Commercial buyers lean on references more than consumer buyers do, but they still search, and a thin or silent review profile can knock you off a shortlist before anyone calls. Earning reviews and references consistently isn't luck; it's a habit built into how you run accounts.
The moment that actually earns one
Ask when the client has just seen the work at its best — after a good inspection walkthrough, a floor refinish they're pleased with, or a problem you fixed quickly. Not in a generic email months later. Make it easy: a direct review link, and a sentence on what would help ("it's useful if you mention the kind of building and what we look after").
Ask, don't just hope
Most satisfied facility managers won't leave a review unless asked, even when they'd happily say yes. A short, direct ask from the account manager outperforms waiting. The same goes for references: ask a satisfied client in advance whether they're willing to take a call, so you're not surprising them when a prospect rings.
Keep it honest
Ask every client, not just the ones you expect to be happy, and don't offer anything in exchange for a positive review. Never write reviews for your own business or pay someone else to. Fake or bought reviews break review-platform rules and can fall foul of federal rules on deceptive reviews — and in a market where facility managers talk to each other, they're easy to spot.
What a complaint is actually telling you
Treat it as information, not an attack. A specific complaint — the same restroom missed twice, trash left on a Friday, a door found unlocked — usually points to a real gap in a route, a checklist or a handover. Fix the process, not just the night, and log it so you can show the client it's been dealt with.
Responding well, in public
- Acknowledge the specific issue, not a generic apology
- Stay factual and calm, even if the review feels unfair
- Take specifics offline, with a named contact, rather than debating details in public
- Never share details about a client's building or staff in a reply
- Follow through on whatever you offered — the next facility manager reading often reads your response, not just the review
Why this compounds
A steady record of real reviews and willing references sits alongside your verified credentials as the trust signals commercial buyers actually check. It's one of the few growth levers that gets easier, not harder, the longer you're consistent about it.