Why Reviews Matter More Than Ever

Most homeowners look you up before they let you through the door. One genuine 5-star review is worth more than any advert — but only if people trust it's real.

The problem with most reviews

Anyone can post a review on Google or Trustpilot, including ones never tied to a real job. Since April 2025 the UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has made fake reviews illegal, and customers are wise to them. The reviews that win work now are the ones that are provably genuine.

Reviews your customers confirm

This is where ServicePay is different. When you mark a job complete, ServicePay sends that customer a review link. Before they review, they confirm the job and the amount, and a confirmed review shows “Confirmed by customer” on GotAPal.

Automate the ask

The best time to ask is 24–48 hours after the job's done. ServicePay does it for you, every time, so you never have to chase. Keep the message short and personal:

"Hi Sarah, thanks for choosing us for the boiler repair! If you've got 30 seconds, a quick review really helps a small business like ours."

Every review publishes — good or bad

There's no cherry-picking. Every review goes live, good or bad, which is exactly what keeps you the right side of the new fake-review rules — and what makes your rating believable. A low score is your chance to respond publicly and show you put things right; always reply calmly, acknowledge the issue and offer to make it good.

Your reviews follow you everywhere

Your reviews publish to your GotAPal profile, embed on your own website with a single widget, and can appear on any partner site we build. Your reputation is yours to keep, not locked inside one directory.

The loop that wins you the next job

That's the real power: a completed job becomes a review your customer has confirmed, and a profile full of them is what persuades the next customer. Every job you finish well makes the next one easier to win.