What the customer sees

The customer never logs in. By text they rate the visit by replying with a number, and get one link back; by email they tap a star, and at the register they scan your QR code. Every link to the page ends in an eight-character code and opens one page. Knowing it helps when a customer rings to ask what to do.

The message

The first text says: "Hi Dana, thanks for stopping by" your store's texting name "today. How was your visit? Reply 1-5 (5 = great). Reply STOP to opt out." ("Hi there" when we have no first name; no "today" when it goes the day after the visit.) It has no link. The customer answers with a number, or in words, which BudLogix reads as described in How a review request travels. As soon as a rating lands, one more text: "Thanks Dana! Would you share that on Google?" and the link for a rating at or above Send to Google from, or "Sorry to hear that. Tell us what happened so we can make it right:" and the link below it. A customer who does not answer gets one reminder a day later: "Hi Dana, just a nudge: how was your visit to" your store, "Reply 1-5." The SMS footer is added to the text after the rating and to the reminder, not to the first text. The link is on BudLogix's short link address when one is set up (see The short link address below).

An email arrives with the subject "How was your visit to" and your store name. It says "Hi Dana, how was your visit to" your store ("Hi there" when we have no first name), "Tap a star to rate it.", five stars numbered 1 to 5 ("1 = poor", "5 = great"), then "Or open the page:" with the link, your store name and address, and an Unsubscribe link. The links are on the short link address when one is set up. The email has no images and nothing in it records that it was read: an open is counted when the page opens. Unsubscribe opens a plain page saying "You won't get review emails from" your store, and no review email goes to that customer again.

Tapping a star in the email opens the page with that rating recorded: a rating at or above Send to Google from goes straight on to Google, a lower one straight to the private form. Many mail systems open links before the customer does. A visit that looks like one (a HEAD request, a link-checking or preview program, or a visit in the first five seconds after sending) records nothing: it gets the stars with the tapped one lit and "Tap a star to send your rating.", and the customer's tap sends it. A star tapped after the customer already rated changes nothing.

The page

At the top: your logo (or your initials on a tile in Primary brand color), your store name and "Thanks for your visit" today, on the weekday, or on the date for an older request.

1. How was your visit? - five large stars, for a customer who has not rated yet (from an email or a QR code). One tap records the rating; there is no submit button, and a second tap changes nothing. A customer who rated by text never sees this step: their link opens Google or the private form directly (see Coming back to the link).
2. At or above Send to Google from (4 stars unless your store chose otherwise): "Glad you had a good visit. Would you share it?", a Leave a Google review button, your other ticked platforms (Weedmaps, Leafly) as small links, and "Or tell us privately instead", which opens the private form with a way back to Google.
3. Below it: the private form straight away, headed "Sorry to hear that. What happened?". Nothing on the page, in its data or on the thank-you links to Google or any other platform.

The private form has your Feedback Categories as chips under "What could be better", a comment box, "A manager may contact me about this at" and the customer's number when we have one, and Send to the store. A chip or a comment is needed. After sending: "Thank you" and the customer's first name, then "A manager will read this today." (or "The store will read this today." for a customer who chose it instead of Google). Five sends an hour from one connection is the limit.

The footer carries your store name and address and Don't ask me again, which answers "We won't ask you again." and is recorded on the customer. A walk-in from the QR code has no customer record, so their footer has no Don't ask me again.

The QR code at the register

Your printed card (see Print the review QR card) carries a QR code for a link ending in /q/ and your store's code. A customer who scans it with a phone gets a new review request of their own and lands on the stars; after that it is the same page as above. Nothing is sent to them, before or after.

The private form asks a walk-in "Want a manager to get back to you? Leave a name and a phone number or email." with two optional boxes, Your name and Phone or email, in place of the "A manager may contact me" tick box. A phone needs 10 digits; anything that is neither a phone number nor an email address is refused with "Enter a phone number or an email address." Leaving a way to reach them is their yes to being contacted.

A link preview or scanning program that opens the QR link, or a HEAD request, sees a plain page ("Open this link on your phone to rate your visit.") and starts nothing. One connection can start 10 requests an hour this way; after that it is refused for the rest of the hour. A code that was replaced from Review Management Settings, or a store without Reputation on its plan, shows a not-found page.

The Google button

Leave a Google review goes through a link on the same address as the page, which records the tap and passes straight on to Google, with no page in between. Only a real browser counts as a tap: link previews, HEAD requests and visits in the first five seconds after sending do not. Where it lands depends on Google link in Review Management Settings: Google's own review box for your listing, or a Google search for your store with the review box open. Without a connected Google Business Profile it is the Google review link typed in Public Review Platforms, and with neither there is no Google button. A customer who already reviewed you publicly (see Prevent duplicate external review prompts) is thanked instead of asked.

Coming back to the link

Once rated, the link does not ask again: a rating that went to Google sends the customer straight to Google (to your other platforms when the store has no Google link), and a lower one opens the private form (or its thank-you once sent). Old links to the second page of the former form lead to the same page. After 14 days the link shows "This review link has expired", which states the 14 days and asks the customer to contact your store directly, or "Thank you." with your Thank You Message to a customer who already rated.

The short link address

Every text goes out in your store's name, so the short link address shows only your store. The page's title is "Your visit to" and your store name, your logo is served from the same address, and nothing on the page, in its code or in its answers names BudLogix. It sets no cookie. Search engines are told to stay out: its robots.txt shuts every crawler out, and every answer from it says not to index, follow or keep a copy. Any address there other than a review link, a QR link, an email's unsubscribe link, the logo and robots.txt is a plain "404 Not Found". A link-checking or preview program sees the same page the customer does; it just does not count as the customer opening it. Without a short link address set up, the same page is served on your site address.

Where you see this

• The review panel - once the customer answers, the thread says when they opened the page, went to Google, rated and wrote.
• Review Management Settings - Branding, Google link, Public Review Platforms and Feedback Categories.
• Where a customer goes after rating - the rule that picks the door.