, or opts out. A STOP reply must block future review-request texts unless the customer later opts back in. Email unsubscribes should also carry forward to later jobs.
Do not keep sending because a request did not produce a five-star review. The purpose of the sequence is to make an honest review easy, not to wear the customer down. One clear ask and one polite reminder are enough.
How ReviewNudger controls the cadence
ReviewNudger can start a review journey after each completed payment, but the payment is only the trigger. Your saved campaign steps decide the channel and wait, the per-customer cooldown blocks repeat journeys, duplicate protection prevents retried provider events from starting another request, and opt-outs are checked before sending. You can also stop follow-ups on an individual journey from the dashboard. The same neutral public review path stays available to every customer.
Frequently asked questions
Is one review request enough?
Start with one clear request. One gentle follow-up can help when the first message arrived at a busy moment, but stop there. A longer string of reminders creates pressure and increases opt-outs.
Can I ask a customer to review a second job?
Yes, when enough time has passed and the second job is a real new experience. Use a cooldown longer than your normal repeat cycle, and avoid asking someone to post another review only to change your rating.
What cooldown should a recurring service use?
For weekly or monthly service, start with six to twelve months. That gives a long-time customer a chance to review without making routine charges feel like repeated marketing prompts.
Should unhappy customers receive fewer requests?
No. Use the same neutral cadence and public Google review path for every customer. Sentiment should not decide who is allowed to review; private feedback can be offered alongside the public link, not instead of it.